Welcome to the next instalment of my monthly series The A – Z of Positivity. Today we are looking at the letter E so let’s continue our journey and see where positivity can take us.
E
Exercise – We all know exercise is good for you both physically and mentally. How do you feel once you have completed a session at the gym or puffed your way through a HIIT class or ran 5k? Do you wish you never did it? No, of course not, you feel great even if you are shattered. You feel proud of yourself as you have achieved something great. You feel as though you could take on the world. It is rare you would ever regret doing exercise. With all the endorphins and serotonin it lifts your mood and reduces stress. Why not think about exercise as a mood reset. When you are feeling flat, pick an activity you want to do and no matter how you are feeling before you start, after exercise your mood will lift and you will feel better for it.
Environment – Look around you, what do you see? Your outdoor environment can have a huge impact on your positivity. We walk by trees, birds and people, but rarely do we stopped and smell the roses as they say. You may feel this is an insignificant part of your day, however, look closely at what types of birds they are and what shape the leaves on the trees are? By paying attention to these finer details, it helps you to reduce your stress and become aware of your surroundings. Your home environment is your security blanket, it envelops you with comfort and joy. Make this environment one you love and enjoy being in. Decorate it in a way which calms you and makes you happy. Your home environment and your outside environment connect you to the world outside yourself. That connection can feel comforting, grounding and positive.
Encouragement – Be the positive person in someone’s life. Give them the encouragement to run the 5k, complete a 10 mile walk or to take a leap of faith and do something out of the norm. Everyone needs a supporter so be your own cheerleader! We talk ourselves out of doing things as our inner voice confirms we are incapable and not good enough to achieve. Take a stance, instead, look at it differently. Think about what you would say to a friend if they were in your shoes and wanted to do what you want. Without a doubt, you would give them a lot of encouragement, likely help them see what the positive outcomes could be and then send them on their way ready for action. Be that person to your own goals or ideas.
Extraordinary – Each and every one of us carries something extraordinary within us. We are one of a kind, wonderfully unusual, and brilliant in so many ways we often ignore. Yet instead of celebrating these qualities, we spend too much time and energy trying to blend in and be “normal”, taking away from who we are. Positivity begins when we change things up, when you embrace your differences, all of them, including your quirks. By doing so, you can start to see them not as oddities but as gifts. Your uniqueness becomes your superpower, your source of confidence, joy, and self‑belief. The more you honour what makes you extraordinary, the more positivity you will invite into your life.
Ecstatic – What makes you really happy? What make you jump in the air and whoop with joy? Is it spending time with friends or family? Playing a board game (and winning) or watching a tv show and getting engrossed into the characters lives? Maybe your favourite song comes on and up you jump and start dancing in your living room or kitchen. Whatever it is that makes you happy, makes your heart sing and lightens your life, then this is what you need to do more of to keep the positivity in your life.
There are many positives woven into our everyday lives. Being positive isn’t about being sickly annoying and wearing rose tinted glasses and always being so cheery. It is about noticing and working with what you have and feel, to give you a better mindset, brighten your outlook, and bring more positivity into your world. Join me next month when we look at the letter F in my continuation of the A – Z of Positivity series.
Thank you for reading.
Have a positive week and look after you.
Love Emma xx
Wellbeing with Relaxing Lavender 