When it seems like nothing is going your way and you could swear that the entire world is on it, it can be almost impossible to remain positive and upbeat.
Maybe you don’t exactly love your job, or you’ve been single for what feels like 500 years and suddenly all your best friends are engaged, or maybe, in the last 15 minutes you’ve managed to not only snap the heel off of your brand new designer pumps, but also spill a venti latte all over your silk, dry-clean only top. In times like these, it may seem only natural to channel your inner Eeyore, but you may find that a slight attitude adjustment is not so hard”and can help lead to not only a happier, but a healthier and more successful you.
Read on for tips on how to ditch the Debbie Downer label and adopt a much sunnier point of view.
Adjust your outlook
As cliché© as it sounds, try to see the glass as half full. Did your brimming-with-potential-boyfriend of two months just call it quits? Instead of focusing on only the loss of the relationship”and wallowing on your couch for longer than the appropriate grieving time”try to look at the break-up as an opportunity to start fresh. Think of the increased you time, and how being available to newer, shinier options isn’t a bad thing. Also, never forget to appreciate that things could always be much worse. You could have just narrowly escaped wasting an entire year on a relationship that was obviously bound to fizzle out anyway. Once you change how you see a situation, you can change how you feel about it (and how you react to it).
Be grateful for what you do have
It can be easy to take things for granted, namely the basics: youth, health, family, friends, food in your fridge, clothes on your back, a roof over your head. Try not to overlook the fact that no matter how awful things may seem sometimes, fundamentally, you more than likely have it pretty good. It’s a painful truth that most of the time we don’t know what we truly have until it’s gone. So take a break from the whining, and look around every once and while and take note of all the wonderful things that you do have going for you.
Recognize your progress
Everyone has goals, whether they are personal or career-related. If it seems like you have an especially long, difficult road in front of you, try not to overwhelm yourself with how much you have left to accomplish. Instead, try to mentally pat yourself on the back for all that you have done. So what if you’ve only just started to save for next year’s splurge-worthy trip to Italy? You’re that much closer to being where you want to be.
Stop comparing yourself to others
It can almost seem like second nature for women to compare themselves to each other, whether it be over looks, success, seemingly perfect relationships or envy-inducing wardrobes. Maybe your best friend has a glamorous and high-paying job and you’re still a lowly intern, or maybe your ex’s new fling has the new Marc Jacobs bag you’ve been coveting. Whatever the case, the worst thing you can do is waste time getting hung up on how much better someone else’s life appears. The best thing you can do for yourself is to roll with the ups as well as the downs, and accept where you are now while working towards where you want to be.
