How To Make The Most Positive Changes
Living good will lead to feeling good.
POSITIVE CHANGES
Kalo mhna! Greeks use this expression, which literally means ‘good month,’ to wish their friends and family positivity for the new month ahead. So, still at the beginning of a new season, which we hope will usher in warmer weather, it’s important that we take steps to live fully. It is our choice to take initiative and be proactive about our health and state of mind. We make conscious choices everyday that will impact our overall state of being. It’s time to hang up our insecurities, but the only way to do that is to make positivity intrinsic to our very being, so much so that when negativity rears its ugly head, we’re capable of dismissing it all together.
SELF-LOVE
There are real changes we can start taking today — the most important of which is to focus on self-love. Many of us are givers; we revel in displaying our sincere love and affection for others, which is part of living well, but we often neglect our own sense of self. To live well, we cannot have one without the other. The only way to live to the fullest is to strike a balance between giving of ourselves to others, and being reminded of our own self worth.
Self worth often lies in an unwavering sense of purpose, a passion, and feeling inspired. “9 Ways to Love Yourself,” an article by Dr. Margaret Paul for the Huffington Post, details several steps that we can take to inspire positive change — #8. Find work you love. “If you continue to force yourself to stay at jobs you hate, the message to yourself is that you are not worth doing whatever it is you need to do, to create a fulfilling work life,” Paul asserts. It might seem like a daunting task, but we must seek work that is challenging and inspiring, and provides us with a sense of mission.
SURROUNDINGS
Self-love is undoubtedly affected by our inner circle, or the people we allow ourselves to get close to. We don’t always have a choice, as in work relationships, Paul writes, but we do have a choice in our personal relationships. If we continue to surround ourselves with overly critical, unkind people, the message we are sending to ourselves is that we are not worth loving. We cannot sacrifice our well-being for people who do not fill our spirits with joy. Our circle evolves as we mature, it’s a natural part of growing and learning, and is not something to be feared.
PHYSICAL WELLNESS
Creating a structured, balanced, and simple life will lead to inner peace. Choosing healthy foods, inhaling fresh air, and getting sufficient sleep will benefit our body and soul. Eliminating chaos by maintaining organization and punctuality will remind ourselves of the respect we deserve, and the respect we should show others, Paul explains. We must recognize the parts of our lives that need attention, and improve upon them for our own greater good.
