For those Days when EVERYTHING goes wrong...(every day for me) (Positive Thought)

Member Name: kittykat18

Product:	Positive Thought
Date:	14/08/02 (147 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Makes you happy, contains good memories

Disadvantages: None

You know the times when you feel really crap about yourself? Like the days when you go clothes shopping and nothing fits, or you get a rejection letter from a job you went for. Then there's the day you bump into an old school friend, who is now so attractive and sickeningly successful that it makes you feel like you've wasted your life in comparison.

When you eventually get home on these days from hell, all you want to do is hide under your duvet and never come out again. But there is a way to make yourself feel a bit more optimistic about yourself. Even if you've put on several stone recently, lost your job and feel you have nothing to live for, my method will help, trust me.

Wallowing under your duvet, downing vodka and feeling sorry for yourself won't help you one bit. You need to take your mind off current events and focus on happier times.

First you need a box. An ordinary shoe box will do. Decorate it with things that you like- something that feels nice and reflects your personality. Maybe purple velvet, or bright pink fake fur. Whatever tickles your fancy basically, and makes an ordinary shoe box look a bit more special.

Now you need to find things to go in your ego box. Here's some ideas:

** Photos **

ONLY use photos where you look happy and which bring back nice memories. I have a few photos where my hair looks nice and shiny and I'm laughing which cheer me when I see them. Pictures on days out, on holidays and at parties are all good ideas, so long as it wasn't a day out where you rowed with your partner, or a party where you were sick in the kitchen sink. Think nice, positive memories and choose your photos carefully.
Something I used to do which provided good material for happy photos, when I was on a night out and a little "merry", I would drag a friend to find a photo booth, pay the £3 and have our photos taken whilst making faces and laughing hysterica
lly. I am always happy and laughing after a few drinks so these photos show me at my best, relaxed and grinning. Try it! At least you'll get to see what you look like half-cut!

DON'T put any photos in where you look minging (that WON'T cheer you up) or any photos of ex boyfriends (no matter how gorgeous..)

** Phone Numbers **

When I used to go out a lot more than I do now, and get chatted up, if I was ever given a mans phone number, I would always save it. Even if he turned out to be an idiot and I never called him, I kept the little scrap of paper and saved them all in a plaster box. When I am bored or feeling low I sometimes look through them and have a good laugh, trying to picture the men. It?s flattering to look through them and think of these men who came to chat me up, some of whom I even ended up going out with. So if you are given a number, save it and stick it in your ego box. Unless they turn out to be a complete and utter waste of space, in which case you should burn it to get rid of any negative feelings.

** Autograph Book **

I have an autograph book, not for famous people to sign, but which I have used on "last days" at school- primary and secondary. It's full of comments, signatures and notes from old classmates and teachers.

I found my book earlier tonight and spent a pleasurable half an hour reading through it, laughing at some of the entries. So if it's your last day at school, or a job, why not take a little note book for people to sign? It's something you can save and read back over years later. It's up to your friends what they want to sign, some of my entries remind me of funny incidents that happened at school, or of private "in jokes" I used to have. Either way, reading through it cheers me up and reminds me of old times. I'll be self indulgent now and share one of my favourite entries, which reads:

Dear Katy,
I've enj
oyed your drama over the last 2 years- I think you're really talented and should put it to some use. Stay at the crescent and tell me when your next in a show and I'll come and watch. You're a star, stay that way! Keep on shining!

Now, how can I read that and not smile, even after the shittiest day?

**Letters/Postcards/Cards**

If you have any letters you have received which make you happy, include them. Ideas may be:

Acceptance Letters from Universities or Jobs
Love Letters
Telegrams announcing a birth
Birthday cards from a loved one


Some other ideas for things you might like to stick in your box are:

Small toys from your childhood- maybe you had a special teddy or doll which you named and kept you company through the nights?

Pictures which your children/niece/nephew drew for you

Concert/Exhibition ticket stubs

Anything which brings back good memories and makes you feel all cosy inside.

Use your ego box whenever necessary, but ideally restrict it to when you really, really need a boost. That way it will be more effective, whereas if you use it twice a week you will dilute the effect.

See your ego box as the adult equivalent to a security blanket. How can something which cheers you up and takes your mind off how shitty things are at the moment, be a bad thing?

Now go and make one and tell me what you put in it!

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