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MICHELLE JOE
PHOTOGRAPHY
GETTY IMAGES
I
n the 1930s, French psychologist
and pharmacist Émile Coué is
credited with the saying, “Every
day, in every way, I’m getting better
and better”, a mantra that still gives
strength and empowers people
today. But what about those ‘meh’
days when the power of optimistic
autosuggestion isn’t inspiring you
to leap out of bed in the morning?
The grey ones where the thought
of staying in bed all day seems far
more appealing than going to work?
For many of us, changing an unhappy
mood to a good one is all about
action rather than sticking to the
rules. With that in mind, here are five:
ways to make your day better.
BEING HAPPY AND FULFILLED IS
A CONSCIOUS DECISION AND
THE RESULT OF TAKING POSITIVE STEPS
EACH DAY TO STAY THERE
- Instead of scrolling through your Insta feed comparing your life to
the seemingly perfect worlds of influencers, use your quiet moments
to tune into uplifting TED-like talks, pick up an inspirational or
entertaining book, or listen to, or perhaps even sing along to, your
favourite music artist. - Take time each day to factor in some exercise and eat well. It’s hard
to feel energised when you’ve spent most of the day sitting down or
eaten too much of something you now regret. - Help somebody less fortunate, preferably anonymously. In our ‘me
first’ society, a little altruism can work wonders for not only the
benefactor but also the donor. What’s more, it’s great for
your mental and physical wellbeing by giving your brain a ‘helper’s
high’ – win-win! - Spend a few moments being thankful for what you have. Even
though most of us are hard-wired to not be satisfied with what we
have if you don’t recognise what you’ve got to be grateful for, then
chances are what’s ahead won’t please you either. - Jot down one happy thing that happened today. It can be a small
thing such as a compliment or something nice you’ve read, seen or
heard. Record it for posterity in a journal or on your phone so you
can revisit it on those days when you need a morale-building boost.
inspired
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