Remaining Positive When Things Are Sh*tty
I wanted to write this post because sometimes life is just a bit sh*tty. Like work is stressful, or maybe you’re having a tough time with your family or friends, or maybe you struggle with anxiety (like me) and everything seems to be going wrong.
I’m not the expert here, but I know this – it’s really, really hard to stay positive and keep that ‘abundant’ mindset when you’re in one of these phases of your life, so I wanted to share some of my top tips from personal experience.
Remind yourself why a positive attitude is important to you. What is it that you’re trying to achieve in your life that really, really needs you to stay focused and positive? For me, I know that not only do I have responsibilities (PhD, work, life), I also have goals and aspirations. And I’m not getting any closer to them with negative thoughts.

The Fly Lady
2. Get up and put on real clothes. I swear down, this is my best tip for those times when you feel overwhelmed and down and you feel like you can’t do anything. Get out of bed, take a shower, and put on real clothes. That means no sweats. Put on jeans, a bra (if you are a bra wearer), a top, a jumper, whatever. If you feel totally overwhelmed, I have gone back time and again to this great website run by The Flylady. It gives you 31 baby steps to get your house/life in order, day by day. And Day 2 is: get dressed to lace-up shoes. I know. I never wear shoes in the house, but trust me – if you put shoes on, you will feel 100% more human and productive.
3. Meditate. Maybe try the 21 Day Abundance Challenge. Or just download the Insight Timer App, which I absolutely swear by. Just giving yourself even 5-10 minutes of quiet time to breathe and relax will help you re-centre your positive brain.

A black journal closed with pens and markers next to it.
4. Make a list. I myself am a Bullet Journal addict. I write absolutely every single task down that I have to do, and I plan ahead. I track what I work on each day so I can hold myself accountable for keeping up with the varying facets of my life. Some Bullet Journallers make these incredibly intricate, beautiful works of art, but listen, I don’t have the time or the artistic talent for that. I just have my own system (work out what works for you) and over nearly 2 years I have my layout down pat. I never forget things anymore (well, tasks anyway). And I know ahead of time what I have coming up. I also write in things that I have to look forward to that KEEP ME POSITIVE.

A person with red hair wearing a black jacket sits by the lake next to a brown and white dog, watching the sunset.
5. Seek out the positive people in your life. I know that I have certain friends I can call on when my negative brain is getting the better of me, and they will pull me straight back into that positive space, simply by being who they are. If you don’t have any friends or family who are positive, happy people – find some. Or just pop onto here or onto another blog or website where you might find some positivity. It works by association.
I believe in you. And I hope your day is not sh*tty.
Namaste.
xxK
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