You can’t actually choose how you feel, but you do have the power to choose how you think and how you act. If you find your thoughts are heading in a negative spiral, stop yourself and try to focus on positive things. You can also do positive things that you enjoy and this will have a good impact on your thoughts and feelings.  

When you’re feeling positive, you’re: 

• Optimistic: You see the glass half full, and you believe things will work out 

• Energetic: You’re buzzing with energy and ready to take on the world 

• Hopeful: You have a sense of possibility, it feels as if the future holds good things 

• Confident: You believe in yourself and your abilities 

• Grateful: You appreciate the good things in your life, big and small 

There are many benefits to embracing a positive mindset:  

• It makes you more resilient. When stuff gets tough, a positive attitude helps you bounce back. 

• It attracts good vibes. Positive people tend to attract other positive people, creating a good energy cycle. 

• It boosts your creativity. When you’re feeling good, your brain is more open to new ideas and possibilities. 

• It makes you healthier. Studies show that positive people tend to have stronger immune systems and live longer. 

• It feels good 

To boost your positivity levels:  

• Surround yourself with positive people 

• Focus on the good things in your life 

• Do things that make you happy 

• Practice gratitude 

• Challenge negative thoughts 

• Validate and highlight your positive feelings 

We all need a pick-me-up now and again. Here are some super-speedy tips to feeling better: 

• Go for a walk: getting some fresh air can help you calm down and feel happier 

• Listen to upbeat music: put on your favourite album and dance the blues away 

• Laugh: Studies show that laughing increases dopamine in our brains and increases oxygen in our bodies, which help us feel happier and less stressed. Watching a short, funny video with friends or family can immediately make us feel good.  

• Do something you enjoy: Expressing ourselves creatively, through playing music, writing, drawing, painting, baking or another medium, can make us feel much happier – even just after a few minutes 

• Declutter: spending just five minutes tidying your room can have a hugely positive impact on your mood 

• Think about things that went well: Remembering these moments will help to bring back the positive feelings you felt initially.  

• Talk to someone: If you’re feeling low, you don’t need to hide it. The simple act of getting something off your chest can help you feel better about something or see it from another perspective. If you’re not sure who to talk to, Childline is always ready to listen. 

‘Toxic positivity’ is a confusing term because having a positive outlook on life is usually considered to be good – and it is good.  

 However, it can become toxic when people assume that you should be positive regardless of how difficult the circumstances or situation you’re going through.  

Your feelings are valid and anxiety, fear and stress are nature’s way of keeping us safe during tough times.   

It’s important to give ourselves space to express these feelings when we need to in order to become emotionally healthy human beings.  

Here are some examples of toxic positivity: 

• ‘Get over it, there’s plenty more fish in the sea’: If you’ve just broken up with somebody, you have every right to be upset.  

• ‘Relax! You’ll be grand’: It’s natural to be nervous or anxious about a test, an audition, an exam, a speech or whatever it is that you have coming up. Your feelings are valid and should not be dismissed 

• ‘Everything happens for a reason’: When something awful happens, this is often a well-meaning expression that’s given to soften the devastating blow. Unfortunately, it’s not what someone who has experienced a loss needs to hear in the moment.