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Yes, I admit it I am a potterhead. I have been a fan of the Harry Potter books and movies for many years. No pun intended, but there is something very magical about them. The story starts off fantastic and gets better and better with each instalment. I am thoroughly entertained each time I pick up a book or watch a movie. But there is far more to these stories than just entertainment, the messages in the books and movies are quite clearly teaching us some life lessons, and if you look closely you can see that Positive Thinking plays a big part in this. If you haven’t read the books or watched the movies, I cannot recommend them highly enough. The third book has always been my favourite, and it wasn’t until I made the connection with positive thinking that I realised why... you’ll see what I mean in a minute. I have outlined just some of my favourite positive thinking messages from each book/film. Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone (Sorcerer’s Stone) When Harry, Ron and Hermione try to stop Lord Voldermort from getting the stone which had been heavily protected by magical charms, they are met with a series of challenges to get through along the way. One of the challenges was the Devils Snare – it pulls you in, tangles you up and traps you if you fight it. But if you relax, it has no hold on you, and you can get through it. And if you can’t relax, throw a little sunshine on it, and it cannot hold you in its grasp. This is a great metaphor for life, it gets complicated, we easily get tangled up in our problems letting them pull us down and we feel trapped. When we relax, and feel calm we approach problems differently, add a bit of positivity (sunshine) and we no longer feel trapped, we find a way out and can move on. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets For someone like me who’s a bit of an arachnophobe this movie was absolutely terrifying! Harry and Ron (who’s also an arachnophobe) were led to Hagrid’s friend Aragog – a giant spider, who was surrounded by his whole family of spiders. There will always be help for those that ask for it. This is demonstrated on two memorable occasions in this movie: · Harry and Ron are in Aragog’s lair and just when they thought they wouldn’t be able to escape with their lives the Ford Anglia magically arrives to drive them to safety. · Harry has gone through to the chamber of secrets to rescue Ginny Weasley, Harry Defends Dumbledore to Tom Riddle, he stays loyal to him and doesn’t lose faith despite the current circumstance. Help came in the way of Dumbledore’s Phoenix – Fawkes and the Sword of Gryffindor. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban My favourite of all of the books – so many Positive Thinking messages in this one! And the movie is the owner of one of the most famous quotes of all the Harry Potter series – “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”. Negative People Let’s start with the Dementors – the most negative of creatures. When Harry, Ron and Hermione are on their way to Hogwarts at the beginning of this story, the train stops and the dementors - The dark ghostly figures that usually guard Azkaban, the prison that Sirus Black has just escaped from - board the train. As they do so, a cold sensation comes over the whole train. One of the dementors opens the door of Harry’s carriage, He becomes weak, he feels the happiness being sucked from his entire body, until he passes out. Doesn’t sound very positive does it? But it is a lesson on hanging around with negative people, people who complain all the time, have nothing nice to say about anything or anyone, gossiping, finding problems with everything... they too will suck the happiness from you. Click here to see my previous post on Toxic relationships to see who is sucking your happiness from you. Note: Harry is offered chocolate from a professor as it apparently helps to make you feel better -– works for me every time :) Respect and Kindness Harry’s new schoolbook – The Monster Book of Monsters – attacks anyone who tries to open it to read. One student asks Hagrid, who had just been promoted to teacher of Care of Magical Creatures, how to open it – “just stroke it spine of course”. Being kind even to seemingly unreasonable people can make all the difference. Buckbeak – the Hippogriff - a magnificent creature the back half of a horse and the front of a giant eagle, who does not take kindly to disrespect. A simple bow to him will make you his friend. Treat others how you wish to be treated. The Riddikulus Charm The new defence against the dark arts professor teaches Harry’s class to perform the riddikulus charm against a Boggart – a shapeshifter that takes the shape of what you fear the most. ‘The incantation it’s self is not enough, what really finishes it of is laughter.’ To make it really effective you have to think of what you fear the most and make it funny. You can’t be scared of something if it’s making you laugh out loud. So next time you have to face one of your fears, make it riddikulus! The Patronus Charm Harry was taught how to produce a patronus way before any other student. He was particularly susceptible to the Dementors as he had been through so much already in his life (in my experience, this is true of us muggles too, those of us that have had it tough, get drained by negative people quicker). The patronus charm - Expecto Patronum – is positive in itself, it’s not 'I’d like a patronum’ or ‘one day I’ll get a patronum,’ no, it’s ‘Expecto Patronum’. If you expect it – it will come. But much like the riddikulus charm is not enough on it own. But this time you have to accompany it with the most powerful happy memory you have, together they will create a positive force that creates a protective shield between you and the happiness and soul sucking dementors. It will only protect you as long as you stay focused on the memory, and remember it has to be a powerful memory, the happiest you can remember, allow it to fill you up. If you find yourself in the company of negative people and you feel your positive energy draining away, give it a top up by reminding yourself of happy times and feel your mood lift back up, then make a note to self to find more positive people to hang out with. Note: the fact that the words alone are not enough is also related to Positive Thinking. When saying your positive affirmations, they are not enough on their own; you have to say it until you can feel it before they will have any effect on you or your life. Try saying how grateful you are for something, without feeling it and you just have empty words. It doesn’t matter what you what you are saying, if you don’t really feel it, words are just words, without feeling or an emotional attachment they mean nothing. Thank you for letting me share my take on Harry Potter’s lessons in Positive Thinking, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. If you did enjoy it look out next week for part 2 :) 3 Harry Potter Inspired Self-Discovery Questions Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember you're better than you think you are :) Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Anybody that knows me, knows that I am a huge advocate of positive thinking. It transformed my entire life. But I also know that it’s difficult to get started - hence my website name positivethinkingforbeginners.com/ and the fact that you don’t see instant results can put people off even trying it. We live in an age where everything in instant. We want a coffee or food – we just pull into the drive through and hey presto: coffee and food are presented to us. We want entertainment – we just put on the tv, or even pick up our phones and hey presto – instant entertainment. We want information – phones, laptops, tablets and a quick google – instant information. We don’t have to wait for anything, we don’t have to do much to get it all either, we don’t even have to go out for a take-out anymore – we can just order uber eats, our take out arrives and we haven’t even had to get up off of the sofa. So when we start trying to make changes in our lives, try to be more positive, try to be grateful for what we have and we don’t see instant results, we get disheartened and say it’s too hard or we just stop believing that it is possible. Like any life change, there is no short cut. If you want to lose the weight, you have to do the work. If you want to get fit, you have to do the work. If you want to learn a new skill, you have to do the work. Becoming a positive thinker, someone who has a positive outlook on life, someone who’s grateful for all they have, someone who see’s the best in everyone they meet, is no different. You have to be prepared to put in the work, to consciously make changes to your thinking, to your attitude, and your outlook, and you have to keep going until it becomes part of you, becomes second nature to you. “But I do all that and it’s still not working!” If you’re putting in the effort, well done to you! There are several reasons it may not be having the impact you want: You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go. - C. Joybell C. 1. You have not let go of all the past negatives in your life. Letting go of the negatives you have had in your life is a big part of changing your life. You have to make room for the positives, for them to really have an impact. Depending on what your life has been like up to now, you may have a mind filled with negative memories, undealt with stress, painful and distressing experiences, that have all lead you to where you are now. Trying to squeeze in some positivity in a mind that is overflowing with negatives, it’s going to get lost in there. Letting go of the past and painful, stressful experiences is the best way for you to be able to make room for all the positives you want to adopt. There are lots of ways to do this, depending on what it is you have to let go of. I found the help of lots of self-help books, and I used Tapping, yoga and meditation, and I also sought the help of a good psychologist. It’s important you find one that works for you, if you go to see one and you don’t ‘click’ then find another one, someone you feel comfortable with so you can really get stuck in with getting rid of what is holding you back. Click here for link to my book Positive Thinking for Beginners – Lisa Edwards Just some of the Self-Help books that helped me: You Can Heal Your Life – Louise Hay The Tapping Solution – Nick Ortner The Art of Happiness – His Holiness the Dalai Lama Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill How to Win Friends and Influence People – Dale Carnegie (anything by Dale Carnegie) Previous post - 25 Quotes on Forgiveness and Letting Go to help you Move On and Enjoy Life Again Positive thoughts are not enough. There have to be positive feelings and positive actions. - Unknown 2. You’re doing it on the outside but not on the inside Saying you are changing your thinking and saying you are feeling