10 Tips to Feel Brilliant Every Day

progressively feel. WORDS DAVID HURST

Z BE HUMBLE Celebrate, by all means, but resist being boastful. As writer CS Lewis said: "Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it's thinking of yourself less." Connected to this is that if we realise we might have caused someone harm in some way, even if it was accidentally, that we should say sorry as soon as possible. Never say: “I’m sorry, but…” as we often then just go into why something happened the way it did, and it's likely to open it all up again. Humbly say sorry, draw a line under it – and then everyone can move on. Z DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO

Those celebrities and that friend may look to have it all, but we never really know the full picture. The only comparison is to check that you're making progress from where you once were.

Remember that sometimes we need to give time sometime – and know that if you're going in the right direction for your life, you're going in the right direction. Z BE HONEST – INCLUDING TO

No one gets away with lies. Everybody has been created like this, otherwise humanity would have stopped existing many centuries ago.

So always be honest. To yourself as well.

Pay attention to your gut instinct as it's always telling you the truth. If you know an aspect of your lifestyle is not good for you and/or those around you, make some positive changes straight away. Z LOOK AFTER YOURSELF AS

Go gently on yourself – know that everyone makes mistakes now and then.

Eat well, exercise regularly and carry yourself well too. Our posture plays a great part in how we feel, so hold your head up and walk tall. Z KNOW ACCEPTANCE Accept people, places and things for who and what they are. Accept yourself too – with all your amazing talents and qualities and don’t be fearful of using them. Many people suffer from indecision or are always making rash decisions. Both are painful ways to live. Instead, get the right balance. Have a think about any decision, but make sure to make one. Acceptance never means rolling over if somebody says or does something that's not decent. But it is helpful to know that there's a lot in this world that we are powerless over changing. Try your best to take your luck as it comes, and fit yourself to it. Go with the flow. Z BE AGREEABLE Many people in recovery circles know about the Just For Today card that lists several daily suggestions to live by every day. One of its methods for living says: “Just for today I will be agreeable. I will look as well as I can, dress becomingly, talk low, act courteously, criticise not one bit, not find fault with anything and not try to improve or regulate anybody except myself.” It's a positive and uplifting way to live. Z BE KIND Being kind to others will always leave us feeling good inside. It lifts our spirits. When we feel good from the inside, we don't need anything from the outside to fill us up. That includes things such as drinking, work, relationship, drugs or shopping. When you do loving things, selflove will grow.

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Z DON'T WORRY. RELAX Every day, spend at least 30 minutes relaxing. Somewhere quiet and still is best. Breathe calmly.

Meditating at the start and again at the end of the day helps a great number of people to live well.

Z CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY This can appear flippant to someone who's stressed, anxious or depressed – but what many people don't realise is that we have a choice over which thoughts we pay attention to every day.

Anything we focus on grows bigger, whether that's positive or negative. So try to catch negative thoughts before they change the way you feel. Otherwise the negative feelings they create will lead to more negative thoughts.

As Abraham Lincoln said: "Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be."

g David Hurst is a Wellbeing Coach with four books published on emotional and mental health recovery, including 12 Steps To 1 Hero and The Anxiety Conversation. He has also written for publications around the world including The Times, The Guardian, Psychologies, Esquire and Marie Claire. To find out more or contact David to see how he can help you or someone you love, visit: david-hurst.com