5 Ways to Stay Positive When You’re Having a Bad Day

1. Develop a plan.

Often we just feel “off” and we let it affect our day without finding out what it is that made us feel down in the first place. So identify what’s making you feel despondent. Be specific. And once that is done, make a plan. Write out what you can do to turn around your sour mood.

2. Associate with winners.

We tend to think like the people we hang around. That’s not news, but how often do we stop and notice who we talk to every day? The group that laments over a two-cent gas hike is not likely the same group that discusses the latest stock options. It’s two different mindsets. The greatest investment for the worrywart is to find a cell of positive-minded, successful people. How did they get where they are? How do they think? Let the osmosis begin.

3. Speak positive words.

We tend to believe what we say. Our minds literally go in the direction of our words. Of course, we can’t talk ourselves into being taller, but we can have a more positive outlook by noticing the good, anticipating a positive outcome and speaking it out loud. It’s almost impossible to shout, “I feel fantastic!” and be depressed at the same time. A few verbal affirmations throughout the day will go a long way toward lifting your spirits.

4. Laugh anyway.

There is so much to stress over these days—politics, the economy, the ozone layer, the missing button on your favorite shirt. Still, there is a consensus among many medical professionals that laughter will do you a world of good. In fact, the Mayo Clinic article “Stress relief from laughter? It’s no joke” says, “A rollicking laugh fires up then cools down your stress response and it can increase your heart rate. The result? A good relaxed feeling.” To stay upbeat and positive, make laughter a deliberate part of your arsenal against the blues.

5. Execute.

Once you’ve identified what deflates your spirit, made a plan to overcome it and developed some mental weapons, it’s time to bring out the big guns. Put your thoughts into action. It’s hard to worry about a problem while you are busy solving it. This is no time to be passive. Get angry. Get aggressive. Attack your problems with a vengeance. What right do they have to destroy the pleasure you get out of life? The physical act of execution is a diabolical weapon against whatever ails you and can create a surprising sense of bliss in the midst of the turmoil.