A few years ago, after a few firm talks with friends, I decided enough is enough. I didn't want to be that sad girl anymore, I wanted to make my life one I liked, loved even. Fast forward to now, and I'm happy, most of the time. I still have bad days and hard times of course, but on a whole, I'm happier in general. The good days outweigh the bad and my mindset is a pretty positive one. I can find the light in situations which once would have floored me. As dramatic as it sounds, I've transformed my life. My energy has changed for the good. I no longer welcome those bad vibes, at one point I couldn't shake off.

This one sounds a little weird, I know, but hear me out. We all have different stress triggers, big or small. When you know what yours are, it's much easier to manage what could become a stressful situation. With me, if I feel like I'm in a rush really leaves me feeling off - so I limit my plans to avoid that super busy feeling. The same goes for happy feelings, there will be certain things which always get you feeling joyful - spend time with those things (for me - hello Gilmore Girls).

Setting boundaries will save you time, prevent others from taking advantage of your kindness, stop you spending unnecessarily, and allow you to be aware of your limits. Boundaries make things run smoother and give you a guilt-free way to say no.

We all know comparison is the thief of joy, but it's so easy to compare - if that's something you struggle with I'd recommend following Lucy Sheridan on Instagram (I haven't read her book The Comparison Cure (affiliate link) yet but I'm looking forward to diving into it soon). Try to keep your focus on yourself, make your past self your competition not a stranger on Instagram. Write a list of things you love about yourself. Basically, make it all about you - it is after all. 

If lockdown has taught us anything, it is that sometimes it's good to slow down. There is no need to be rushing around. When life is too busy it's easy to forget to take the time to enjoy it. Plus, a lot of the time we're more productive when we were thinking with the clarity of a slow mind, not an overactive one.

Gratitude is so important, it's also easy to forget. Every day take some time to write a list of the things you're grateful for. It will make you realise how fortunate you are.

Sometimes it's time to move on. Some things no longer serve us. Replaying times you acted certain ways or constantly mourning a friendship which drifted will only have you feeling blue. Live for the present and the future, not the past. 

Good people, good music, good podcasts, good environments. The things we surround ourselves with affect how we feel. Consume media which makes you feel good. Give your home a good clean so it's a nice place to be. Unfollow accounts which have you feeling rubbish.