Short messages on Positive change from Respect Yourself, the guidance site for young people to help make good decisions in life.
Hope reminds you that everything will be okay. With hope you always have a path towards happiness. With hope, you know that whatever looks terrible is only temporary and that soon enough, things will be just fine.
Forgiveness sets you free from resentment’s confines; it breaks down the walls that anger builds and negativity reinforces. When we forgive, we stop letting ours pasts dictate our presents. We acknowledge we want the very best for ourselves; accepting that our past makes us the person we are today, and embracing that.
It takes huge strength and courage to express and communicate our pain to the people who hurt us. In doing so, we expose our vulnerable side – the very part that we want to protect and keep safe. But when we communicate painful emotions, we take a step outside of our comfort zone and into a wonderful learning and growth opportunity.
You can play a bigger role in your local community if you want to improve your area, make a positive impact on the lives of those around you or help to foster a greater sense of neighbourhood. Speak to your local council about any projects you’d like to get involved in.
Randy Stiver once noted that “happiness must be pursued by personally choosing the right thoughts, right words and right actions at the right time.” In short, our happiness depends on us.
Forgive yourself for thinking negatively. Forgive yourself for talking, without thinking twice. Forgive yourself for being rude to your superior, your friend, your parents, or your siblings.
Being happy within ourselves simply means showing mercy to ourselves, forgiving ourselves, befriending ourselves, accepting ourselves, and loving ourselves. It’s a lifelong journey that requires regular self-examination and an ongoing process of making peace with ourselves.
You don’t have to be a secret millionaire or celebrity to do voluntary work – get involved, get experience, explore your interests and your life.
All the messages we’ve sent so far (484 of them!) are categorised and available on our website. If you have some time for reflection over the Christmas period, have a look through: which ones have impacted you? We’d love to hear back from you if any have changed the way you look at things, or have helped your family and friends!
Have you ever found yourself standing in front of the mirror and yelling at yourself or hating yourself? Do you understand what it feels like to be completely disgusted with yourself and longing for a change? We often spend time upset about something, allowing our environment and circumstances to dictate whether or not we are going to be happy. The truth is that we can live our lives with happiness and decide that we are going to do whatever it takes to be happy. You can be happy if you have the mind to.