How To Live Pretty With Positivity as a College or High School Student!

This post is about how to live pretty with positivity!

If you are new to my blog, my name is Emily. I am so glad that you are here! I am 18 years old and a full-time college student.

I know how hard being a student is in our world today. It is difficult to juggle academics, a job, extracurricular activities, and a social life all at once. However, I think the hardest part is knowing how to manage these different areas of our life in a positive way.

Often times our busy schedules get the best of us and we become negative as a result. I have seen this in my friends, family, and unfortunately even myself. It is hard to admit that I am guilty of being negative at times but it’s true.

The good news is that it’s very easy to be more positive!

This post is about 10 practices that will help you to be more positive! Focusing on these 10 practices has changed my attitude in such a positive way.

Remember positivity is contagious! (I know it’s cheesy, but it’s true!)

1. Surround yourself with the right people

Surrounding yourself with the “right” people means spending time with friends and family who believe in you, make you happy, and are always there for you.

Negativity and positivity are contagious. If you hang out with negative people you will become negative. On the flip side, if you spend time around positive individuals their positivity will rub off on you.

I promise spending time with the right people will help you become so much more positive. There are only so many hours in a day. Make sure to spend time with people who make those limited hours count!

2. Read positive quotes

Positive quotes are helpful because they can make you think about things going on in your life in a more positive way.

I would definitely recommend reading at least one positive quote or saying every morning before you start your day.

I have read a positive quote or saying every day this month and I can honestly say I feel more positive and motivated to reach my goals than I have ever felt before.

Download these super cute and FREE positive quotes for your wall today!

Click here or on the image below to download 🙂

Looking for an easy way to read positive quotes throughout your day?

Follow me on Pinterest! I post awesome positive quotes daily.

3. Listen to music that you love

I love listening to music because it always puts me in a better mood! If you enjoy music try listening to your favorite music a little bit every day.

If you’re looking for some music suggestions, check these songs and albums (my absolute favorites) out:

Taylor Swift (all albums!)
AJR Neotheater album and new song Bang!
Common Sense by Joshua Bassett
Kelsea Ballerini’s new album Kelsea
I Love Me by Demi Lovato
From Michigan With Love by Quinn XCII

4. Listen to inspiring podcasts

Listening to inspiring podcasts is an amazing way to become more positive. Podcasts can be super motivational and will make you think about situations in a more positive light.

I recently listened to an amazing podcast by The Skinny Confidential. The podcast episode is called, Misery Loves Company – An Argument for More Positivity.

I liked this episode because it talks about why positivity is so important especially in our world today. It emphasizes the fact that we are all living through a pandemic and instead of tearing each other down, especially on social media we need to rise and promote positivity.

If you have not listened to this podcast yet, please listen to it! It shares an important message and will remind you of the true importance of positivity. Also, it’s totally free on Apple Podcasts.

Looking for other motivational podcasts to listen to? Check out:

Rise by Rachel Hollis
Straight Up with Trent Shelton

5. Practice meditation and/or yoga

If you suffer from depression or anxiety and want a natural treatment please try meditation and/or yoga! I have terrible anxiety whenever I have to speak in public. My heart races like crazy, my hands start sweating, and sometimes I even start to shake.

The other day I had to present in one of my classes over a zoom call. Even though I only had to present for literally a minute I still had anxiety over it all day. I decided to look up a 5-minute meditation exercise on YouTube and it honestly made me feel so much better! I was able to get through my presentation with less anxiety.

Meditation and yoga will help you feel more refreshed, at peace, and positive. These practices also improve your health by lowering your cholesterol levels, reducing your blood pressure, and strengthening your immune system.

Meditation and yoga YouTube suggestions:

5-Minute Meditation You Can Do Anywhere
10-Minute Meditation For Anxiety
Yoga With Adriene (Amazing yoga tutorials!)

6. Go on walks and/or hikes

Going for a walk or a hike is a great way to get out of your house and connect with nature. Connecting with nature will give you the chance to focus on the beauty of the world around you.

