Celebrate Yourself: 6 Tips To A Happy, Optimistic And Mindful Life

Too often, we let one bad day turn into a bad week, month or year.

Have you ever experienced the saying, “When it rains, it pours?”

It seems when one thing isn’t going right, nothing is. Life snowballs onward and we feel out of control, confused and stressed.

We don't give ourselves the same credit we would give others in similar or higher position than us. We feel like frauds or like we must’ve made one too many wrong turns along the way.

We compare ourselves to others and we criticize ourselves instead of looking at how far we’ve come.

What if I told you there’s another way to live? A way to focus on good energy, a positive attitude and gratitude?

A way to make bad moments few and fleeting? What if I also said that in order to get there, all you had to do was celebrate yourself?

Before you file this under “fluffy, feel good nonsense,” hear me out. If we were a little nicer to ourselves — offering ourselves the love and recognition we happily give others — we could work and live to our full potential.

Here's how:

Decide

One of the best parts about growing up is all the different phases and trends we experience.

Rarely are people the exact same as they were just a year or so ago, and that’s every kind of wonderful.

We grow and evolve daily; experiences and people enter and leave our lives. Embrace it and make choices based on the person you want to be.

Take a few moments and jot down people you admire the most and why. What qualities do they possess that you have, desire or see as important? How do they act in their day-to-day lives that makes them people you look up to?

This person could even be you at a specific time and place when you felt the strongest, smartest or bravest.

Embrace and remember whatever makes you feel alive and the most in tune with the best version of yourself.

Realize your life is your choice and then take the time to decide who you want to be and why.

Work every day toward those commitments and celebrate the big (and small) steps toward creating your greatest you. When you make strong choices, you’re responsible to live up to them.

Know you'll still trip up. The low times will still come, but they will float by faster.

You’ll have a reason to get back up and step toward becoming whomever you’ve decided to be.

Give credit

It’s easy to see everyone else’s accomplishments. Through social media, our current world’s instant gratification and our all-access "reality" views, we are constantly reminded of everyone’s accolades, résumés and even their lunch choices.

When you’re feeling down, it’s easy to scroll through and assume you’re not worthy of your goals or up to par with someone in your industry or age group.

It’s critical to give credit where it’s due, especially to yourself! Remember, any accomplishment or step in the right direction should be remembered and valued, no matter the size.

Where you are now is exactly where someone else is wishing to be or, more importantly, where you wished to be a short time ago.

Don't forget how hard you’ve worked and the obstacles you’ve overcome to get where you are.

All ambitious people will tell you their ultimate goals or the next places they want to be.

But, the only way to get to the "next" is to be where you are now and to build on that experience.

When you take the time to give yourself the credit you deserve, you put yourself back into the present.

Therefore, it's much easier to carry on to the next step and not harp on negative situations or influences.

Reflect

In the thick of the mundane or during a bad day, take 10 minutes of silence to remember what you gave up to be where you are.

Did you quit a well-paying job that wasn’t steering you in the direction you wanted? Did you give up family holidays and time with friends to study so you could pass an exam?

Have you stopped partying and eating out to adopt a new fitness lifestyle? Whatever it may be, remember what specific choices you made in search of your most desired goals.

Reflect on why that choice was important for you and the person you’ve chosen to be.

You need to own all of the choices you’ve made. There is nothing wrong with feeling a bit down when things aren't going your way, but do not let those feelings spiral out of control.

You have the option of owning how you feel in that exact moment. You can work to uncover the true reason for your feelings, how you react to those feelings and to the drama of a less than perfect day.

After all, the good days don’t exist without a few bad ones in the mix.

Take risks

Not buying it? If, after careful evaluation and reflection, you still cannot see past a horrible week, maybe it’s time for a big change.

Did you step in a puddle, or are you unhappy with the way a relationship or a project at work is going? Be honest with yourself because no one else will be.

If there is something bigger and more important underneath your low energy and constant stress, you must admit that to yourself and take responsibility for it.

Perhaps you’re in a scenario that you feel isn’t your fault at all, but you can't find your way out.

By taking responsibility in any given situation, you’ll ease your mind and stay focused on your goals and the expectations of yourself and others.

We’re only truly responsible for our own thoughts, views and lives, and no one will fix yours for you.

Everyone has stressful days, but high risk equals high reward.

Use your talents and reflections for the next big step, and celebrate your bravery along with the chaos it may bring. Happier days are on the other side.

Ask

Who's your biggest fan? Mom or Dad? A sibling or best friend? A coworker who you don't even know you’ve inspired in the past?

Give them a call, and just start a conversation. Discuss how you’re feeling or the events that led you to a bad day.

More often than not, you’ll be surprised with a compliment or another kind of accolade. The exact thing you aren’t giving yourself credit for is the thing they love most about you.

Try treating every person you meet as the most important person you’ll ever meet. You may find there are many people in unexpected places who look up to you.

Now you have a responsibility, to yourself and those who admire and look up to you, to remain on the path of the person you decided to be.

And, if you aren't sure who that is yet, that's fun, too. Just know it and own it.

Learn to celebrate

Who you are in the face of a tough time speaks volumes more than who you are when there is extra time, money and friendships floating around.

Dealing with stress, like anything else, is different for everyone. I’m inviting you to see yourself in a new, brighter light and celebrate every piece that makes you who you are today (the good and the bad).

Ultimately, the world ends the same for everyone so, why not put forth our best efforts and lead the fulfilling lives we so often crave and — more importantly — deserve? Celebrate yourself the whole way through.