A Star Falls From the Sky and Into Your Hands

We are all aware of how unpredictable life truly is. There are always going to be high points and low points. Everyone will experience some form of heartbreak. We will all have our failures that weigh us down, but we will also have our victories, and a whole lot of in between moments. Though there are those days that can be a real struggle, where we find it challenging to accomplish anything, it's still incredibly important to do something every single day that motivates you, and moves you closer to your goals. Here are some of the ways I beat back negativity.

My morning ritual starts with a run. Exercise has been shown to boost mood, and that's great when you can't shake away the bad. Exercise clears thoughts by focusing your energy to the task that's laid out in front of you. When you are focused on proper form, or the music playing in your ears, it erases from your brain the other stuff taking up residence in your mind.

Once I make it home, and after eating a wholesome breakfast, I turn on the computer and check my social media feeds for positive quotes and affirmations as well as job boards. As a writer, those job boards show me the companies, magazines, and individuals who are looking to hire writers. That in itself is positive motivation.

Start off with the hard stuff. My day is about writing, programing, and marketing. While putting images up across social media requires very little effort, programming and window shopping requires immense attention to detail. I spend a few hours, daily, searching out new products to promote, but because I am picky about the images I post, an entire day can be wasted just on window shopping. Window shopping forces me to be more aware of how I am managing my time. Window shopping doesn't pay me, but it is a required part of the task that does pay me. It may sound glamorous to shop all day, but I can assure you it actually is quite tedious. Programming an advertisers tag for that product in exchange for money makes it more palatable. Getting that image up for others to see is essential for getting paid.

By beginning my day doing the things I am most anxious about, I end up feeling more accomplished and empowered as the day goes on. When it comes to the articles I am paid to write, the research can bog down my brain. Information overload, and not every bit of information I read is positive. Writing it down in article form helps me clear my mind of the useless junk and clarifies my thoughts.

When I just can't shake negative thoughts, I meditate. It's easy to get lost in a busy routine where there is no time to actually catch my breath. This is not healthy for my body or my mind, and honestly it takes the joy out of everything I am doing. When I feel I am too wound up, I stop, pause for a minute, and take ten deep cleansing breaths. I allow my mind to clean itself of the clutter.

I give thanks for the good things I have in my life right now. I try hard to focus my attention on the now, and force myself not to think too far into the future.