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If we’re feeling upset or let down, it’s much more difficult to master our emotions or tackle the challenges that life throws at us.

The key to smooth sailing in life, even when the road gets bumpy and things feel like an uphill battle, is to focus on changing our state of mind to a more positive one first. It often feels like our emotions are out of our control, but that’s not really true. In reality, we can learn to shift ourselves from a bad mood to a good one—and do it in an instant!

Have you ever woken up in a bad mood and later noticed that your whole day felt like an uphill battle with unexpected challenges and negative people? I know I have—countless times. It often starts with me not getting my coffee in the morning. I’ve been addicted to caffeine for years now and have only been able to wake up after a big cup of coffee, so my mornings are ruined when there’s an issue with my caffeine supply.

Then, I’ve noticed that unless I shift my state right then, I’ll be faced with one challenge after another that day. That’s just how the universe works—it draws people, things, and events with similar energy to each other. Everything in this universe is made up of energy.

Unless I shift my state, this is what my day will look like:

The tram stop, from where I always hop on the tram to work, is under construction so I come late to work because I have to walk to another tram stop further away from home. At work, my colleague is annoyed at me for showing up late because that means that she has to do some of my early morning tasks to get the day started. The customers that day seem extra moody and I hit a new record for how many customer complaints I receive in one single day. You see where this is going.

It’s not an easy place to be in when it feels like everything is an uphill battle. I would much rather choose to shift my state immediately so I can attract more of the people, things, and events that match my positive energy.

Here are a few easy ways to instantly change your state of mind:

Visualize

Visualization is powerful because our brains don’t know the difference between what is real and what is imagined. So, when we visualize, our brain thinks it’s happening right now. Visualization is basically creating a mental image in our minds of what we want to happen before it has occurred in 3D reality, tricking our brain into believing that we’re experiencing it now.

When you incorporate a five-minute visualization practice into your daily routine, you will soon notice your behaviors, daily actions, and habits change for the better.

Journal it out

If we’re feeling worried or stressed, journaling is proven to have positive effects on our mental and physical health. Writing our thoughts down on paper allows us to process our feelings and thoughts right there and it also frees up so much mental space.

Don’t be surprised if you feel mentally clear after a journaling sitting!

Move your body

One easy way to shift our state is to get out of our heads and into our bodies. Go for a walk or run. If you don’t have the time or ability to go outside at that moment, simply play your favorite tunes and have a little dance party at home. You could also jump up and down to some music. For softer ways to move your body and change your state, you could do yoga or stretch.

Breathwork

Breathwork is a powerful tool that can help shift our state within minutes. It is a form of active meditation in which you focus on a specific breathing pattern. When we change our breathing patterns, we can change our physical, mental, and emotional states. You can do this by being in a seated position and focusing on taking deep belly breaths, inhaling through the nose, and exhaling through the mouth.