grateful is not actually doing it. I have seen a lot of people do this. Saying it is a good place to start, but unless that eventually comes with feeling it is going to make diddly squat difference in your life. Saying affirmations the first few times can seem just a surface thing, but eventually, if you keep saying them like you mean them you will eventually get an attachment to them, this is when the feelings and emotions come into play. When you can say something and really feel it, that’s when it gets powerful and things start to change. It’s the same with gratitude. We all have so much to be grateful for but if we just use words alone they are empty. Words become powerful when they have feelings and emotions behind them. When you write your gratitude list out, take a few minutes to think about how grateful you really are and get that feeling of gratitude flowing through you, and see the difference it makes. The no. 1 reason people fail in life is because they listen to their friends, family, and neighbours. - Napoleon Hill 3. You are listening to the naysayers There are many, many people out there who think positive thinking is just airy-fairy. Or believe that it’s impossible to change your life and refuse to even contemplate what it means or what it can do for them. If you’ve told your friends, your family and your colleagues that you are on your positive thinking journey, on your way to adopting a positive lifestyle and they are putting you down for it, or laughing at your attempts or even just bad mouthing positive thinking – this is going to negatively affect your mindset – 1 step forward, 2 steps back. You can’t change them, you can only change yourself. Do not let their fears and misunderstandings stop you from the fantastic journey you have started. My solution to this is to stop sharing your plans and your ideas with them – if they are still in your life when you have made the changes they will see the difference for themselves, some will even join you. Stay away from negative people - They have a problem for every solution. - Alber Einstein 4. You are surrounded by negative people This maybe different from the above problem, there are plenty of people out there who claim to be positive, they say a lot of the right things, but watch what else they do, do they often smile? Do they complain all the time, do they talk detrimentally about others? Are they just people pleasers, saying different things to different people? Do they wallow in their misery? Do they feel the need to put others down? Do they find fault in everything and everyone? Do they let jealousy get the better of them and take down anyone who appears to be happier than they are? Misery loves company. It doesn’t matter whether they are family, friends or work colleagues, if they are spreading their negativity, be very careful you don’t catch it, even for a brief moment. It can set you back weeks of positive thinking. Even now after years of studying, practicing and living a positive life, I was recently blindsided by someone’s sudden and extreme negativity and it really affected my whole mindset. I have had to put in the extra effort and really make a conscious decision to get myself back on track. Previous post - How to Spot Toxic Relationships and Why You Need to Let Them Go You didn't come this far to only come this far. - Unknown 5. You are just not yet noticing the small yet significant changes Just as your attitude and mindset didn’t change overnight, you won’t see an overnight difference in your life. It takes time and the baby-steps you are taking one day at a time are showing up in small ways in your life. If you can’t yet see any real change, it maybe because you are waiting for some big – in your face – change to jump out at you. Take a look at where you were with your life when you started, write it down, make a list. Then make a list of where you are now, compare the two lists and you will probably see the difference it has made already. This is a great exercise to do as once you start to see the difference positive thinking has already made it becomes a great motivator to keep going. Previous Post - 95 of the Best Positive Thinking Quotes to Inspire a Positive Mind-Set You have the power to change your life, you have the power to choose your thoughts, you have the power to become someone you are proud of, you deserve to have a life that you can look back on and say – I did good. Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are x Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Self-discovery can be an amazing thing. To discover things about yourself that you haven’t known before, to discover things you enjoy, things you believe in, things you want to do, be or achieve. Each and every one of us have skills and talents, and so many of us either don't nurture them and follow our passions or don't discover we even have them in the first place. Family, friends and the society we live in have often steered us in the direction they want us to go, but it's not always the one that makes us feel happy and fulfilled. The only way to be truly happy is to live the life you were meant to live, which includes following your passions and finding your purpose. Let these 30 quotes about self-discovery inspire you to delve deep and be open and honest with yourself about who you are and what you want in life. 1. We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light. - Mary Dunbar 2. It's our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities. - J. K. Rowling 3. Trust me, you have a talent that none of the rest of us have, just find out what it is and use it... it's doing nothing that's the enemy. - Lady Sybil Crawley (Downton Abbey) 4. The most critical thing is: Are you taking responsibility for your life? - Brendon Burchard 5. The thing that is really hard and really amazing is giving up on being perfect and beginning the work of becoming yourself. - Anna Quindlen 6. The real difficulty is to overcome how you think about yourself. – Maya Angelou 7. Surround yourself with people that reflect who you want to be and how you want to feel, energies are contagious. – unknown 8. Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. Everything else is secondary. – Steve Jobs 9. Your life only gets better when you get better. – Unknown 10. You don't grow old. When you cease to grow, you are old. - Charles Judson Herrick 11. Don't ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive. – Unknown 12. Challenges make you discover things about yourself that you never really knew. They're what make the instrument stretch - what makes you go beyond the norm. - Cicely Tyson 13. If everything were to bring their miseries together in one place, most would be glad to take their own home again rather than take a portion out of the common stock. – Solon 14. If we did all the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves. – Thomas Edison 15. Life has no limitations; except the ones you make. – Les Brown 16. To many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they are busy doing things they think are important. This is because they're chasing the wrong things. - Morrie Schartz 17. Sometimes the fastest way to get back in the game is to expect something from yourself again. - Brendon Burchard 18. My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style. – Maya Angelou 19. Please grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. - William James 20. If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month. – Theodore Roosevelt 21. Instead of trying to make life perfect, give yourself the freedom to make it an adventure, and go ever upward. – Drew Houston 22. Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny. - Lao Tzu 23. When you are enthusiastic about what you do, you feel this positive energy. It's very simple. - Paulo Coelho 24. There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self. - Aldous Huxley 25. You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine. - John C. Maxwell 26. Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. - Leo Tolstoy 27. They say that you should know your limits and work within them. But how can you know your limits unless you try to expand them. - Johnathan Cainer 28. Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. - Aristotle 29. Every experience in your life is being orchestrated to teach you something you need to know to move forward. – Brian Tracy 30. One of the greatest discoveries a man makes, one of his great surprises, is to find he can do what he was afraid he couldn't do. – Henry Ford 31. The two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find out why. – Mark Twain I hope you enjoyed these 30 Quotes to Help You Discover Who You Are and What You Want in Life, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

A New Year is here and I’m pretty sure we all want it to be better than the last one, there are plenty of things going on in the world that are not in our control, but we are in control of what we do each and every day. By creating good healthy daily habits we can ensure that we are the very best that we can be, and ready to handle whatever this year brings. It’s not so much a new year resolution as a daily mindful intention to make myself, my mind and my body better. Our daily habits, what we do each day helps grow our mindset. If our daily habits aren’t healthy ones, we can get stuck in bad habits, and bad habits drain us of our positive energy. Don't just start the Year with these Healthy Daily Habits, take them all throughout the year with you and you will have the best year ever! Think about how a typical day goes for you… do you wake up feeling energised? Does the food you eat nourish you and give you energy? Do you take time to calm your mind or be mindful in what you do? Do you exercise or stretch you body to release tensions stored? The problem most of us have is that we already know what to do, we just don’t do it. I am guilty of this too. But after the year we have just had, I thought it about time I put in the extra effort to change my bad habits into good ones, and make 2021 a year of good habits, happy days, and taking control of the things I can, I hope you’ll join me on this journey. 1. Drink more water. Staying well hydrated has so many health benefits it’s surprising that so many of us forget or choose not to do it. If you’re anything like me I wait until I’m thirsty before I even think about drinking a glass of water, but we get thirsty because we are already de-hydrated. Benefits of drinking water include: · Clearer skin - water flushes out the toxins and impurities · Helps to maintain a healthy weight – drinking cold water speeds up your metabolism and drinking before a meal will fill you up quicker, lowering your need to overeat. · More energy – if you are active and don’t hydrate your energy levels will deplete quickly. · Mood booster – feeling dehydrated lowers your mood, which affects your productivity and your memory function. · Helps with keeping you regular – dehydration can lead to constipation My tip – as I don’t always enjoy drinking water on it’s own I like to put cucumber, lemon or some frozen berries in mine to add a bit of flavour and make it look a bit more interesting. 