1.Practice Gratitude
Research shows that when gratitude is present certain brain regions are affected including the hypothalamus, which plays an important role in controlling our appetites, sleep, body temperature regulation, and growth. Gratitude also has the ability to put our brains on a natural high due to the release of dopamine, the “feel good” hormone. Because we enjoy this feeling, we will want to continue living a life full of gratitude. The results of this will lead to an increase in optimism while diminishing negativity. Practicing gratitude in your everyday life through journaling and/or writing also contributes to reduced depression and anxiety.
2. Set Healthy Boundaries
The boundaries you set for yourself reflect the love and respect you have for yourself as well as demonstrate to others how you would like to be treated. Personal boundaries are necessary in order to create mutually respectful and meaningful relationships. A lack of healthy boundaries would have a greater chance of attracting toxic, negative, and low-vibe energy into your life.
3. Take 100% Accountability for Yourself
Taking total control over yourself- mind, body, and soul- allows you to recognize and align with your inner power. By taking accountability for yourself you will grow and strengthen your abilities through recognizing what you are capable of as well as what you can improve on. You may not always be in charge of what goes on around you, but you must take full accountability for your thoughts, responses, and actions.
4. Observe Your Emotions
Being able to observe and manage your emotions in a way that is judgment free allows you to experience greater love, acceptance, and compassion towards yourself. Negative and positive emotions are both a part of the human experience, so it is crucial to observe and allow emotions to flow through- observe but don’t dwell (especially on the negative). Being self-aware will allow you to have a better understanding of yourself and will influence you to react more consciously and less passively.
5. Set Goals and Strive to Reach Them
Goal setting is a major key in life that leads to greater happiness and optimism. Because goal setting aligns with your deeper desires and brings out a greater sense of purpose, you will be motivated to take action and put your energy into making your goals a reality. Dopamine gets stronger as we get closer to achieving whatever it is we set our hearts out to do, and that is a great feeling! Goal setting also gives us a sense of success once we have reached our goal, and it allows us to keep on growing, dreaming, and setting new life goals.
6. Switch Limiting and Negative Beliefs to Words of Empowerment and Encouragement
Working on rewiring your brain to support, uplift, and provide you with positive reinforcements will lead to living a more fulfilling life. When you can recognize that you are thinking and reacting in ways that aren’t bettering you, you can then begin to take the necessary action to switch your beliefs to empower yourself. Continuous practice will gradually rewire the way you think, and in time you will naturally begin to think in a way that is more encouraging and positive. Neuroplasticity allows you to strengthen different aspects of the brain as well as weaken certain aspects. Strengthen the good in you, and diminish the false nonsense you tell yourself!
7. Live in the Present Moment
When you can align yourself with the present moment you become more alive! Conversations with friends become more exciting, your meals begin to taste better, and you find yourself accomplishing tasks in smarter and more efficient ways than before. Being present allows you to only focus on what it is that is presented to you in that very moment. Presence leaves no room for worrying about things in the future or controlling things that have yet to happen; it only leaves room to focus on and give attention to the things that you can handle in the present moment. Fear, pain, and any anxiety will begin to fade as you begin to notice the power of being present.
8. Embrace Change
Change is the one thing in life that is constant. Embracing change allows you to continuously learn, grow, and experience all that this life has to present to you. Changes can lead us to make life improvements, inspire us to re-evaluate what we place value on, push us to progress, bring to light the tremendous amount of strength we possess, and can open the doors to new opportunities and beginnings. Changes are always happening for our greatest good.
Originally published at https://www.marlenerjennings.com/blog
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/energy-guru/id1455094185?mt=2