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It's just so easy.
By Christine Schoenwald — Written on Apr 07, 2017
The best way to change something about yourself is to take small manageable actions.
I's amazing how taking baby steps can create a huge change in your life, especially in how you feel.
It’s daunting when you have a huge project or want to change something massive.
In fact, it can stop you in your tracks. How will you ever do it if it seems impossible?
But when you break it down into small, manageable goals, you can make progress without worrying about.
Sometimes just changing your attitude about something can help. If you tell yourself every day that you can do it and that you’re grateful for the progress that you’ve made, it reinforces it.
There’s a reason that so many people depend on the power of positive affirmations to help them achieve their goals.
Just hearing something repeatedly cements it into our psyche.
If negative talk can hurt us, why wouldn’t positive talk help us to feel better?
We all want to feel happy but sometimes it can seem like an impossible goal.
You may not be at a place in your life where happiness even seems achievable and it’s easy to get sucked under a mountain of doubt and negative self-talk.
No one wants to do something that is painful, even when it’s good for us.
If you have the choice of doing something that’s difficult or a small thing that’s not painful at all, you’re going to take the easier way every time.
And why wouldn’t you? It makes sense. If it’s easy and doesn’t hurt, you’re much more likely to do it repeatedly.
There are many things we can do to lift our moods, but the most effective ways are often just subtle shifts in our thinking.
How difficult is that?
Instead of beating yourself up for making a mistake, simply own your mistake and commit to learning from it.
Here’s what makes each zodiac sign happy.
ARIES (March 21 - April 19)
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Do something that lets your mind be active and your body be more at rest.
Let's face it: you're always doing something and you rarely give yourself permission to not do anything.
If you do something like reading, painting, yoga, or practicing memory tricks, you'll satisfy the need for challenge and growth with the need to physically relax and will end up feeling happier.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aries, As Written By One
TAURUS (April 20 - May 20)
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Go on a date with yourself.
No one knows what you want and need better than you, so why not indulge yourself and make it all about you?
Go to your favorite restaurant and order your favorite meal without worrying that someone will ask you to share; see the movie that no one else wanted to see, and then treat yourself to a decadent dessert while catching up on your favorite show.
Celebrate yourself and allow yourself to your guilty pleasures without witnesses.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Taurus, As Written By One
GEMINI (May 21 - June 20)
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It's exhausting always having to be the life of the party and feeling obligated to put a bright spin on everything.
If you want to feel happier, you need to be able to express all your feelings.
Schedule a one-on-one catch-up with a close friend and allow yourself to be completely honest about what you're going through — the good and the bad.
You'll be surprised at how wonderful it will feel to be your true self, not just your public one.
Read: The 13 Brutal Truths About Loving A Gemini, As Written By One
CANCER (June 21 - July 22)
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You're a very feeling kind of person and you tend to get stuck on certain emotions like sadness, anger, and regret.
To feel happier, get out of the house and go somewhere that you can get lost in art and other people's emotions.
Go to a museum or the theater. If you're feeling up to it, hit up the local karaoke bar and belt out those feelings.
If you make space for more happiness in your life, you'll be surprised at how much happier you'll feel.
Read: The 5 Brutal Truths About Loving A Cancer, As Written By One
LEO (July 23 - August 22)
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You're a very generous person but you do like get praise and credit for the acts of generosity that you do, which makes it less about who you're giving to and more about what you get in return.
Try giving anonymously like to a crowdfunding campaign or to a charity.
You'll realize that you aren't dependent on others to make you feel good about yourself.
VIRGO (August 23 - September 22)
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Stop beating yourself up and accept that you can make a mistake and it's not the end of the world.
Sometimes you're going to fail — that's just what happens — and rather than focusing on the mistake, access your wonderfully creative and problem-solving mind and see what you can gain from that fail.
Accentuate the positive.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Virgo (As Written By A Virgo)
LIBRA (September 23 - October 22)
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Don't just accept things because you're afraid if you ask for what you want there will be trouble.
If the chef messed up your order, send it back, and if the wait-staff gave you okay service, don't give them a 25 percent tip.
They're not your friends; you don't have to try and buy their love with over-tipping, just give them the standard 15 percent for their service.
Read: 11 Brutal Truths About Loving A Libra, As Written By One
SCORPIO (October 23 - November 21)
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Stop looking at everything with a worst-case scenario kind of attitude.
Yes, bad things do happen to good people but that doesn't mean you should expect the bad things to happen.
Sometimes good things happen to good and bad people, so why not hope for the best and see how that affects your life?
Read: 14 Brutal Truths About Loving A Scorpio, As Written By One
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 - December 21)
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It's great that you're so spontaneous but there are times when you're a little too spontaneous and you get into trouble.
Try doing the research and making a plan before your next trip.
You'll feel much happier when instead of missing the last train to Rome, you're there early with your ticket in hand. When you put some money aside for the future, you'll have something to fall back on in case of an emergency.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Sagittarius, As Written By One
CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 19)
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You don't think of yourself as a negative person, just a realistic one.
Try looking at the bright side of things. It may take a concentrated effort, but looking at the brighter side of things will help you feel happier and have a more positive outlook on things.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Capricorn, As Written By One
AQUARIUS (January 20 - February 18)
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Don't take things so personally.
The world isn't out to screw with you; sometimes things just happen.
The faster you can let go of a perceived slight or mistreatment, the better. You have enough responsibilities already, don't take on things that have nothing to do with you.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving An Aquarius, As Written By One
PISCES (February 19 - March 20)
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Do something that you've wanted to do for a long time but always came up with an excuse on why you couldn't do it.
Take that class, join the gym, start clean eating, or reach out to the people that you may have lost touch with thinking too much time has gone by.
It may be baby steps but each time you take one of those steps, you'll feel happier and more like yourself.
Read: 7 Brutal Truths About Loving A Pisces, As Written By One
