Helpful reminders to stay positive when things get tough!

I subscribe to a website called DailyOM. Today the clip from the article below called to me as I was ending a very hard day at work. I'm always reminded that things don't happen to me, they happen for me. The article below the picture made me reflect on my day and how I could have changed my attitude and perhaps said and done things differently today. I laugh now when writing this because I really wanted to just ignore what happened today and scoff about it more but upon opening up my email and reading the article I knew the universe was sending me a message I couldn't ignore. The article was a good reminder that I can't run away from a bad day and bad days will happen but with a little practice of being mindful of my thoughts I can change my outlook.

A hard day can sometimes be a great teacher if we stop for reflection.

We all have days that seem endlessly difficult and hard. On these days, it is as if the odds are stacked against us and we just can't get a break as one challenging situation follows another. We may feel like we're standing in the ocean getting hit by wave after wave, never able to get a full breath. Sometimes it's necessary or worth it to stay in the fray and work our way through. Other times, the best idea is to go home and take the breath we need in order to carry on. If the only choice is to get through it, a hard day can be a great teacher. It will eventually end and we can look back on it, taking pride in the stamina, courage, and ingenuity it took to hold our ground. We may also look back and see how we could have done things differently. This knowledge will be valuable when we face hard days in the future. Trust your gut as you're deciding whether to work through it, and know that sometimes a timely retreat is the best way to ensure a positive outcome. Getting space can remind us that external circumstances are not the whole picture. Once we catch our breath and re-center ourselves, we will be able to determine our next move. With a little perspective, we may even find the inner resources to change our attitude about what's happening. We may begin to see that what we saw as hardships are actually opportunities. As our attitude changes for the better, our actions and the circumstances will follow suit. Sometimes all that's needed is a good night's sleep. No one is immune to having a hard day and these are usually the times we can learn the most. If we can find it in our hearts to examine the day, and maybe make one small change in perception, we can ease our pain and greet the next day that much wiser.

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It's always easy to go down the tunnel of doom and gloom. What is hard is to look at how I play apart in creating the doom and gloom. Sometimes it's really hard to stay positive when everything around you is negative. This is why meditation and taking deep breathes is crucial to my mental and emotional well being. I become an observer of my thoughts and try to step outside myself and concentrate on flipping the negative vibe into a more positive vibe. Below are some of the techniques I use to help me remain balanced and focused throughout the day.

1.Write down some of your favorite motivational quotes and post them on your mirror. I say my quotes out loud and then close my eyes, breathe in and out while saying them silently to my self.

2. Listen to a positive affirmation YouTube video while you drive.

I AM Affirmations Meditation: Repeating positive affirmations daily will help train your brain to start feeling and thinking differently.

3. Listen to your favorite songs and dance. Sing in the Shower!!!!

It's had to have a bad day when you start it with something upbeat and happy! AND when you do have a bad day music helps you to release those bad vibes!

4. Keep a daily GRATITUDE journal or make a Gratitude JAR

Remember not all things are bad. Concentrate more on what is good in life and see how the world around you begins to change.

5. Get out in NATURE. Take a break and enjoy the sun and breathe in some fresh air. Be still, be quiet and feel the earth supporting you. Relax and "stop and smell the flowers".

Click on Image below to find out about "Grounding/ Earthing"