Better and Better

Take a couple of minutes to lie still in bed and reflect on the day ahead. Do you feel cheerful or fed up, excited or bored? Or do you, perhaps, feel nothing? Go on, prod your subconscious to consider your situation. Unless you get pleasure from living a passive and non-eventful life, having a non-committal attitude can actually be as bad as being pessimistic. So if, as you walk yourself through the events of the day ahead, you feel pretty average about things, then try and aim higher. It will mean that you get much more out of life. So there you are, lying in bed. Picture yourself showering, making breakfast, catching the bus, attending meetings, shopping, cooking supper, watching TV and finally getting into bed. Did your spirits sink at the thought of any of it? If so, pluck what it was out of the timetable and examine it more closely. Is it a must-do, non-negotiable event? For instance, you may not mind the'idea of going to work but hate your job or the daily commute. Find out what options you have to make changes or find alternatives. In the meantime, come up with a strong and confident affirming statement about the person you wish to be and the way you wish to tackle these life challenges.

Once you have a clear picture of the things in your life that make you feel low, either eliminate, minimise or improve them and the way you manage them. If getting everyone organised in the morning is a nightmare, you need to apply some lateral thought to the process. Encourage everybody to help with the morning routine. Make everyone responsible for some parts of their own organisation. If everyone is leading busy lives in the household, it makes no sense for one person to be a martyr. Be realistic about your own stamina and stress limits and appreciate the importance of keeping yourself fit and happy. Agree new regimes with family members or housemates as a sensible training exercise, and stick with it until everyone takes their equal share. Instead of feeling miserable about your chores and responsibilities, adopt a positive approach and acknowledge that they are an essential component of life.

Pessimism, doubt and negativity can often disguise themselves as realism. Facing up to the facts can sometimes be healthy but it's essential not to poison hope and optimism with negative thoughts. Observing how you think is vital. You really need to tune into
hearing those negative waves as soon as they start and see a more positive alternative view. To find this perspective, you may need to examine closely the experience or subject of your attention. Be curious and interested in life, the things and the people that make up your day. Be resolute that you will find a positive in everything and everyone.

The logical rationale for having a positive attitude is compelling. Nobody knows for sure what each day will bring and whether its end will mark a personal triumph or disaster. Make yourself work out what good things will happen. Today could be the day you meet your soul mate, or when you are praised or promoted. Carry a list and photographs of things in your life that are rewarding or make you feel happy. This can include loved ones, favourite flowers, song tracks, a cutting from a newspaper that made you laugh, or a theatre ticket that reminds you of a wonderful occasion. If you need reminding that good things do happen, collection out and relive fond memories and thoughts.

Even if today has been a bad day, you needn’t go to bed, depressed because your optimism didn't pay off. Why? Well, because tomorrow is another day. In the same way that a single look or a sour comment can instantly kill a feeling, so a bubble of optimism arising from even the most minor triumph will eventually get bigger if you refuse to let yourself look on the dark side. That is the great thing about life.