2. Get outside in the fresh air and sunshine. Not only does getting out in the sunshine give you an instant mood booster by keeping your serotonin levels up but you also get to top up on your ‘sunshine vitamin’ - Vitamin D known for supporting good strong health bones. Being out in nature has a positive effect on stress, anxiety and general wellbeing. It can feel calming to sit in the park, take a walk through the woods, or sit on the beach and listen to the waves gentle crash against the sand. Take in all the sights, sound and natural scents that surround you and feel yourself unwind, relax and refocus. Even if you can only take 10 minutes each day to watch the trees swaying in the breeze, feel the grass beneath your feet, watch the clouds change shape as they drift in the sky… take (make) the time to do so, the benefits may surprise you. 3. Eat a healthy breakfast Eating breakfast before I start my day is not something I am very good at, despite knowing that its good for me. So this is definitely on my list of healthy habits to introduce in 2021. Eating a good breakfast improves our energy levels and prevents us from snacking on unhealthy foods throughout the day. Without it we lose the ability to fully concentrate and be alert. And just like drinking water it kick-starts our metabolism. 4. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables Eating 2 servings of fruit and 5 of vegetables seems like a lot of food, but it is easier than you think. Whip up a smoothie and you can almost fill your daily quota. Some other ideas to add fruit and vegetables to your diet: · Preparing vegetables to have as a snack during the day · Preparing vegetables to have with a healthy dip over drinks with friends · Soups · Stir-fries · Stews and casseroles · Home made pizza with vegetable toppings · Salads Try adding a variety of coloured vegetables as similar colours contain similar nutrients, make your plate as colourful as you can. 5. Stretching Depending how much exercise you already do, you may be stretching out your body regularly, but if exercise seems like a foreign word to you the chances are you don’t stretch out your muscles either. If you are sitting at a desk all day, then sitting in front of the tv in the evening, your muscles get tight, creating physical stress on the body, leading to aches and pains. Stretching out our legs, our back, shoulders, neck and arms can help to alleviate the stress. Don’t stretch so much that you hurt yourself or give yourself a cramp, but just gently and slowly stretch your neck and shoulders and feel the tensions leave. Stretch your arms up in the air and feel your chest expand. Stretch your legs out in front of you… see you feel better already J 6. Exercising Physical exercise is something we all know we need to do to keep (or get) our bodies in shape, but did you know how much physical exercise has benefits for your mental health as well? Doing physical exercise stimulates the feel-good chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and endorphins. Regular exercise can help with anxiety, depression, insomnia and stress. Find the exercise that’s right for you, some prefer running, walking, taking up a team sport, going to the gym, taking a spin class etc. me? My favourite is yoga. I always feel great both physically and mentally after a good yoga session. Once you get into the habit of doing regular exercise, you’ll wonder why you didn’t do it years ago! 7. Meditation Mediation has been around for thousands of years, its benefits have been proven time and time again, but making time for it and reaping its benefits is something most of us just don’t do. Meditation doesn’t have to be time consuming, spiritual, siting in the lotus position, sitting in silence or any of the other things you may associate with mediation. It can be short and sweet, done laying down, sitting up, or even walking. You can listen to your breathing, a guided meditation, calming music or just listen to the sounds of nature. Click on the links below to find out more ways you can introduce mediation to your life in 2021. 12 Quotes about Mindfulness to help you enjoy each and every day! 8. Organise and de-clutter Staying on top of clutter and organisation is another daily habit that is good for our soul. Walking into a messy room can pull down our mood. Once you have had a good de-cluttering and found homes for things you want to keep, it’s important to maintain that level of tidiness and organisation by doing little and often. Make it a habit to put things away when you have finished with them. Throw out worn out or damaged things. Keep a box in the garage for items ready to go to the charity shop, drop it off as soon as it’s full. Click on the links below to get your guide to de-cluttering. i hope you enjoyed reading these 9 Healthy Daily Habits to get 2021 off to a Great Start, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) 3 Simple Steps to Start De-Cluttering Your Home and Your Life Today. World Mental Health Day - De-cluttering Your Mind 9. Get a good nights sleep Getting a good nights sleep is something that so many of fail to do night after night. Stress, anxiety, overthinking, and worrying are just some of the things that stop us from having the sleep we need to function at our best. Some of the healthy habits above can help with getting the sleep we need, for instance, exercise, getting fresh air and meditation can all assist us in getting a good nights sleep. On the other-hand the things we tend to do, such as tv, social media, working too late, caffeine, bad diet etc. all have an effect on the amount and the quality of sleep we get. A healthy regular bedtime routine that allows us to switch off from work and social activities will ensure that our sleep revives and re-energises us. What healthy habits will you introduce to your daily routine this year? Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

I first wrote this back in 2020 when most of us had spent the year in some level of lockdown, some more severe than others. As a resident of Western Australia we were not allowed to leave the state, and even residents had to apply to regain entry. With travel at an all-time low many of us were getting itchy feet and wanting to stretch our legs and go somewhere new. With a new year about to dawn on us, I’ve started thinking about all the things I haven’t done that I want to do, so I’ve compiled a bucket list. Some of the things on my list include travel so that may or may not happen in 2021, but I’m not going to let that stop me from adding it to my list of things I want to do, things I want to experience, and things I want to achieve… I will just have to trust that I will get to do them at some point. I thought long and hard about the things I want to do, and I’m sure I will think of more as we go through 2021, but I wanted to start the year off with good intentions, a positive outlook and a fire in my belly to make 2021 a year to remember for the right reasons. Some items on my list are quick and simple to do (e.g., I can take ten minutes to use the translator on my phone to learn how to say ‘thank you’ in 5 different languages) others will take a lot of planning and saving up, or time and dedication to learning a new skill. A lot of them mean I have to get out of my comfort zone to achieve them, which is great because every time we get out of our comfort zone we grow. We grow our minds, we grow in confidence, we grow our outlook, making us to go on to bigger and better things. I spoke to friends and colleagues about what they would put on their bucket list, some inspired me to add them to my own, others I added along with quite a few of my own to the list below to help inspire you to get creative, to get thinking about what you want to do, experience, and achieve. Big or small, writing down a list will cement your intentions. Studies have shown that people who write down their intentions are far more likely to achieve their goals. So, what will you put on your bucket list for this year? I hope you enjoyed reading 92 Bucket List Ideas to Make 2021 a Year to Remember (for the right reasons), don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Every single one of us has the ability to change our life for the better including you, yes, even you. You are no different from the rest of us, we are all the same in that respect. We can all make changes to the parts of our lives that are not making us happy or to fill fulfilled. To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all. - Oscar Wilde For some, that may mean a change of job or career, it may mean finding new friends, ending a toxic relationship, moving to a new country or county, finding a new hobby or life passion. Everything and anything is possible if you just open yourself up to change, and even if you are only ready to take baby-steps they will still be a step in the right direction. Only you know what is right for you, so don’t listen to ANY one else regarding what changes you need to make. Even if they mean well, people have a habit of telling others they can’t do something or shouldn’t do something. It’s your life and you need to make it one you are not only happy to live with, but one you are proud to be living, a life you enjoy living. The very first step to living your happy life is to work out what it is YOU want. Not what others say you should want, not what our society say’s you should want, but what get’s you excited, what get’s you feeling passionate about life again. Do you remember how it felt when you were young? How everything seemed interesting and wonderful. How you felt curious and adventurous about everything new you came across? How exciting it felt to wake up in the morning knowing there’s a whole brand-new day just waiting for you? How great would it be to get some of that back again, and to see life as an adventure instead of ground hog day, doing the same thing, day in – day out. There is nothing to say you can’t make life fun again. The only thing that is stopping you is you. Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights an see possibilities – always see them, for they are always there. - Norman Vincent Peale Relationships I have met so many people who are desperately unhappy – and are waiting for something or someone to change. