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I Tried Positive Thinking for a Week, & Here’s What Happened

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCSB chapter.

We’re all guilty of letting negative thoughts control our lives. No matter how hard we try to be positive, negative thoughts always seem to have a way of creeping back in. Recently, I was shown videos about how positive thinking can change your life for the better, as well as tips for staying positive. Here is a day by day recount of how my week of positivity went down.

 

Monday

The hardest day to start being positive, am I right? I found myself having to constantly remember to breathe and not compare myself to others. Also, trying to fight off stress eating unhealthy food was so difficult. But, one of the tips I learned was to trick your mind into following your positive thoughts. I was skeptical, but telling myself I didn’t want those fries and wanted healthier foods enough times actually worked.

Tuesday

This is my earliest day of the week (and longest day too), so positive thinking was going to be a struggle. I woke up at 5:30 am for work, and reminded myself that everything would be worth it and relaxation was within my sights. This got me through most of the day, until I hit a small bump in the road with a friend, getting upset and then having to remind myself to forgive. Once I brought myself back down, the rest of the night I felt more relaxed than I had in awhile.

 

Wednesday

Another long day. I found myself honestly scattered all over the place, so much so I almost forgot to be positive. I texted my mom as I usually do when I stress out, and she sent me some positive affirmations. After taking the time between classes to read them, I felt lighter, energized and ready to tackle the rest of the day.

 

Thursday

The easiest day of my schedule, with only one class and a late work shift. I had a midterm today, which usually sends me into a major panic. But, in using my positive thinking, I took time to relax and tell myself I knew what I was doing and that there was nothing to worry about. Reminding myself that I am smart enough to pass that exam was probably the most influential part of the day.

Friday

Finally, the weekend. I only had two classes today, but I didn’t want to lose my positive momentum. I woke up and went back through the affirmations that got me through Wednesday. Any negative thought that passed through my mind I had to remember to change that to something positive. Needless to say, I was so ready to kick off the weekend the right way.

 

Final thoughts

Positive thinking is by no means easy. I found myself facing so many negative thoughts every day. You really don’t notice just how guilty you are of succumbing to them until you try be more positive. When you finally try to fight back against that mindset, your life becomes so much better.

Stay positive Gauchos, and remember you are always enough.

 

Photo 1 via pixabay.com, photo 2 via pinterest.com, thumbnail via pixabay.com

Deyana Gorman is a second year pre-biology major at the University of California Santa Barbara from Simi Valley, California. Outside of writing for Her Campus, Deyana can usually be found watching her favorite youtubers, hanging out with friends, playing video games, brushing up on her photography skills, or doing activities with her sorority sisters. She plans on one day studying abroad in Italy, Ireland, and Australia as well as going on road trip adventures throughout California.
Kristine is a 3rd year Chemistry major at UC Santa Barbara. She was born and raised in San Francisco, CA. When she's not writing, she works with her sister to create adorable baked delicacies for The Royal Icing, their at-home bakery. She's also a ballerina, lipstick enthusiast, and bunny lover. Post-graduation, she plans on going to graduate school while continuing her writing career. Catch her on instagram @CookiesForKay