Walks and hikes also remind us of how lucky we are to be a part of this beautiful world and will give us a more positive outlook on life.

I love going on walks with my family and friends. It is a really nice activity to do with people you enjoy spending time with!

7. Read inspirational books

There are so many inspiring books out there that can teach you new things, motivate you to live your best life, and will show you why a positive lifestyle is so important.

Inspirational books always motivate me to work harder and remind me of the power I have in the world.

Two books I really recommend you read are:

Girl, Wash Your Face by Rachel Hollis
Girl, Stop Apologizing by Rachel Hollis

I promise these books will motivate you like crazy and will give you a super positive outlook on life!

8. Live with the glass half full mindset

Try your hardest to live with the glass half full mindset. This means trying your hardest to focus on the positive in everyday situations.

It does not have to be anything big. Maybe a nice walk, fun talk with friends or even just some time by yourself.

When you start to focus on what is positive in your life, being positive will come much more naturally to you. Try to look for five positive things in your life every day.

Focusing on positive things instead of honing in on the negative will help you to be more mindful and positive.

9. Spend time doing what you love!

In order to live a positive lifestyle, you need to spend time doing things that you enjoy and put a smile on your face.

Try to do something for yourself every day. I promise taking the time to care for yourself leads to a positive lifestyle!

Suggestions:

Art/doodle
Dance
Journal
Paint your nails
Read
Scrapbook
Watch TV/movies

10. Pay positivity and kindness forward!

I am a big supporter of volunteer work and community service. When I am at college I volunteer at a daycare which I love and is one of my favorite places to volunteer. Participating in community service is a great way to give back to others.

You never know what others are going through and your kindness has the ability to put a smile on someone’s face which is priceless. Volunteering will help you feel more fulfilled and positive. The best part is, there are so many opportunities for service!

If you are interested in volunteering remotely now to help those impacted by the coronavirus I encourage you to try at least one of the remote volunteering ideas below. You have the power to make someone’s day a little brighter!

Suggestions for Volunteer Work:

school
daycare
hospital
animal shelter
foodbank
group home

Remote Volunteering Ideas You Can Do While You’re Home:

Reach out to local group homes and call the elderly. This is something I have been doing to give back to my community. It is a really nice and easy way to help others. A lot of older individuals living in group homes are at risk of catching the virus. Because of this, they have very little contact with other people. Calling them would be such a nice way to add some normalcy back into their lives.

Reach out to your local food bank and see is there is any way you can help remotely. When schools close, a lot of kids miss out on meals that they would have been provided. Finding a way to help your food bank could help feed families in need.

Thank hospital workers for risking their health every day to help sick individuals recover. You can try sending them cards or posting your gratification online. They are real heroes and should be thanked every day.

Reach out to group homes to see if they are accepting cards. Some places are still accepting cards. It may be a nice gesture to write a resident a note just to brighten up their day. If they are not accepting cards, you can film a short video just saying hello and that you are thinking of them.

Donate to an organization helping those in need during this time.

I hope that you try at least one thing on this list (or any other remote service). You really do have the ability to make someone’s day!

Thank you for reading!

I hope you learned some helpful practices that you can use to live life with a little more positivity. Being positive does not mean that we have to be blind and ignorant towards what is going on in the world.

The world is a scary and sad place right now which we should all recognize. However, negativity is not the answer. We should all come together and spread positivity and kindness. Remember, positivity is contagious. Start a chain reaction and practice positivity today!

One of my favorite quotes is:

“When you can’t find the sunshine, be the sunshine!”

Even in times of uncertainty, positivity and kindness always prevail. Never forget the power of your light in the world!

Follow me on Pinterest for more positivity tips, college and high school hacks, free printables and more!! 🙂

If you liked this post, check out these posts below!

15 POSITIVITY QUOTES: MY FAVORITE QUOTES!

15 POSITIVE SCREEN SAVERS

Click here to download the wall art below!