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn is that you can’t change other people. Even if you only want to turn them back into who you thought they were. They only person you can change is you. If a relationship in your life is not acceptable to you, if you think there is a chance at fixing it by all means try everything you can to make it work, but if the other person doesn’t even see a problem or tells you the problem is you and won’t even try to work on it, then maybe it’s time for you evaluate your options. All relationships consist of more than one person, which means that it takes more than one person to fix it if it’s not working how it should. Accept what you cannot change and change what you cannot accept. Ending a relationship isn’t a sign of failure, it’s a sign of strength and courage and it’s better to do it when you are clear headed and strong, than when it’s been bad for so long that resentment has set in on both sides and it gets messy. Some people stay together ‘for the kids’ but being around two separate loving parents is better than living in a toxic household, with both parents unwittingly teaching the children that this is how a relationship is supposed to be. Career/Job/finances If it’s your job you are unhappy with, and a lot of people are, that’s why Monday gets such a bad rap. Don't blame Monday, it's not Monday's fault you don't like your job. - Unknown Find a way to change it, you may not be able to do it over night, but if you are patient and proactive you will find a way. If you need to up-skill to get the job you want, take a course, there are lots of ways to up-skill now, so many courses are available online so you can do them around the job you already have. Do some volunteer work in the profession you want to learn and work in. If you don’t know what you want to do, think about things that interest you, things you are passionate about that get you excited, then google jobs that encompass these things. We tend to think of only the obvious jobs and ways to make a living but there are so many jobs that are out there that you may not even know exist and one might be perfect for you. Don’t be shy, put out your resume, email company’s that you would like to work for. Send them out with the confidence that the perfect opportunity will present itself. Opportunity won't come-a-knocking if it doesn't know where you live. - Unknown Hobby’s and Interests Do you find that you are at a loss when you’re not at work or surrounded by people? Don’t know what to do with yourself or don’t enjoy being alone? This has been one of the scariest things for people during the lock-down. Finding things you are interested in enough to pass the time may even help you find your passion in life. If you don’t know what you enjoy to do, experiment, after all, our whole life is an experiment. Finding things we like, what’s best to do in any situation, how to bring up the kids, who we want to spend our time with, we are all trying to find the best thing or way for us, this is no different. Read up about things you may be interested in, or do a google search on hobbies and look in to how to get started. There is only so much Netflix and Stan you can watch. Health and fitness This is one so many of us want to change too, the problem is we all know what we’ve got to do: · eat at a healthy balanced diet · cut back on junk food and treats · exercise regularly So why do countless of us not do what we know is good for us? Breaking bad habits and creating new ones is not an easy thing to do, it takes way more mental effort than it does physical effort. Which is why we start our health kick off with a bang then within a few days or weeks we are so mentally tired, we lose our motivation and slip back into our old bad habits. Finding a solid motivation for YOU, not because you want to look good for everyone else, something that gets you feeling good about the changes you’re about to make and recognising that it’s just ‘bad habits’ and not who you are that is keeping you from achieving your goals will help you stay on track and get you in the right mindset to achieve the goal you set yourself, and remember that losing the weight is just part of it, to maintain your hard work and fitness you will need to keep the good habits and make them part of your lifestyle. I know that I’m making it sound simple… but it is simple, it’s just not easy (never confuse the two). To make changes in your life you will have to overcome obstacles and let go of your limiting beliefs. That in itself is not easy. But if you truly want to, and believe it’s possible, then you can do it. When I began my journey of making huge changes, it took me a long time. I saw good psychologist and read every self-help book I could find. It took me a lot of soul searching, getting to know myself and how I ended up trapped in this unhappy life before I began to make changes, at first they were small ones, eventually I became strong enough to make big ones. My life is now unrecognisable to the one I had been living. And because of that I am calmer, more confident, and better able to handle the twists and turns that inevitably come with life. If I can do it, you can too. People can live a hundred years without really living for a minute. - Logan Huntzburger - Gilmore Girls 10 Things to do For you to make the changes that will turn your life into a life you enjoy living you are going to have to: · step out of your comfort zone · learn new things · learn new ways of looking at things · be brave and confident · appreciate those who help you · be grateful for the things that you have in your life · ask for help and support · accept the help and support you have asked for · be patient yet proactive · face your fears 7 things to give up and you’re going to have to give up: · blaming everyone else for the way your life has turned out · refusing help offered · refusing to seek professional help · pushing people away- then complaining that no one is there for you · seeing the negative in people and situations · feeling entitled · making excuses It sounds harsh, I know, but the truth is that our lives are the way they are because we have allowed it to become this way. Remember, the moment you accept total responsibility for everything in your life is the moment you claim the power to change anything in your life. - Hal Elrod You got yourself to this point in your life, now you just have to decide whether you are going to stay on the path you are on or build a new one. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners Please remember this site is all about being positive, it would be great if we could all try to keep that in mind when commenting and only spread positivity. Thank you x

Why do we find it so hard to forgive? It’s so easy to hold on to the anger, the hurt, the frustrations that are caused by a friend or family member. It kinda feels as though we are letting them off the hook if we let go of those feelings. The trouble is, those feelings aren’t hurting or punishing the one who did the hurting. They are hurting those of us carrying the hurt and pain around, reliving the moments, reliving the hurt, whilst they just carry on with their life as if nothing happened. One of the best lessons I have ever learned is that forgiveness isn’t saying that what they did was okay, it’s saying that you are not going to let it hurt you any longer, it’s letting it go and not allowing what they did to control the rest of your life. So when you feel like you can’t forgive someone, remind yourself that it will affect them in no way, but it will free yourself from their control. Holding on to the past, the past hurts and pain, keeps us stuck in that moment. If we can find a way to forgive those who have done wrong by us and let it go, we can free ourselves and begin to move on to bigger and better times. It’s hard, I know, but it is necessary for our own well-being. Forgiveness doesn’t condone the bad behaviour of others, it just means you are free from anger and resentment. Just ask yourself, how is you being angry and resentful punishing them? The chances are, your answer would be, it’s not. No, it’s punishing you, you are the one suffering, you suffered when they hurt you and if you haven’t managed to let it go then you are suffering again and again for something that is in the past. Acknowledge that it happened, accept that it cannot be changed no matter how much you want it to, then and only then will you be able to let it go and finally move on to a better life. If it’s yourself you have to forgive, just remind yourself that we all do what we think is right at the time, yes, sometimes we make bad choices, but punishing ourselves for something we cannot change is not going to put it right. Accept that you too are human, you make mistakes, you don’t always get it right. But if you forgive yourself for your errors you can take the lesson you have learned and put it to good use, knowing that you will make better choices in the future. So whether it is yourself you have to forgive or someone else, forgive and let it go. You will feel freer, lighter, and ready to move on. Forgiveness is for you, not the other person. Holding a grudge weighs down your spirit and can make you become a person you don't want to be. How do you let go? How do you forgive? For me, I just remind myself that people either didn’t mean to hurt me and are genuinely sorry or that they knew no better. People are like they are for a reason; it doesn’t excuse their behaviour, but it does explain it. This quote from Abraham Maslow sums it up for me: 1. When people appear to be something other than good and decent, it is only because they are reacting to stress, pain or the deprivation of basic human needs such as security, love, and self-esteem. – Abraham Maslow 2. Accept yourself, love yourself, and keep moving forward. If you want to fly, you have to give up what weighs you down. – Roy T. Bennett (I often take a deep breath and remind myself of this when someone has been incredibly rude, and it helps me to get perspective and not retaliate) 3. When we don't forgive, we're not hurting the other person. We're not hurting the company that did us wrong. We are only hurting ourselves. – Joel Osteen 4. You really don't have to burn any bridges to let go… You don't have to destroy anything. You can just decide to cross over and move on. - Marta Mrotek 5. Once your negative emotions, beliefs and expectations have been processed and released, you're free to feel positive again. – Nick Ortner 6. Letting go gives us freedom, and freedom is the only condition for happiness. If, in our heart, we still cling to anything - anger, anxiety, or possessions - we cannot be free. - Thich Nhat Hanh 7. Forget what hurt you but never forget what it taught you. - Shannon L. Alder 8. If you don't leave your past in the past, it will destroy your future. Live for what today has to offer, not what yesterday has taken away. – unknown 9. Letting go may sound so simple, but rarely is it a one time thing. Just keep letting go, until one day it's gone for good. - Eleanor Brownn 10. There is a trick to a graceful exit. It begins with the vision to recognise when a job, a life stage, a relationship is over - and to let go. It means leaving what's over without denying it's value. - Ellen Goodman 11. You can't change how people treat you or what they say about you. All you can do is change how you react to it. - Mahatma Gandhi 12. You can clutch the past so tightly