As the first month of the year comes to a close, it is important to be reminded that one month doesn't determine your entire year. Moving into February, us singles are going to be faced with couples and most of us, especially those New Yorkers, are ready for the cold to go away. January has been a tough one. We always think that things will be different in the new year but apparently nobody else gets the memo! Don't be discouraged. Here are 10 ways to make sure the new year is amazing as it can be! Don't let the first month get you down. The rest of the year is in your hands.
1. Think positive thoughts.
It is really easy to go into every day being negative, and once you start it is really hard to keep that from snowballing. When you crawl out of your nice warm bed and into this cold world try to think of one thing that is going to be good in your day. It can be something huge like "Today I get to go on vacation," or something as tiny as "Today I am alive and I am breathing." No matter what your positive thing is, think of one! Just like negatives, positives snowball. If you start your day thinking positive then the rest of the day will likely follow. When things go wrong try to bring a positive out of it. You fail a test? (I know, tough one.) Look at it and know you learned from your mistakes and you will use that knowledge to pass the next one. This doesn't work if you don't actually use and believe in the positives!
2. Stop being so angry.
These days we all seem to be angry at something. From our parents to God to a professor, the options are endless. Stop it. All that anger that you hold is only manifesting into bad days, a hard heart and constant dissatisfaction with life. Most things just aren't worth being angry about. Get over what your parents said, they probably didn't mean it. And even if they did, move on. What is the point in you being angry about it? It really doesn't achieve anything to be angry. It is one thing to be angry about an event that just happened but it's been a week and you're still upset about it? I think it's about time to move on. Now I don't want any of you to think I'm insensitive so I would like to add that when major things happen in your life and you get angry, it is okay to be angry. Just don't hold on to that anger for forever, it will only hold you back from healing.
3. Laugh.
Laugh at your friends, laugh at yourself and laugh at the craziness of the world. Laugh so hard you cry. Laugh so hard it hurts. Laugh until you pee your pants and then laugh because you peed your pants. Just smiling triggers hormones in your body to tell your brain that you're happy. Laughing does the same thing but enhanced. Laughing will change your life. You should make it a goal to laugh at least once a day. Even on the worst day of the year, laugh, it will improve your mood just a little.
4. Be selfish.
Yep. That is what I said. Be a little selfish this year. Don't do things just because you are worried that if you don't you'll hurt someone's feelings. If you don't feel like going out with your friends, don't. If you feel like turning your phone off for a few days, do it. If you think going out and dancing sounds like fun, go. I'm not saying to do this at the expense of others all the time, I'm just saying that maybe instead of thinking about everyone else all the time, think about yourself for once. Do something you love, instead of always doing what your best friend wants. Listen to your favorite music instead of your boyfriend's favorite music. Be a little crazy. Love yourself more than you love someone else, even for just one day a month.
5. Do something for someone else.
On the other hand, do something for someone you love every day. Order your mom's favorite flowers, send someone a hand written letter or buy the person behind you in line their Starbucks. Love others with reckless abandon. Forget that you've been burned, forget for a moment how bad it hurt and love some just because you can. Give someone a hug, hold open a door, randomly take out the trash, or clean the bathroom. Loving other people is just another thing that will send your soul soaring. It is just one more thing that will set that smile on your face for the rest of the day.
6. Stop worrying about being single.
Oh, but those nights when it's cold and all you want to do is cuddle... Cuddle with your pillow. Stop worrying about being single. The world says that in order to be happy you have to be in a relationship. NEWS FLASH! It lies. Stop selling yourself short. Stop settling for someone who will never commit, someone who doesn't listen to a word you say or someone who only wants you because you're sexy (even though you are). Stop hooking up with random people if every time you wake up afterwards you feel a grip of guilt. Learn to love yourself. Dedicate 2016 to self love and then try the relationship thing next year. It is OK to be single. It can be so enjoyable if you let it be.
7. Every day do something that makes you happy.
Every day. It doesn't matter what it is. Say a prayer, read a chapter from a book, write, go for a run, hug your best friend; it doesn't matter what it is, just do it. Things are too hard in life to not do something that makes you happy. Even when it's a busy day take five minutes to do something that makes you happier. It will make the harder things not seem so hard and the bad things not seem so bad.
8. Eat healthier. Maybe even exercise a little.
Change one meal a week to something a little healthier. Grilled chicken instead of fried or a side salad instead of fries. It's one meal a week. However, that one meal could turn into two or maybe even three if we're getting a little crazy. Introducing it easily is a way to change your habits. Don't quit cold turkey, just change things a little. Instead of taking the elevator, use the stairs. Maybe go for a walk around the block or on campus. Maybe before you sit on the couch at night take a lap around the house. Just like the one meal a week, maybe one lap will turn into two. Being active and eating a little healthier will lead to better sleep and feeling better than usual. Don't do anything drastic, just try a little change.
9. Love your body.
This is a big one. We look at ourselves in the mirror and all we do is hate. Look at yourself everyday and find one thing you love. For the rest of the day focus on loving that one thing. Everyday has to be something different. In the beginning it's hard. Like really really hard. You look at yourself and all you see is disgusting flesh that you don't want to look at. Pick one thing, and then the next day pick another. Eventually it won't be so hard. Eventually you'll be able to accept that you are who you are and you look the way you look. And THAT is beautiful. You'll realize you don't need to look like the overly edited magazine models because you love yourself just the way you are.
10. Love every piece of life you are given.
Things are not always easy. Things are actually very hard sometimes. Roll with the punches. Tomorrow is never promised. Appreciate all the people you love, and even the ones you don't. You never realize how much someone you barely talk to means to you until they're gone. If you are lucky enough to wake up in the morning then you are lucky enough. Sometimes you just have to cut your loses and move on, and then sometimes you need to morn and be sad for awhile. That is okay too, just don't let that sadness take over your life. You were given this life and this year, live it.
