Sprinkling in Positivity

Hello TWNer’s!

I hope everyone’s semester is going well! Keeping with the theme of the last post, I’d like to share a few tips with everyone on how to add little bits of positivity into your life.

My first piece of advice is to have at least one healthy outlet. I personally enjoy running and doing yoga, which I use to help reduce stress. I’ve found that even just 15 minutes of yoga helps me feel less stressed and that I’m much better able to absorb class material. Running helps me feel less stressed by allowing me to stretch my legs and get fresh air. Running and yoga are not the only way to reduce stress and feel more positive. A healthy outlet can be anything from meditating, to painting, to going for a walk. No matter your interests, it’s important to have a regular healthy activity that allows you to clear your head.

My second piece of advice is to allow yourself to take a break. Personally I am guilty of not taking breaks when studying or working on a project. But not taking a break can actually hurt your ability to focus and retain information. When you take a break, do something that is relaxing and refreshing. This can be talking to your roommates for a bit, or it can even be your healthy outlet that we talked about above. Taking a break and allowing yourself to relax is important because you will feel happier and you will feel more positively about the work you have to do.

Another piece of advice is to always get fresh air. I personally always take some time to go outside every day, even if it’s snowing. Fresh air helps rejuvenate me when I’m working, and I typically feel better about my workload when I go outside. Getting some fresh air can help clear my head and oftentimes I like to sit outside and just appreciate the nature around me. I always feel happier and healthier after I’ve gone outside.

My fourth piece of advice is to do something nice for others every day. This can be something as small as washing your roommates dishes, but by doing something nice for someone else, you boost your feelings of satisfaction and your well-being. I personally try to do anything from cleaning the kitchen to buying a friend some coffee. Going that extra step and doing something nice for someone spreads the positivity along and I always feel better about my day afterwards.

My last piece of advice is to maintain the positive relationships in your life. It’s important to keep in touch with people who support you and lift you up. Parents, old mentors, high school friends, etc. are all people that I try to keep in touch with because I know that they always have my best interest in heart. I also know that these are the people that I look up to and want to be a better person for. So if you haven’t talked to someone in a while who’s an important person in your life, then I recommend you reach out to them. Having healthy relationships will only bring more positivity and support into your life, and will ultimately make you happier.

I hope some of these tips were helpful to you and that you have a better idea of how to make your life feel more positive. I would love to hear any advice you may have on how to build more positivity into your life, as I’m always looking to improve.

Kara is the Communications Associate in The Women’s Network. She is a sophomore and is a part of the Communications Committee. Kara is also a member of Run Club, Net Impact, and CLD at IU. In her free time she loves to run, bike, kayak and go to the beach!

You can reach me at kalehner@iu.edu to share positive advice!