to your chest that it leaves your arms too full to embrace the present. - Jan Glidewell 13. True forgiveness is when you can say, ‘thank you for that experience’ - Oprah Winfrey 14. The most difficult aspect of moving on is accepting that the other person already did. - Faraaz Kazi 15. People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. They prefer suffering that is familiar to the unknown. - Thich Nhat Hanh 16. The truth is, unless you let go, unless you forgive yourself, unless you forgive the situation, unless you realise that the situation is over, you cannot move forward. - Steve Maraboli 17. The best revenge is no revenge. Move on. Be happy. – Unknown 18. You will find that it is necessary to let things go; simply for the reason that they are heavy. So let them go, let go of them. I tie no weights to my ankles. C. JoyBell C. 19. You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them. - Maya Angelou 20. Today expect something good to happen to you no matter what occurred yesterday. Realise the past no longer holds you captive. It can only continue to hurt you if you hold on to it. Let the past go. A simply abundant world awaits. - Sarah Ban Breathnack 21. When we hate our enemies, we are giving them our power over us: power over our sleep, our appetites, our blood pressure, our health and our happiness. - Dale Carnegie 22. Unforgiveness is choosing to stay trapped in a jail cell of bitterness, serving time for someone else's crime. -Unknown 23. Once you realise you deserve a bright future, letting go of your dark past is the best choice you will ever make. - Roy T Bennett 24. Sometimes the hardest part isn't letting go but rather learning to start over. - Nicole Sobon 25. Never ruin a good day by thinking about a bad yesterday. - Unknown I hope you enjoyed these 25 Quotes on Forgiveness and Letting Go to Help You Move on and Enjoy Life Again. don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) 23 Quotes to Help You to Let Go of What is Holding You Back Why Letting Go of Your Old Limiting Beliefs is Paramount to Your Well being. 27 Mahatma Gandhi Quotes to inspire a peaceful, calm, and authentic life. Remember, you are better than you think you are x Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

We all have things we should be grateful for, but all too often we forget to be grateful for the simple things in our lives. The everyday things that we assume will always be there for us, deserve our gratitude too. Just as everything we have done, and achieved and everything we have in our lives deserves our gratitude. Even the not-so-nice things, deserve our gratitude, for they came into our lives to teach us something, to get us out of our comfort zone for us to learn and to grow. Some people seem to get everything they want in life, but for some of us, life is more of a struggle. But all of us have things to be grateful for. Whether it be the job we have, the roof over our heads, the food on our table or the people around us. “Acknowledging the good you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.” - Eckhart Tolle It’s all too easy to forget to be thankful for the everyday things. The big things that are a constant in our lives and the little things that happen on daily basi. When something or someone is always there, they become so much a part of our lives that we assume that they will always be there, and we stop thinking about how fortunate we are to have them. “Contentment is not the fulfilment of what you want, but the realisation of how much you already have.” – Unknown Most of us were taught from a young age to say thank you when someone gives us a gift or does something nice for us. Saying the words and being truly thankful or grateful is another thing. The true power of gratitude is not the words but the feeling you get. It’s much deeper and can and will have an immediate positive effect on your mood and your outlook. When you feel gratitude you start to see things in a different light, you start to see the human kindness of those around you, and you can’t help but emulate that by showing kindness and being friendly to everyone you meet. Things start to look better, you notice the little things, you stop seeing problems wherever you go, and if you do see any, you find solutions. Being grateful and telling the other person how grateful you are not only elevating your own spirits, but also lifting the spirts of the recipient, this is a win-win. For the small gesture of sharing your gratefulness, you have just given the other person something to make them feel good, they, in turn may well go off and share their gratitude with another, starting a wave of positivity and gratitude. “Sometimes we should express our gratitude for the small and simple things like the scent of the rain, the taste of our favorite food, or the sounds of a loved one's voice.” - Joseph B. Wirthlin Taking a few moments every day to remind yourself of all the things in your life that you are grateful for, is such an under used, yet easy and quick way to start or finish your day with positive and happy thoughts. You don’t have to stop all other activities to do it, you can do it whist you are in the shower or travelling to and from work, saying them out loud has more impact, but even if you list them in your head you will still feel the benefits of your gratitude. You could even write them down in a gratitude journal or create a gratitude jar by printing off the image below and placing it in a glass jar, writing each thing you are grateful for on a square of paper and folding it before placing it in the jar. When you need a pick-me-up or a reminder of just how fortunate you are you can take them out one-by-one and read them. When I first started to use my gratitude jar I didn’t know what to put in there. So I started with challenging myself to find one thing I was grateful for in each day. I recently came across my old gratitude jar (I still use one now but I have upgraded the jar J). It must have started to get easier very quickly because the jar was stuffed full. I sat on my bed and emptied it out, I smiled so hard at what I was reading, there were several “hearing my children’s laughter” 3 x “seeing Emu’s wandering on the side of the road on the way to work”, plenty of “my dogs welcome when I come home from work”, dinners I’d really enjoyed, friends I’d met up with, things I’d achieved, opportunities that had presented themselves and I had taken, the list go on and on… I still make a point of writing down the things that I am grateful for, I chant a list in the shower to set my day off well and write down things that happened in my day that im grateful for in the evening before going to bed. When I go to bed thinking of how grateful I am, I always get a better night’s sleep. Thank you for my beautiful day, for all the things that went my way. Thank you for the things that challenged, and for all the things I learned to manage. Thank you for my good night’s rest, may I wake tomorrow full of zest. - Lisa Edwards 82 Awesome Gratitude Quotes to Inspire an Attitude of Gratitude Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving x I hope you enjoyed Why Being Grateful is the Best Gift You Can Give Yourself and Others., don't forget to Save this to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

There are lots of things we underestimate in this world, the biggest is probably ourselves - our own abilities, our worthiness, our attractiveness, our place in the world. If your life isn’t quite what you thought it would be and you want to make changes here are 7 things that are readily available to us all at little or no cost that have more power than most of us realise. Some of them seem so simple that they are easy to dismiss as simplistic and airy-fairy. But that’s the beauty of them, they are simplistic and I can assure you that if you apply any of them correctly and stick with it, they can have a huge impact on you, and the life you are living, in such a positive way, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing them all along. 1. Positive Thinking – Undeniably my number 1. Positive thinking can get a bad rap, as people often mistake it for ‘putting on a happy face’ when everything is going wrong. But that is not at all what positive thinking is. Adopting a positive attitude not only makes you a happier person in general, but the positive thinker is more likely to notice the positive things that happen each day, the more positive things we see happening the happier we become and so begins the cycle. Positive thinking also helps when life throws us a curve ball, as people with this attitude are more likely to look for solutions rather than getting caught up with, and over thinking the problem. Click here to order Positive Thinking for Beginners 2. Meditation It has been well documented that mediation has all sorts of benefits, both for the mind and the body, yet so many of us fail to incorporate it in our daily routine. If you think you don’t have time to meditate or that it’s too difficult, then think again. It doesn’t have to take much time - just 5 minutes each day is enough for you to start seeing and feeling the benefits. Click here for more information on mediation for beginners. 3. Keeping a Journal Writing things down has a powerful effect on our ability to see things as they really are and understanding what is going on in our lives. It sounds quite bizarre to someone who has never tried it, but it works. Writing down what happened and/or how we feel about it some how frees the emotions that are attached with it. When I was at my lowest I wrote every single day, I wrote about current things and even about past events that I needed to make sense of. Things started to become clear, once they were clear in my mind I was able to let go of them and move on. Writing in a journal is also a great way to document how far you have come on your journey, when you can see how far you’ve come, it will inspire you to keep going. 4. Yoga I thought you had to be flexible to do yoga, I thought it was too slow and boring, yet I kept reading things telling me how great it was for the mind and body. Eventually I decided to give it a go, I found a great youtube tutorial for beginners and even though I couldn’t do all the poses, I did the best I could and I felt fantastic afterwards… I felt relaxed yet invigorated, I felt calm yet full of energy. It very quickly became part of my life and I am the fittest I have ever been and for the first time in my life I love to exercise. Apart from feeling fitter and more energised than ever before Yoga also helps me when I am having a bad day, when I feel tense, I go straight to my favourite yoga poses as when we relax the body the mind follows. There are lots of Youtube tutorials available (I've added a link to one of my favourites) or you could try joining a local class. (please check with your doctor before starting any new exercise, whilst yoga may be gentle I wouldn’t want you to injure yourself.) 