When life gives you oranges instead of lemons . . .
. . . then it’s time to make some orange juice.
Happiness can be a struggle sometimes. Everyone, literally, everyone has rough patches in their life. Yes, even that one person you thought had the perfect life. Sometimes people are really good at hiding it, but we all go through hard times. I thought about some things that help me to stay happy when I quite frankly just don’t feel all that great.
tip #1: ignore what others think.
This one is especially hard for me. It’s hard not to wonder what others will think but the truth is, they are living their own life and you are living yours. You have a completely different life than anyone else and no one person’s life is exactly the same. We all have our own different paths. So really, if someone has something negative to say about you, it really doesn’t matter unless they are in your skin, which they aren’t. Once you stop caring what others think, that takes a huge load off and feels so freeing.
tip #2: don’t dwell on the negative.
By this I mean that if you focus on the negative all of the hours of every day it weighs you down. Try and force yourself to think about the positives instead. Going with this as well, is to also separate yourself from anyone that is negative. Gossip, pessimists and the lot are not good for keeping upbeat and happy. Have you seen that quote that says to surround yourself with people who make you happy? That is very, verytrue.
tip #3: stop comparing.
This one is a biggie. Comparing is a big time culprit for unhappiness. Take this scenario: You’re scrolling through your Instagram/Facebook/Twitter/etc. feed and you see countless pictures of filtered “perfection.” Suddenly you find yourself thinking, “I wish I looked like that,” or “If only I had her/his life, then I would be happy.” All I can say for those kinds of thoughts is, STOP. It is so easy to think like that and wish and hope but the truth is, you will never be them. You will never live their exact life much less look exactly like them and that should never, ever be a bad thing. Whenever I see comments like that underneath pictures or posts I wish those people could see how precious they are. Think of it like this, no two twins are even completely the same. We all are one of a kind! Perfection is not real. The facadeof perfection is very real today, but actual perfection- no. Isn’t beauty in the flaws anyways? Look in the mirror, that’s what you should learn to love- yourself and your own unique and beautiful life.
tip #4: make time for yourself.
This is by no means a selfish thing. Set aside time in the day to de-stress and recollect yourself. Breathe and reflect on whatever it is that’s making you so down in the slumps. Sometimes, for me at least, it really helps to process what is going on. If I’m not feeling happy, there is a reason. The reason could be obvious like you feel alone or it could be less obvious and deeper like self esteem issues or something that has stuck with you from the past. Whatever it is, this is your time to process the issue and try and find a way to overcome it. I can’t speak for every issue, but ultimately you know yourself more than anybody else and know what you need to get past it.
Being happy is a mindset. It’s not easy, but we can do it if we try. Remember, even though it feels like you are the only one dealing with unhappiness or feeling like your life is not great, I can guarantee that you are not the only one. Nobody is perfect. In this social media society we live in, it’s easy to think that what you see online is how it is in real life, but that’s not necessarily the case. Ignore those negative comparing thoughts and remember that we all struggle at one point or another. You’ll get through this.
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