Hey beautiful,

I was born smiling, according to my mum, but being a grown-up is a bit more challenging than being a tiny newborn baby – who’d have thought?! So when I catch myself feeling negative or overwhelmed, I practice 7 simple shifts to bring positivity to my life.

Making a conscious effort to be cheerful might sound forced, but it truly does brighten my mood. Here are my 7 secrets that never fail to make me feel more positive – I hope they do the same for you!

1. START THE DAY WITH PERSPECTIVE

Part of living in a consumerist society means we’re constantly reminded of everything we don’t have, and that gets me down. So I arm myself against those thoughts by reminding myself of everything I do have – and I do it in the shower every morning. It’s usually the same stuff: I’m grateful for my little family, for having a job I love, and small things too like sleeping on a comfy pillow. Simple home comforts bring me more joy than fancy material goods.

2. FIND A SMALL SILVER LINING

When Shay was sick last week I felt pretty awful myself – wanting to be with him but knowing I had loads of work to get through too. He cried every time I put him down. I felt pretty frustrated, until I seized the silver lining: hanging out with my son and playing hooky from work! I embraced his need for constant cuddles and our day was all the happier for it.

3. TREAT YOURSELF TO FLOWERS

I love having flowers in the house – there’s something about seeing colour and the gorgeous scent that makes happiness bloom inside me too. A beautiful bouquet of anenomes like these is a way better mood-booster than chocolate, I think.

4. GET CONNECTED

Do you find you get sucked into a negative spiral when you spend lots of time alone? I do. But talking to people always makes me feel better. It doesn’t have to be face-to-face, or even actual talking, to have a positive impact. On those evenings where Kieran’s at work and Shay’s asleep upstairs, I turn to Instagram and feel more positive for being connected to lots of lovely people. Social media gets a bad rep but I love the emotional intimacy and feeling like people like you out there have my back. I’ve got yours too!

5. TAKE BIG BREATHS

Sometimes Kieran has to remind me to do this, but mindfully taking a few deep breaths really works! I feel each beautiful lungful of oxygen relax my body – my jaw unclenches and my head clears. It’s a mini meditation that triggers a big mood lift. If you’re looking for an even bigger mood lift, try my 10-minute meditations here.

6. DON’T SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

Sometimes I beat myself up for the smallest mistakes, and that doesn’t do me any favours at all! Like, the other day I forgot an ingredient for a recipe and I was so cross with myself for the whole morning. But really, is that a disaster? Could I not make a different recipe, or go back out to the shops? One small mis-step doesn’t need to mess up your whole day. Please feel free to remind me of this any time!

7. WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS

This is one of my favourite pick-me-ups. I visualise my thoughts as if they’re a tape playing in my head, and I give that tape a rosy glow. I switch from ‘my thighs are chubby’ to ‘I have strong legs’. Practicing self-love is vital for feeling more positive, and it really works!

What simple shifts bring more positivity to your life? I’d love to know, so please hop over to Instagram and we can chat!

Love, Madeleine xx