5. Living in the moment Also known as mindfulness. Have you ever noticed how often we are thinking about what we have got to do or what we plan to do instead of what we are actually doing at that moment? We have so much to fit in to our days that we are always thinking one, two or three steps ahead. What if we planned our day in such a way that it allowed us to be 100% present in all that we do? Spending ten minutes in the morning planning what we need to do means we can be present and enjoy life, it means we don’t have to miss any of the little things that can turn out to be wonderful moments and live in our memories forever. 6. Doing something kind for someone. They say there is no such thing as a selfless act of kindness, every time we try to do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return, we automatically feel good. Making someone else happy, taking away their stress, making them smile has just as big an effect on the person giving as the person receiving. So if you ever want an instant pick-me-up, go do something nice for someone else and reap the benefits. It’s a win-win! 7. Doing something kind for yourself. When was the last time you did something kind for yourself (without feeling guilty)? You spend your time ensuring the rest of the family have everything they need, physically, mentally, emotionally, you give them everything they need. How often do you stop and check to see if you have everything you need? Do something just for you… whatever makes you happy. It doesn’t need to be expensive; it could just be to read a book uninterrupted, or to go for a walk along the beach or in the park, take a bubble bath. Whatever you decide to do, do it well and enjoy it and you’ll come back re-energised. WARNING: if you try any of the above, you may start to feel better in yourself - side effects include: feeling more relaxed, boosted self-confidence, enjoying the little things, feeling fitter and more toned, better focus on what’s important, happier people around you, a sunny outlook on life. Any one of these will help get you on track again, you could try a combination of them or go for all seven. Whichever one/ones you decided to do, do them with intention, do them like you mean it and if you don’t see instant results, try not to give up, stick with it a while longer the results will come. I hope you have enjoyed reading 7 Things You Should Never Underestimate the Power of… don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Have a fantastic day! Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. 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Life is full of things to distract us and keep us so busy that we often get so overloaded with life that we don’t even notice that we don’t laugh as much as we used to. Life can feel as though it has become a chore and far from enjoying it and we end up just going through the motions of dealing with work, family, chores, bills to pay and all the other things we have to deal with day in – day out without givingany thought to our happiness, before we know it we can’t even remember the last time we laughed-out-loud. Happiness is a state of mind, no matter what we have – or – have not, no matter what our day brings us, we can all find a little happiness and laughter! Sometimes we need a little reminder that life is supposed to be fun and we are meant to be happy, that’s why laughter gives us a boost of endorphins making us feel good inside. Below are 72 of my favourite quotes on Happiness and Laughter to remind us all (me included) to enjoy each and every moment and to laugh-out-loud often, just because it feels good. (that’ll be those endorphins) 1. “We don't laugh because we are happy, we're happy because we laugh.” - William James 2. “She had no scars for her happiness except her laughter lines.” - Srividya Srinivasan 3. “With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.” - Abraham Lincoln 4. “A sense of humour is needed armour. Joy in one’s heart and some laughter on one’s lips is a sign that the person deep down has a pretty good grasp of life.” - Hugh Sidey 5. “Happiness does not depend on your circumstances. It’s a choice that you make.” - Joel Osteen 6. “Part of the happiness of life consists not in fighting battles but in avoiding them. A masterly retreat is in itself a victory.” - Norman Vincent Peale 7. “Rule #1 of life. Do what makes you happy.” – Unknown 8. “The key to being happy is knowing you have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go.” – Dodinsky 9. “There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humour.” - Charles Dickens 10. “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty second of happiness.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson 11. “Stop waiting for Friday, for summer, for someone to fall in love with you, for life. Happiness is achieved when you stop waiting for it and make the most of the moment you are in now.” – Unknown 12. “It’s never too late. It’s never too late to start over; it’s never too late to be happy.” – Jane Fonda 13. “Laughter is the key to youth.” - Karen Madewell 14. “Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” - Mahatma Gandhi 15. “Happiness is a choice. You can choose to be happy. There's going to be stress in life, but it's your choice whether you let it affect you or not.” - Valerie Bertinelli 16. “Trouble knocked at your door, but, hearing laughter, hurried away.” - Benjamin Franklin 17. “Happiness is inward, and not outward; and so, it does not depend on what we have, but on what we are.” – Henry van dyke 18. “Learn how to be happy with what you have while you pursue all that you want.” - Jim Rohn 19. The best part of life - Every morning you have a new opportunity to become a happier version of yourself.” – Unknown 20. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius 21. “I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn't arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.” – Groucho Marx 22. “When you discover that happiness is inside of you, the wanting and needing are over, and life gets very exciting.” - Byron Katie 23. “Remember, happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have; it depends solely on what you think.” - Dale Carnegie 24. “Let your smile change the world but don’t let the world change your smile.” – Unknown 25. “Happiness starts with you. Not your relationships, not with your job, Not with your money, but with you.” – Unknown 26. “I have decided to be happy, because it’s good for my health.” – Voltaire 27. “Joy is the feeling of grinning inside.” -Melby Colgrove 28. “Happiness is your nature. It is not wrong to desire it. What is wrong is seeking it outside when it is inside.” - Ramana Maharshi 29. “What a wonderful thought that some of the best days of our lives haven't happened yet.” - Anne Frank 30. “The secret to happiness is letting every situation be what it is instead of what you think it should be.” – Unknown 31. “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don't wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savoured.” - Earl Nightingale 32. “Many run about after happiness like an absent-minded man hunting for his hat, while it is in his hand or on his head.” - James Sharp 33. “There is little success where there is little laughter.” - Andrew Carnegie 34. “Laughing is, and will always be, the best form of therapy.” - Dau Voire 35. “Fill the cup of happiness for others, and there will be enough overflow to fill yours to the brim.” - Rose Pastor Stokes 36. “Happiness cannot come from without. It must come from within.” - Helen Keller 37. “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” - Marcus Aurelius 38. "To find happiness, quit focusing on what’s wrong with you and start focusing on what’s right with you." - Joel Osteen 39. “When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘Happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the question, and I told them they didn’t understand life.” - John Lennon 40. “Laughter is an instant vacation.” - Milton Berle 41. “A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.” - Laura Ingles Wilder 42. “Happiness is not the belief that we don't need to change; it's the realisation that we can.” - Shawn Achor 43. “To get up each morning with the resolve to be happy is to set your own conditions to the events of each day. To do this is to condition circumstances instead of being conditioned by them.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 44. “Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every moment with love, grace and gratitude.” - Denis Waitley 45. “Happiness often sneaks in through a door you didn’t know you left open.” - John Barrymore 46. “Be so happy that when others look at you they become happy too.” - Unknown 47. “Laughter is a bodily exercise, precious to health.” – Aristotle 48. “Most folks are about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” – Abraham Lincoln 49. “A good time to laugh is any time you can.” - Dr Madan Kataria 50. “Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.” - Victor Hugo 51. “A happy soul is the best shield for a cruel world.” – Atticus 52. “Happiness isn't about getting what you want all the time. It's about loving what you have and being grateful for it.” – Unknown 53. “Contentment is a global sense of well-being combined with no wish whatsoever for this moment to be anything other than what it is.” - Rick Hanson Ph.D 54. “The more positive thoughts you entertain, the happier you will be.” - Rhonda Byrne 55. “A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don't allow the happy moment, because they are so busy chasing a happy life.” - Abraham Hicks 56. “The best way to cheer your-self up is to cheer up somebody else.” - Mark Twain 57. “Success is getting what you want, happiness is wanting what you get.” – Dale Carnegie 58. “We all smile in the same language.” - Unknown 59. “Nothing can bring you happiness but yourself.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson 60. “It doesn't have to be a perfect day to be a happy day.” - Brendon Burchard 61. “Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.” - Napoleon Hill 62. “Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” - Dalai Lama 63. “In order to be utterly happy, the only thing necessary is to refrain from comparing this moment with any other moments in the past.” - Andre Gide 64. “If only we'd stop trying to be happy we'd have a pretty good time.” - Edith Wharton 65. “When you awaken love and laughter in your life, your mind lets go of fear and anxiety, and your happy spirit becomes the healing balm that transforms every aspect of your human experience.” - Jesse Dylan 66. “Life is better when you're laughing.” – Unknown 67. “Life is too important to be taken seriously.” – Oscar Wilde 68. “Nothing for me feels as good as laughing incredibly hard.” - Steve Carell 69. “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” - Thich Nhat Hanh 70. “While you are laughing you cannot be in the past or in the future.” – Osho 71. “The most wasted day is the one without laughter.” - E.E Cummings 72. “The sound of laughter has always seemed to me the most civilized music in the universe.” - Peter Ustinov If I’ve missed your favourite Happiness or Laughter quote let me know so I can include it next time. I hope you enjoyed these 72 Quotes to Inspire Happiness and Laughter, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Click on the links to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, X (twitter), Threads Please remember this site is all about being positive, it would be great if we could all try to keep that in mind when commenting and only spread positivity. Thank you x

