Too many of us can be negative nellies in this day and age. And sure, there’s a lot out there to get angry and upset about. But if you’re negative all the time, the only person you’re damaging is yourself.

Here are some top tips to keep you in the golden state of mind and help you have a more positive outlook on life.

#1 Don’t Let Other People’s Negativity Affect You

You can’t always escape negative people but you can ignore them. Block those bad vibes out of your life. If you’ve sat yourself next to a grump on the train or a co-worker is raining on your parade by complaining about their job, the first step is to move yourself away.

If it’s getting to the point where you find yourself getting annoyed or angry in return, you just have to take a breather and be the bigger person.

#2 You’re Allowed To Feel Sad

Life is tricky; you never know what will jump into your path and muck up all that good energy you’ve got going. You might have received some bad news or not done as well as you wanted in your exams. Understand that it’s okay to be upset when shitty stuff happens.

If you don’t allow yourself to grieve you’ll only harm your mental health in the long run. Bottling it all up will only result in you exploding down the track.

#3 Be Proactive

Once you’ve had a cry or a moan to whoever will listen to your woes, you need to get yourself back on that happy train. What can you do to improve your situation? Start reading lots, talk to a bunch of people and start gathering some perspective.

The most important thing is to stop your moping and the easiest way to do that is to actively search for a solution. Taking back control will help you to feel less powerless in your circumstance.

#4 Fake A Smile If You Have To

If you find yourself feeling down, just smile. It’s been proven to release all those happy endorphins you need to feel positive once more. It’s also ridiculously hard to be angry or upset when you put a smile on your dial. It helps to catch your negative thoughts when they pop into your head, so you can stop them in their tracks and throw them away.

Practice is key for this tip, the more you do it the more it will become like second nature.

#5 Schedule In Some Chill Time

Put aside at least an hour every day and dedicate it to number one: you. Whether that’s putting on a face mask, reading a book, mediating or getting your sweat on, do it. It’ll help you maintain positive outlook by giving you the mental strength to deal with anything that comes up.

All in all, these tips will help you feel more in control of your feelings and your life. When you’re in control of how you react to things, nothing can really get to you, which is all you really need to keep beaming.

Mackenzie is a recent graduate who currently has no idea what direction her career is going in. She tells people her hobbies include surfing and hiking to make her sound more interesting but really all she does in her free time is go out for coffee and brunch. 

(Lead image: The Good Place/NBC)