A Positive Five

5 Positive Habits That Will Help You Prepare for the Future
All of us probably have a few bad habits that we’ve cultivated over our lifetimes. They are easy to fall into and almost impossible to break out of. Why then is it so hard to fall into positive habits? It’s because nothing good and worth having in life comes easy. We’re designed to work for our happiness and those bad habits are distractions keeping us from our true potential… right?

Perhaps. But don’t let that keep you from trying to break out of those negative cycles. Even if you can fall into just one positive habit, you’ll be profoundly improving your life. And once you’ve lapsed into one habit, the next one is bound to follow eventually.

To help get you started on transforming your negative habits into positive ones, here are five habits we feel just about anyone can commit to.

1. Be more positive

When you feel positive, positive things will happen. That might be a little reductive and obviously isn’t always the case but there is certainly a kernel of wisdom to the adage. Don’t allow the constant stream of negativity being force-fed you by the media to get you down. Stay positive and try to look for the good in every situation. The more you do it, the easier it gets.

2. Save money

Savings are essential and can provide a good safety net if needed in an emergency. If you have a decent amount stored away “for a rainy day” it can also take the pressure off a little and help you feel more relaxed about your financial situation. Consider taking out an easy-access savings account and putting a little money into it every month. Within a few years, you’ll have a comfortable little nest egg and with interest rates high right now, you might even make a bit of extra money too.

3. Make time for self-care

Look after yourself and your body. You only have one, after all. Give yourself at least a couple of hours every day to spend time doing what makes you happy and calms you down. This can be anything from taking the dogs for a walk to playing video games, reading a book, or going to the gym. Having this “you” time away from work and your other social obligations will do wonders for your mental and physical health.

4. Keep learning

Upgrade and invest in your knowledge. Learn new things when you have the opportunity and focus on the things that genuinely interest you. Have you always wanted to learn how to play the guitar or how to speak Japanese? What’s holding you back? The more we learn and the more open we are to new experiences, the fully and more rewarding our lives will be.

5. Make a 5-year plan

Have you ever been for a job interview where they’ve asked you where you see yourself in five years? Setting up a 5-year plan can help put your goals into perspective and will give you a list of achievable goals to tick off. It can be daunting to think about but it can be surprisingly addictive once you get going to picture how your life can and should be.