Most of us have had toxic people and toxic relationships in our lives at some point. But recognising them can be tricky, especially if they hide behind the classic excuse ‘I was only joking’ when they hurt or upset you. If you have someone in your life that constantly makes you feel bad about yourself in some way or another, whenever you are with them, this is a good sign that that relationship is a toxic one. The other ‘good’ excuses you may hear are ‘you are so sensitive’, ‘you just took it wrong’, ‘you always take things so personally’, ‘it’s just banter, get over yourself’ Sometimes these ‘excuses’ are valid (we all have bad days, where we are a little extra sensitive) but not if it’s always coming from the same person or persons. If you have told someone that it upsets you when they do or say a particular thing, and they continue to do it… that’s a very good indication that this relationship is doing you more harm than good. “As I got older, I started to cut out food that was bad for me. As I got wiser, I did the same with people.” Steve Maraboli A true friend will listen to how you feel and adjust their behaviour to not offend you. A true friend will be upset that they have hurt or upset you. A true friend does not continue to behave in a manner that distresses their friend. “Be careful of the environment you choose for it will shape you; be careful of the friends you choose for you will become like them.” - W. Clement Stone A toxic person can also get you in other ways: · they can be dismissive of the things that are important to you · constant complaining · talking detrimentally about people you both know · not ever listening you your opinions · only offering back handed compliments · always defensive · aggressive tone when you try to put your point of view across · laughing with others about you, even when you are still there · lack of compassion · talk rather than listen · act like they’re always the victim · lying · gaslighting We don’t always notice the toxic people and the toxic relationships we have as the toxicity can be very well hidden, particularly in the early part of the relationship/friendship. A great way to work out which of your relationships are healthy and which are toxic is to do a little quiz: Let’s say you have made arrangements to meet up with your friend Joanne for lunch at your favourite cafe. How do you feel? On a scale of 5 - -5 +5 = extremely happy 0 = could take it or leave it -5 = anxious, self-conscious, stressed, self doubt, over thinking etc. So now you have made the arrangement how do you feel? 5____ 4_____3_____2_____1_____0_____-1_____-2____-3____-4____-5 Now it’s time to get ready and leave the house to meet Joanne, rate your feelings about it on the scale below: 5____ 4_____3_____2_____1_____0_____-1_____-2____-3____-4____-5 Whilst you are having lunch, during the quiet moments take a second or two to think about how you are feeling right now. 5____ 4_____3_____2_____1_____0_____-1_____-2____-3____-4____-5 Okay, one more time. How did you feel as you left Joanne? Did you feel sad that the lunch was over or relief that it finally had come to an end? 5____ 4_____3_____2_____1_____0_____-1_____-2____-3____-4____-5 Take a look at your scores on each question, what does it tell you about your relationship with Joanne? Put your real relationships to the test, to check out if some of the people you are spending your valuable time with are having a negative effect on your mental health and your wellbeing. There are different types of toxic relationship, some where they suck the fun and happiness out of you and others that play mind games with you, gaslighting, passive aggressiveness, put downs disguised as banter or jokes. Once you discover how you feel about a relationship, you may uncover their behaviour towards you. A few years ago, I had a friend that I used to meet up with for lunch occasionally. One particular day I pulled up at the café and as I locked up my car ready to walk towards the café, I saw her and smiled, “well, you’ll never guess how bad my week has been again” was called across to me, as I walked towards her I could feel my heart start to sink. She complained about her work, her family, life in general for the entire lunch. I asked her if she was ok, she replied very abruptly that she was fine, she was not being negative, and that it was everybody else’s fault. She just wanted to blame everybody around her for things that were not going right in her life, she didn’t want to sound off to get it off her chest and let it go, she wanted to wallow in her anger. I tried to find positives and to steer at least some of the conversation to a positive one, unfortunately this seemed to have the reverse affect. I came home feeling completely drained and a little bit sad for her. All I knew is that I would never have those two hours again. She didn’t just want to sound off and get something off her chest, she wanted to complain for the sake of complaining. I thought back to other times we had met up, in hindsight they were pretty similar, although nothing quite to the degree of what I’d just experienced. If I said something that didn’t back up her need to complain or heaven forbid had a slightly different take on the subject she shut me down with a stern tone. I know people are like they are for a reason, and to be that angry in general conversation there will be something that has made her like this, but that doesn’t mean I have to spend my weekend listening to it. It would be different if she was going through a bad time and just needed a friend to talk to, we need to be there for our friends, but when they take no responsibility for what’s going on in their lives and just want to blame their problems onto anyone and everyone around them, they will drag you down with them. After this incident, we tried to meet up a couple of times. But I found my heart sink just at the thought of it. To spend even just a few hours of my weekend being pulled down into a spiral of negativity feels like a waste of precious time and energy, I would rather go to lunch alone than to be drowned in someone else’s toxicity. “Stay away from negative people – They have a problem for every solution.” - Albert Einstein Toxic people drain us of our energy, make us doubt ourselves, make us feel we are not good enough. Some do it in an obvious way, others do it surreptitiously, they cover it up by saying detrimental remarks in such a way it almost sounds like a compliment, these are the ones that will tell you it’s your fault for being too sensitive or that your making a fuss over nothing. These are the ones that are likely to cause the most damage as they are harder to spot therefore will more likely to have been going on longer, slowly chipping away at your confidence and your self-esteem, until you believe that it is you and not them. Letting them go Now for the hard part. It is one thing identifying which people or relationships are toxic and not helping us to be our best selves. But then we have to decide what to do next. If it’s just a new, casual friendship it will be easier to distance yourself, but work colleagues, family members and long-term friends are much harder to pull away from. You can still be polite about it, rudeness is not the way to answer rudeness. But if someone’s behaviour is sucking the life out of you or making you feel that you are not good enough it may well be time to say goodbye. The decision to either cut them out completely, or just limit the time you spend with them, is yours to make. It probably won’t be an easy decision, and maybe taking a little bit of time away from them will give you the strength you need to tell them how you feel. But who ever they are, they have no right to treat you badly, no right to make you second guess you true worth, and no right to drain you of your positive energy. Just because someone has been in your life for a long time or because they are a member of your family does not mean they have to stay part of your life. You are under no obligation to have regular contact with someone that constantly puts you down, and makes you feel worthless. “Make sure everyone in your 'boat' is rowing and not drilling holes when you're not looking.” - Unknown You cannot change other people, but you can change how you react to them. Who you spend you time with is up to you, you get to chose who deserves to be in your life and who doesn’t. And remember this quote from William Gibson – ‘Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by a**holes.’ I hope you enjoyed reading 'How to Spot Toxic Relationships and Why You Need to Let Them Go' don't forget to Save this to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Positive thinking is often misunderstood. Some believe it is a way of covering up our true feelings, not dealing with the negative things that life can sometimes throw at us. But Positive thinking is not about pretending that everything is okay when it is not. Being a positive thinker is a change of mind-set. It’s looking for solutions instead of focusing on the problems. It’s finding the good in a bad situation. It’s learning the lessons and being able to move on. It’s letting go of the past and living in the moment. It’s setting goals. It’s self-belief, It’s self-improvement, It’s self-love and self-care. It’s becoming the best person you can be. The more I learn about positive thinking and the impact it has on our lives, the more I think it should be taught in schools. How many people do not reach their potential because they didn’t believe in themselves? How can children (and adults) learn to believe in themselves if they have no positive thinking role models? There are lots of books out there on Positive Thinking including my Positive Thinking for Beginners which I wrote as an easy read starters guide. If you want to make changes in your life, I can’t recommend a better way than adopting a positive mindset. The small changes you make (I’m big on taking baby steps) will very quickly get you results, the more you see the results the easier it is to make bigger changes. To help me on my Positive Thinking journey I would find different positive quotes that resonated with me, print them or copy them out and pin them up around my bathroom mirror, or on the back of my bedroom door, anywhere where I would see them every