It may be ironic that I’m writing an article about positivity. I’ve been told far too many times by my parents that I complain too much and that I need to count my blessings. Recently, I’ve coined the nickname, “Whiny Beth”. But in my opinion, it’s never too late to try and change the way you live your life.  During the dark days of winter, I’ve found myself becoming increasingly negative like many others who get into this winter funk.

As 2016 came to an end, I was eager to begin a new year and start fresh. The first month of January was a letdown. And as February wore on, I lacked energy and became upset with my surroundings. Staying true to my recent nickname, I whined to my mom about how I didn’t feel like myself.  

“What are you gonna do about that then?” she asked me.

Not exactly the advice I was looking for, but she was right. Other people can’t make changes in your life for you, you have to make them for yourself. And with that, here are some simple ways I have tried to improve my life and work towards becoming a more positive person.

To begin, I’ve learned that a bopping playlist goes a long way. Every morning I listen to upbeat music and my morning becomes increasingly better. Recently, I’ve been obsessed with John Legend’s new album. But any uplifting, mood boosting playlist on Spotify suffices. I used to always listen to one of my playlists literally entitled “emo feels”. Not exactly the kind of music that should be listened to on an already gloomy day.

One of the hardest ways I’ve tried to increase the positivity in my life is cutting out the negativity where I saw fit. This could’ve been in activities that didn’t make me happy, but also with people. I found myself leaving friends’ houses in a worse mood than when I arrived. Then again, I also found myself smiling and full of energy after leaving coffee dates with other people. People often conform to their surroundings, so I figure that if I surround myself with positive people it will make it easier to create a more positive lifestyle for myself.

Good music and good people aren’t the only solutions for creating a more positive life. Many moments throughout my week I find myself completely stressed out. I don’t have great coping skills, but I frequently remind myself that everything is a learning experience. I’ve realized that situations aren’t usually permanent and it’s a refreshing thing to learn.

Obviously, I’m not an expert on creating a life filled with positivity. I complain that my life is a mess every other day. But making the effort to have a positive mindset and to make lifestyle changes are important first steps. I’m no Oprah Winfrey, but I hope that someone reading this will be inspired to make some changes in their own life.