As college students, we’re often under a lot of stress with school work, making it hard to be fully present in the fun moments that are simultaneously happening. A night out might get clouded by the looming paper due on Monday and a gorgeous spring day might be left unenjoyed because of a necessary library study session. It can be easy to let deadlines and obligations bring your mood down and get in the way of your fun, but if you intentionally focus on staying positive, you will get the most out of the good moments and create a buffer for when it gets bad. I’ve put together a list of five ways to help you feel more positive in the last few weeks of the semester or at any point where you might need it:
- Shift Your Language
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Sometimes we don’t realize subtle ways that we’re being negative or closed off through the words that we use. Phrases like “This is impossible” or “It’s never going to end” may seem harmless, but can add up and make you believe they’re true. Try saying “I haven’t done this yet” or “I’m going to take it one day at a time” instead to preserve your confidence and look at stressful situations in a manageable way. I often feel that I internalize what I say, so why not make it positive? It may feel hard to override the impulse of being negative, but the more that you’re intentional about channeling positivity, the more intuitive it will become.
- Dance!!
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Yes, I’m serious. Go put on your favorite playlist and dance around your room or kitchen or backyard or wherever you have space! It may sound silly, but you’ll find yourself smiling at how fun it is (or maybe how funny you feel) and loosen some of that tension from whatever is stressing you out or making you feel sad. Dancing is also a good way to move your body and get your blood flowing if you’ve been sitting for a while. I always find that things start to feel more manageable and exciting when I get up and move! My roommates and I love to have dance parties in the living room and always find ourselves laughing afterward. Don’t be afraid to incorporate friends into your dance break to channel the good vibes for everyone.
- Spread Some Love
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On the note of including others, a good way to increase your own positivity is by uplifting the people around you! You would be surprised at how much we match each other’s energy. It doesn’t take too much effort – try complimenting the outfit of the person you sit next to in class or texting a friend and asking how their day was. Small gestures like these can lead to larger moments of connection and a chance to both support and feel supported. Think of those chain mail emails we would send in middle school, but better! You never know how much someone might need some positivity, and it’ll come back to you like a boomerang.
- See What Passes the Good Vibes Check
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We’ve all had that one friend who can’t stop complaining or bringing up the faults in every situation. It’s important to be there for them if they’re going through something, but it can also be easy to get sucked into small, preventable moments of negativity. It’s okay if you need to take a breather from a certain person or place in order to recharge your positivity battery. It will be easier to support yourself and others when you return – think of putting your oxygen mask on before others. I like to do “good vibes checks” and reflect on whether people and parts of my life are bringing me more positive or negative emotions. There can be both, but if I realize that the negative is outweighing the positive, I take that as a sign to step back for a little while.
- Release the Pressure
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This may sound counterintuitive to the other tips that I just gave, but sometimes feeling like you have to be more positive might turn into pressure that can only fuel the stress and negativity. We can’t be positive 24/7, so let yourself ride the wave of the hard days and smoothly reclaim your positivity when they’re done. The more that I’ve incorporated these small habits into my life, the more resilient I’ve been when I have a rough week or am feeling sad. I remind myself that it’s normal to feel stressed sometimes and refocus on getting rid of the feeling when it feels natural. We are all human and it can be easy to forget that sometimes!
Hopefully these tips give you some ideas of how to invite more positivity into your life. Feel free to cater them to who you are and where you are in your life; the glass will start to look half full in no time.