day. As my journey continued, I changed the quotes to be relevant to what I was going through or what I needed to work on at that time. Here are 95 of my favourite Positive Thinking Quotes, see which ones resonate with you, is there a particular aspect of life you want to work on? 1. “Positive thinking is more than a tagline. It changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only make me better, but it makes those around me better.” - Harvey Mackay 2. “Every negative situation contains the possibility for something positive, an opportunity. It is how you look at it that matters.” - Robert Greene 3. “Frame your mind to mirth and merriment which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life.” - William Shakespeare 4. “Of the 35000 decisions you make each day, how many are positive? Negative? Fear based? Love based?” - Maxime Lagace 5. “Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.” - William James 6. “There is a direct correlation between positive energy and positive results.” - Joe Rogan 7. “Think the thought until you believe it, and once you believe it, it is.” - Abraham Hicks 8. “You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” - Marcus Aurelius 9. “Optimism is joyful searching; pessimism is a prison of fear and a clutching at illusionary safety.” - Kathleen A. Brehony 10. “I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavour.” - Henry David Thoreau 11. “The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible, and achieves the impossible.” – Winston Churchill 12. “Staying positive doesn't mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on hard days you know that there are better ones coming.” - Unknown 13. “I’m a very positive thinker, and I think that is what helps me the most in difficult moments.” - Roger Federer 14. “What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.” – Buddha 15. “When we are positive in our outlook and orientation, we tend to attract positive people and positive events and circumstances.” – Rhonda Byrne 16. “Positivity always wins... Always.” - Gary Vaynerchuk 17. “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.” - Zig Ziglar 18. “Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think.” - Benjamin Disraeli 19. “If you realised how powerful your thoughts are, you would never think a negative thought again.” - Peace Pilgrim 20. “Affirm the positive, visualise the positive and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly.” - Remez Sasson 21. “Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden 22. “Whenever a negative thought concerning your personal power comes to mind, deliberately voice a positive thought to cancel it out.” - Norman Vincent Peale 23. “People like to be around those who give off positive energy.” - Erin Heatherton 24. “Keep your head high, keep your chin up, and most importantly, keep smiling because life's a beautiful thing and there's so much to smile about.” – Marilyn Monroe 25. “Never underestimate the power of thought; it is the greatest path to discovery.” - Idowu Koyenikan 26. “Don't find fault - find a remedy.” - Tony Robbins 27. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” - Winston Churchill 28. “Beautiful things happen when you distance yourself from negativity.” – Unknown 29. “If you woke up each morning, and immediately dwelt on your ills, what sort of day could you look forward to?” - Maeve Binchy 30. “Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.” - Willie Nelson 31. “Positive thinking isn’t about expecting the best to happen every time but, accepting that whatever happens is the best for this moment.” – Unknown 32. “Positive thinking helps you stand back up again when you are knocked down by bad luck or negativity.” - Tom Laurie 33. “There is a sense that things, if you keep positive and optimistic about what can be done, do work out.” - Hillary Clinton 34. “When you have a positive mindset, you can't be defeated. No matter what comes your way, shake it off and move forward.” - Joel Osteen 35. “You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where you thoughts take you.” - James Allen 36. “Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you.” - Mary Lou Retton 37. “Give every day the chance to become the most beautiful day of your life.” - Mark Twain 38. “Change your thoughts and you change your world.” - Norman Vincent Peale 39. “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It’s what you think about.” – Dale Carnegie 40. “It's the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. Once that belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.” - Muhammad Ali 41. “The real battle is taking place in your mind. What you are dwelling on, that's what you are attracting. Have a positive mindset.” - Joel Osteen 42. “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other as though everything is a miracle.” - Albert Einstein 43. “To attract positive energy into your life, be positive in thoughts and action.” - Anil Sinha 44. “Wake up, smile and tell yourself ‘Today is My Day’.” – Unknown 45. “You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it.” - Dr Robert Anthony 46. “Positive thoughts lead to positive feelings, which in turn lead to positive actions.” – Lisa Edwards 47. “Start each day with a positive thought and a greatful heart.” - Roy T Bennett 48. “The energy you put out comes back to you.” - Eckhart Tolle 49. “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement, nothing can be done without hope or confidence.” - Helen Keller 50. “People who accomplish great things are aware of the negative, however they give all their mental energy to the positive.” – Unknown 51. “A positive thinker does not refuse to recognise the negative, he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions.” - Norman Vincent Peale 52. “Always turn a negative situation into a positive situation.” - Michael Jordan 53. “Love is more powerful than hate. Hope is more powerful than fear. And light is more powerful than dark.” - Joe Biden 54. “I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains.” - Anne Frank 55. “Train your mind to see the good in everything. Positivity is a choice. The happiness of your life depends on it.” – Unknown 56. “The more you worry, the more likely something will go wrong. Saying positive statements – such as “I’m prepared’, “I’m strong”, “I have control” – help trigger the right response in the body rather than the “uh oh” responses.” - Fred Newton 57. “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” - William Shakespeare 58. “Positive thinking is a valuable tool that can help you overcome obstacles, deal with pain and reach new goals.” - Amy Morris 59. “It’s a choice to notice what is wrong or what is right in the day. Make today a wonderful choice.” – R.P 60. “Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.” - Dalai Lama 61. “When you fill your life with positive thoughts and feelings, you'll find that guilt, resentment and any negative feelings will leave you.” - Rhonda Byrne 62. “When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It’s all a matter of perspective.” - Harvey Mackay 63. “You must master a new way to think before you can master a new way to be.” - Marianne Williamson 64. “Think continually about what you want, not about the things you fear.” - Brian Tracy 65. “Let's make positivity louder. “- Gary Vaynerchuk 66. “Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.” - Mahatma Gandhi 67. “Keep your face always toward the sunshine - and the shadows will fall behind you.” - Walt Whitman 68. “Make the most of the best and the least of the worst.” - Robert Louis Stevenson 69. “Nothing can harm you as much as your own thoughts, unguarded.” – Buddha 70. “Once you choose hope, anything’s possible.” - Christopher Reeve 71. “She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that’s one of the reasons they did.” - Zelda Fitzgerald 72. “Stay away from negative people – They have a problem for every solution.” - Albert Einstein 73. “What we think about, we become.” – Buddha 74. “You positivity can become a castle around you which will protect you from the arrow of negativity.” - Gurudev Chitrabhanu 75. “Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.” - Anthony J. D'Angelo 76. “Reflect upon your present blessings... of which every man has many – not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” - Charles Dickens 77. “Optimism is the one quality more associated with success and happiness than any other.” - Brian Tracy 78. “It’s a funny thing about life; if you refuse to accept anything but the best, you very often get it.” - W. Somerset Maugham 79. “Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.” - Albert Einstein 80. “Think of yourself on the threshold of success. A whole, clear, glorious life lies before you.” – Andrew Carnegie 81. “If you always have good thoughts, they will shine out of your face like sunbeams a you will always look lovely. “- Roald Dahl 82. “Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. A 'you can do it' when things are tough.” - Richard M. DeVos 83. “Hope is a positive expectation that something good is going to happen.” - Joyce Meyer 84. “Be mindful, be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.” - Roy T Bennett 85. “Everything is created twice, first in the mind and then in reality.” - Robin Sharma 86. “If you get up in the morning and think the future is going to be better, it is a bright day. Otherwise it's not.” - Elon Musk 87. “It feels wonderful to wake up each day with positive thoughts and a mind free of tensions and worries. Have a good day!” – Unknown 88. “It all begins and ends in your mind. What you give power to, has power over you.” - Leon Brown 89. “A man is what he thinks about all day long.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson 90. “In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.” - Daniel L. Reardon 91. “Positive thinking and visualising my success were my keys to doing well.” - Robert T. Kiyosaki 92. “Every thought we think is creating our future.” - Louise L Hay 93. “We are continually faced with great opportunities which are brilliantly disguised as unsolvable problems.” - Margaret Mead 94. “Wake up, smile and tell yourself ‘Today is My Day’.” - Unknown 95. “Not to spoil the ending… but everything is going to be okay.” – Unknown If any of these quotes jump out and speaks to you in some way, listen to what it’s trying to tell you. Print it out and place it where you can see it every day, I’ve know people to put them on the fridge, the back of the front door, so they read it just before they set off for their day at work, screen saver on their phone or computer, bathroom mirror and even the back of the toilet door. Which of these positive thinking quotes have inspired you? And if I’ve missed your favourite quote, let me know so I can add it in next time. I hope you enjoyed reading 95 of the Best Positive Thinking Quotes to Inspire a Positive Mind-Set, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners