“If you look for the positive things in life; you will find them.” Author Unknown

1. Smile. A smile is a simple but powerful tool. It automatically makes us feel better and touches the people around us. Are you smiling now?

2. Have positive reminders. Fill your mind and home with positive reminders and motivational products. Choose to surround yourself with things that remind you to be positive.

3. Talk nice. Remove destructive language, negative talk, swearing or complaining. These things rob our joy in life. Speak positively or do not talk at all.

4. Pay for your bad words. We pay our vacation jar $5 for every swear word someone says. Family members hold one another accountable. Find some way to hold yourself accountable for destructive language.

5. Give me three now! For every negative thing you say about yourself, you must say three positives out loud. Again, family members should hold one another accountable.

6. Stop gossip. Let others be who they are. Concentrate on only speaking positively about other people.

7. Be honest. When we tell the truth we never have to remember what we said to whom. Honesty may be hard in the moment, but you will definitely sleep better at night.

8. There is nothing wrong. Stop telling yourself something is wrong. There is nothing wrong with your life. When we live in the moment and accept what is, we stop creating the idea that something is always wrong. Live life accepting what is.

9. Notice life. By noticing your thoughts without judgments attached, you are free to just experience life. We do not have to fix or change everything – sometimes we just need to notice.

10. Enjoy the journey. Life is not a race – we don’t have to get there today. In fact, there is no “there.” Our job is to simply enjoy the process.

11. Don’t engage in negative conversation. It’s okay to just walk away without correcting or explaining. Just simply excuse yourself.

12. Pay attention to your positive thoughts. What are they saying? What do they tell you about yourself?

13. Choose positive people. Surround yourself with people who build you up. Get rid of the “wet blankets” in your life.

14. Put on your attitude. Choose which attitude to wear prior to getting dressed in the morning. Sometimes having a good day starts by telling yourself that you will have a good day.

15. You have permission. Give yourself permission to be positive and enjoy life. Being positive is much more fun than complaining all the time.

16. Plan ahead. Practice and plan what you will say ahead of time when others engage in negativity. Knowing what to say before hand will help you say what you need to say and to stay true to being positive.

17. Leave on a happy note. End phone calls, e-mails and letters with a positive message. Always leave meetings on an upbeat note. This keeps you from dwelling on the negatives.

18. Choose carefully. Be selective with your words. Once we speak word, we can not take them back. Speak less and listen more.

19. Practice. Try saying positive things to strangers. Try out being positive with people you’ll never see again. Try new phrases and take the opportunity to speak positively with each new person you meet.

20. Down days will come. Realize you will have down days. Plan for them and practice good self-care on days that you feel down. Then remind yourself that life will swing back and you’ll be up again.