“Your future is created by the energy you invest in the present.” ~Unknown
I’m typically a happy person, but around a year ago—possibly due to a lack of social connections and laughter—I went through a rough period. During those months, most of my waking hours (and likely nights too) were dominated by negative thoughts.
Mornings began with a sense of anger, and negativity continued to cloud my days, following me into bedtime.
Thankfully, due to confinement, my negative vibes didn’t spread to others too often.
One moody morning, I decided to listen to a video of a spiritual teacher, recommended by a friend, while getting ready for the day. Halfway through, he said something that struck me: “Humanity is ascending into more loving and conscious states of being. You are becoming more of who you truly are, which is love.”
Looking at my unhappy reflection in the mirror, I couldn’t help but think, “I’m not ascending. I’m spiraling further into my own mental ‘hell.'”
Oddly, negativity had become a sort of addictive cycle, gnawing at me from the inside.
It had been building up for a while—months, to be exact—and gaining momentum. I started to wonder if I could ever shift from this negativity to a more positive state. The longer I waited, the tougher it seemed.
As I continued gazing at my reflection, I noticed my lips slightly drooping at the corners. “If I keep this up, I might end up with permanent grumpy face wrinkles.”
So, after making my bed, I headed to the kitchen. While the coffee brewed, I grabbed my laptop and searched “how to be a more positive person,” jotting down ideas that resonated with me.
Later that day, I blended advice from various articles to create my “emotional hygiene routine.”
This routine consisted of simple habits that I committed to practicing most days of the week for an entire month. And guess what? They managed to pull me out of my gloomy state, helping me wake up with a smile once more.
Now, I’d love to share these habits with you.
- Drift into the ‘Vortex’ as You Sleep Inspired by Abraham Hicks, I learned that going to bed in a positive state of mind helps you wake up in a similar mood. The “vortex” signifies pure positive energy. By going to sleep with happy thoughts, you’re more likely to wake up with positivity.To test this, I closed my eyes and mentally replayed the day, recalling even the tiniest positive moments—a morning mocha, a sunny afternoon run, or a kind comment on a video. Doing this exercise before falling asleep significantly brightened my mornings.
- Anticipate Tomorrow’s Joy To boost my morning happiness, I began scheduling at least one joyful activity for the next day, even on busy schedules. Whether it’s a walk with a friend, baking cookies, or enjoying a sunset, it sets a positive tone for the evening, influencing the following morning.
- Nourish Your Mind with Positivity I realized that what I feed my mind impacts my mood. So, I traded mindless scrolling on social media for uplifting content. Reading a few pages of an inspiring book—often spiritual—each morning and night brought me peace and reduced stress.
- Gratitude, but with Depth Instead of quickly jotting down a long list of things I’m grateful for, I started listing three to five items each morning, exploring why I appreciated them. This practice intensified my gratitude feelings, making it more impactful.
- Set a Positive Intention at Dawn Following Dr. Daniel Amen’s advice, I adopted a morning affirmation to set a positive intention for the day. Saying something like “Today is going to be a great day” as I woke up helped my unconscious mind focus on the positive aspects of the day.
Remember, a perfect life isn’t required to wake up with a smile. A conscious effort to cultivate positivity through these five habits transformed my outlook, and they might just do the same for you. Give them a shot!
