Congratulations on deciding to make your life better. You have just begun the first step in attaining this goal. It is time for you to undergo change, and to do so, start with how you live each day. How do you create it? How do you end it? Which habits do you have that need changing and which would be those that are helpful? Let’s get you started.

1. In everything, give thanks. Start enumerating the things you are grateful for. This will change your perspective in life. Being in a place of gratitude will make you appreciate simple things in life— the air you breathe, waking every morning, the weather today… this habit is freeing and helps you to be content.

1. Begin your day the night before. Plan out your tasks days ahead of your set deadline. This will give you more time to better your outputs instead of cramming your way through deadlines. Crammed work will result in mediocrity, leaving you exhausted. The more you devote time to your work, the more creative you get.

1. Allow yourself to grow up. If things do not go your way, cope with it gracefully and see what went wrong so you can adjust the way you did. Also, maintain a cheerful disposition in dealing with unfavorable situations and treat them as your way forward towards growth and maturity.

1. Drop the attitude of entitlement. Entitlement pushes people away; when you relate to people as if they owe you something, you need to know that you owe them that too. Learn to treat others the way you want them to treat you.

1. Express your emotions, but remember that feelings aren’t facts. Feeling things is every day. But you do not want that to be the basis of your decisions in life. Give yourself space to breathe to overcome your intense emotions, and then look back and think deeply about the situation to avoid making the wrong choices and saying things you will regret later on.

1. Pessimism limits you. Negative thinking is not a good place to start. Always start your days with a happy note if you want a better life. Being a worry wart will not liberate you from being creative. It limits you and fosters fear. Imagine if you are living with negative thoughts in your head. Remember, what your mind conceives, the body achieves.

1. Habits create your character. Your way of life is defined by what you do every day. If you advocate healthy habits, your body will become healthy. If you cultivate the habits of mind, you will become an intelligent thinker. If you have the habit of praying, you will be hopeful in every circumstance. Habits are dispositions that help you solve life problems and carry you throughout life.

1. Stop resenting and forgive. Resentments take out so much space in our minds and hearts that they steal the joy we deserve. Be forgiving. Forgiveness sets you free from feelings of hurt and hate, which result in physical, psychological, and spiritual damage in the long run. If you want a better life, remove the bitterness in your heart.

1. Love yourself. Reflect on your strengths and affirm that you are doing a good job. Do not be hard on yourself when you fail in things. Wins and losses are essential for growth. Always give your best; as long as you know you did, that is enough.

1. See something good in each day. At the end of the day, think of one good thing that has happened to you. That alone can already put a smile on your face. Do that every day and see how this will shape the way you think and deal with every situation in your life.