Have the winter blues been getting you down lately? It’s time to take a hint from the trees and shed those extra layers to help welcome spring into your life a little early. Here’s how—
- Delete negativity
We are often so afraid of change that we continue to hold onto things that are no longer serving us. Over time, these things begin to accumulate and create a whole lot of baggage we have to carry around. When you allow yourself to be weighed down by the things you no longer need, there is no room left for growth. As the load becomes heavier and heavier, you will find that you must let some things go in order to keep moving forward. Don’t wait until you are dragging on the floor, start today! Cut contact with people who bring you down, rid yourself of the clothes that don’t make you feel awesome about yourself, donate that teddy bear your ex gave you, clean up your study space—whatever it takes. I guarantee you will feel so much lighter.
- Learn to forgive yourself
So you polished off that pint of ice cream, gained a few pounds, received a less-than-stellar grade on your last paper, or skipped class for an extra hour of sleep. It’s okay, making mistakes is a part of life and by now we know that nobody is perfect. As it has been said time and time again, we are not defined by how many times we fall, but rather by how many times we get back up again. While some mistakes may be bigger than others, the trick is to learn how to forgive yourself and make better mistakes next time. It sucks that we have to figure things out the hard way, but mistakes often teach us the best lessons and serve to make us better individuals in the long run. As long as you do not allow yourself to keep making the same mistakes over and over again, brush yourself off and you will be fine.
- Stop comparing yourself to others
Thanks to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, it has become easier than ever to compare ourselves to our peers. We log on and we are constantly bombarded with status updates about friends getting great jobs, new relationships, or making the Dean’s List. It is hard to not look at these things and feel inadequate or already behind. Stop trying to measure up to other people’s standards and focus on what you ARE doing today instead of what you are NOT. Next time you begin to feel envious over your friend’s new job, use their success as motivation to log out and start working on your resume!
Photo courtesy of www.jaymug.com
- Plan ahead
As cliché as it sounds, everyone needs a reason to wake up in the morning. What’s yours? If you don’t have one, then find one! You can do this by creating either a long or short-term goal that you plan to accomplish by the end of the day or week. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as it is something you look forward to achieving. Now these don’t have to be life-changing goals, they can be as simple as catching up on your favorite TV show, applying for that summer internship, booking your spring break trip, or turning in your study abroad application. When you set your mind towards the future instead of taking things day-by-day, you find that you use your time and energy most efficiently, thus making you a more productive and happier individual.
5. Count your blessings
When you are constantly in search of something more, it is easy to lose track of all the things you already have. This is especially true when you are having a bad day and the world seems to be against you. To combat these negative thoughts, I recommend keeping a gratitude journal as a daily reminder of all the things you have to be thankful for. Before you go to sleep every night, write down at least one good thing that happened that day or something you are appreciative of. It can range from bumping into a friend you haven’t seen on campus, to good advice from your mom, to something trivial, like the new eye-candy in your class or the good hair day you are having. If you are easily forgetful, keep a list in your phone so that you never miss an entry. It literally takes 20 seconds, so there are no excuses! When you are feeling like nothing is going your way, read the list to be reminded of all the good in your life.
Journal made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/zany