wake up smiling, overcoming negativity, personal growth, mental health, finding joy, positivity, self-improvement, emotional resilience, happiness journey

I was upset when I woke up, continued to think negatively for the majority of the day, and went to bed feeling the same way.

Fortunately, we were confined, so I did not have many chances to transmit my negativity to other people.

While getting ready for the day on one of those gloomy mornings, I turned on a video of a spiritual teacher that a friend had suggested I watch.

“Humanity is soaring into more loving and cognizant states of being,” he stated halfway through the video. You are growing closer to your true self, which is love.

I looked at my unhappy face in the mirror as I caught my gaze there.

“I am not going up. I am sinking more and deeper into my own mental “hell.”

Despite the fact that my negativity was killing me, it was oddly seductive.

I was not sure if I would be able to turn all that negativity into a more positive state of being because it had been getting worse for a while (a few months by then) and had gained some momentum. But I knew it would be more difficult the longer I waited.

I was still staring at my face in the mirror when I saw that my mouth’s corners were pointed slightly down.

“I am going to have wrinkles on my angry face if I keep acting like that.”

After making my bed, I proceeded to the kitchen. I took out my laptop while the coffee was brewing, Googled “how to be a more positive person,” and jotted down a few thoughts that struck a chord with me.

Later that day, I developed what I dubbed my “emotional hygiene practice” by combining suggestions from several sources.

It is a set of easy routines that I made a commitment to follow most days of the week for a whole month (and still do now on most days), and that helped me get over my depression and start smiling every morning.

I want to tell you about them.

1. Fall asleep in the “vortex.”

Abraham Hicks offered the following suggestion, which I discovered when researching how to be more optimistic:

“You wake up in the vortex if you fall asleep in it. You will not wake up in the vortex if you go to sleep outside of it.

A state of pure positive energy is referred described as being in the “vortex.” That quote’s concept is fairly simple: if you go to bed with joyful sentiments and positive thoughts, you are more likely to wake up in the morning with similar ideas and feelings.

This must be real, I knew. I was aware of it as I frequently had unhappy dreams before bed and woke up in the morning feeling irritated and worn out.

I made the decision to give things a try. I attempted to remember all the good things (even the small ones) that had happened during the day when I closed my eyes to go to sleep at night. I did this by scanning the day from the time I woke up until I was lying in bed right now.

I could have reflected on the lovely comment someone made on one of my videos, the fact that there was no snow on the ground and I could run outside in the afternoon, or the excellent mocha latte I had that morning.

I took a few moments to reminisce on a joyful occasion before going on to the next. I would repeat the process after scanning all day in an attempt to uncover even more subtly good things, and I continued doing this until I fell asleep.

Probably the most important thing that has helped me (and still helps me) wake up happier in the morning is this practice.

2. Have something to look forward to on the following day.

Having something to look forward to each day, even if I have a hectic day ahead of me and little free time, has also made me wake up happier.

As of right now, I plan at least one enjoyable activity for the next day every evening. It could be enjoying the sunset, baking cookies, or taking a friend on a walk. It might even be as easy as dressing in my favorite attire.

I feel happier in the evening and give my mind something enjoyable to look forward to when I plan one enjoyable activity for the next day.

Once more, the way the day ends can be an excellent predictor of how the next day will start.

3. Absorb uplifting ideas in the evening.

We are all aware that our mood is influenced by the things we feed our minds. Even though I do not watch TV or read the news, my Facebook feed frequently aggravates me. I therefore made the decision to consume only positive stuff on Facebook and to cease aimlessly scrolling through it, or at least to do it less frequently.

I have been reading a few pages of an inspirational book—usually something spiritual—first thing in the morning and before bed for the past few months. I recently finished reading Sanaya Roman’s Earth Life book series, and I am currently reading Wayne Dyer’s Wishes Fulfilled.

I find peace in reading literature like that. Just spending even fifteen minutes each morning and evening consuming positive information may make a big impact in my attitude and stress level.

(You can leave a comment with any book recommendations you may have.)

4. Make a gratitude list—with a twist.

I write down three to five items for which I am thankful, along with the reasons for each, after reading in the morning.

I used to quickly—almost mindlessly—write gratitude lists with over fifteen items in order to “get it done.” As a result, the practice became somewhat robotic and ineffective.

I have discovered that making my list shorter and spending more time explaining why each item makes me happy increases my sense of thankfulness and deepens the practice. Even though I occasionally forget, I make an effort to do this every day. I notice a change in my overall mood when I forget for a few days in a row.

Perhaps the easiest way to develop a more optimistic outlook is to practice gratitude.

5. Choose your state of being as you open your eyes.

The final piece of advise that has been helpful to me comes from renowned brain health specialist Dr. Daniel Amen. He discussed the significance of establishing a positive intention at the beginning of the day in order to develop what he refers to as “a positivity bias” in an interview on The School of Greatness Podcast.

“Today is going to be a terrific day” is an affirmation he uses and suggests utilizing.

Our unconscious mind then searches for positive events to support this assertion when we tell ourselves this in the morning. Denying or dismissing the negative is not toxic positivity. It involves teaching our minds to automatically focus on the positive rather than the bad.

I have made it a habit to recite this affirmation, or one like it, as soon as I wake up and before I open my eyes in the morning. It is similar to deciding and stating at the beginning of the day what mindset you will have that day. It is simple and establishes the tone for the day.

I did not always remember to announce my goal until later in the morning at first, but it quickly became second nature. Now, when I wake up, I grin merely thinking about my objective and then mentally stating it.

. . .

We only need to make a deliberate effort to cultivate a happy outlook; our lives do not have to be flawless to wake up cheerful.