It’s easy to feel stuck and dwell on all our negative emotions. So it’s important to hold on to some daily reminders to keep you going and moving forward.
There’s no doubt about the fact that life is hard enough. You won’t always succeed with everything, and that’s okay. Holding on to something as simple as daily reminders can keep you going and motivated to move forward. Even if it’s easy to feel stuck in life, all you need is the reminder to keep going.
There is a short and powerful quotation by Chuck Palahniuk that states simply: “This is your life, and it’s ending one minute at a time.”
In our day-to-day rush to get everything accomplished, it can be easy to forget how precious each day, hour, and minute of our life truly is.
If you’re finding it hard to keep moving forward and you’re dwelling on difficult emotions, you need daily reminders to help you get through tough times. Remember, your negative emotions or situations will never define you. But it will define you if that’s where you remain for a prolonged period.
[Read: How to think positive and reprogram your mind to stay positive]
Why you need daily reminders in your life
Look, when you come to think of it, life is hard and difficult enough. As hard as you try, there’s a good chance you will fail a few times *and gain experience* before you finally do succeed. When you don’t have daily reminders to reinforce a positive mindset, it’s easy to be led astray by all the distractions in your life.
The right kind of daily reminders are filled with a lot of gratitude and encouragement, which is precisely what you need to keep moving forward.
When you’re stuck in situations like loss and defeat, the tendency is to dwell on that situation’s negativity. So it isn’t easy to keep going ahead because of this. No matter how strong or brave you are, there will be phases in our lives where we find it difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Reminders will keep you going and help you see the purpose of your current situation. Remember that just because you feel stuck or are going through something difficult doesn’t mean that’s going to be the end of your story. [Read: How to increase positive emotions in a negative world]
Daily reminders everyone needs to keep in mind
Once you accept these things, we can’t promise that your life will be immediately improved, but you will be at a healthier place where you can start making improvements – because as much as everyone in this culture wants to tell you what you need to do, you really are the only one who knows exactly what your own life needs!
That is why these suggestions aren’t as specific as you may be used to – take the general principles, and reflect on how best you can apply them to your life, or even just a portion of your life.
1. Sleep is good
Yes, this seems like a strange place to start. But everything starts with this.
One of the first things we tend to do when we think about improving our own lives is to think about the things that we need to add to our to-do list. This is dangerous – a richer life does not necessarily mean a busier life!
Beyond this, sleep is important for a number of health reasons, and being well-rested will definitely help you to enjoy the activities and people that are already a part of your life. You can always start reaching your goals and doing whatever it is you want to do after you’ve got at least 7 hours of sleep every night.
If you don’t take care of your health first by getting a good night’s sleep, not only do you have a weaker immunity, you’re also less awake during the day. You just won’t be able to move forward in the right mind if you’re constantly fatigued. [Read: 13 sexy benefits of sleeping naked you had no idea about]
2. Live in wonder
There’s so much beauty and wonder all around us, in every second of our lives. A daily reminder to remember is to explore your world as if you were a child again, and pay attention to the little details. Stop and stare at a flower blooming through the cracks in the pavement, take a deep breath and smell the fresh air, and look closely at the things you normally ignore.
As we grow up, we overlook everything that would once captivate us. Slow down, take a breath, and soon enough, you’ll learn to be more aware of the present, and learn to absorb happiness from your surroundings.
3. You are worthy of being loved
All of us feel unloved and lonely now and then, even the ones in relationships. But that doesn’t mean you don’t deserve love or affection. You need to remember every day that love starts with you.
If you love yourself, only then can you allow love to flow into you from others, and from the world around you. Set aside just one minute of your day, look into the mirror, and compliment yourself. It may be the most insignificant detail, but it shows that you love yourself, even in the smallest of ways. That’s a great start to welcome love into your life. [Read: 35 funny things to tell yourself in front of the mirror and boost your self-esteem]
4. People will let you down
This is an inevitable truth and daily reminder that you need to keep in mind. Sometimes, people will let you down, and that’s okay. We all have our own problems, commitments, and distractions. And if someone doesn’t keep their word, or decides to flake on you, it isn’t a judgment on you. It has absolutely nothing to do with you.
You should never accept that people hurt you because of who you are. They hurt you because of them, who they are, their beliefs, or their problems. [Read: How to stop being so sensitive about everything all the time]
5. Don’t change for anyone but for yourself
Love yourself, and never change who you are for anyone but yourself. There will always be people who enter your life, your colleagues, your friends, or even a partner or a parent, who’d want you to change to suit their needs.
Revel in who you are, and stay true to yourself – even if it means being more sensitive or loyal to a fault. Change a part of yourself if you must, but only for yourself if you think it’ll improve you, not because others want you to.
6. Show gratitude
Every single day! This is a really important daily reminder that all of us know, but never really care about. It seems like such a waste of time. Gratitude? It seems silly. But guess what, it works!
Every morning, wake up and thank the universe for a few things you’re grateful for. You won’t see any change in a day or even a week. But give it a month of showing gratitude every day, and you’ll feel lighter, happier, and more positive about everything you have in your life. [Read: How to be grateful – 20 authentic ways to appreciate and express it]
7. You can overcome anything
Your mind is your ally, or your own worst enemy. All it takes is determination, and perseverance. This is one of those daily reminders that won’t show results immediately, but it’s a way of life that can change you for the better. Make up your mind and stick to it. Don’t lose focus or allow yourself to be distracted.
For example, let’s take working out and getting healthier. All of us want to do it, but we end up giving up in a few weeks. Why? You expect instant results. You know it takes at least six months to see a noticeable difference, and yet, you give up because you don’t have the determination and perseverance.
This time around, whatever your goal, stick to it and believe that you can overcome anything you choose to – with time and effort. [Read: How to get motivated to exercise – 30 inspirational tips to help you get there]
8. Your time is literally your life
There’s a phrase that sums this up perfectly, by Antoinette Bosco, “Time is the substance of life. When anyone asks you to give your time, they’re really asking for a chunk of your life.”
If you want a daily reminder that helps you give meaning to life, remember this one. When you pass your time away by putting up with people who aren’t good for your life, you’re losing your life to them. Every minute of your time that you give someone is a part of your life you’re giving away to them.
It’s time you understand that every second of your life is precious, and only yours. Any person who spends time with you should be grateful because you are literally giving them a good part of your life. [Read: 25 types of bad friends you must unfriend from your life]
9. Happiness is internal, not external
Nothing can make you happy but you. No, not a funny movie, a funny friend, or a funny meme. The only person who can give you happiness is you, and that power lies solely within yourself.
A daily reminder you shouldn’t ignore is that you alone have the power to turn that frown upside down. So stop relying on others to make you happy, and focus on yourself instead.
10. Everything you do is a choice
You will never be forced into something, and you need to remember this. Well, of course, unless you committed a felony and have to be put behind bars! Every step you take, every decision you make today, and the rest of forever is your decision alone.
Your friends could try to convince you, but you alone make up your mind on any decision. So stop deflecting or blaming others for where you are. Take control of your life’s reins and realize that you are your own master. [Read: How to be mature – 25 ways to grow up and face life like an adult]
11. Sometimes you have to sacrifice a few things
Yes, for your greater good. Here’s something you need to remember – If you don’t sacrifice for what you want, what you want is what you sacrifice.
You want to be better at something? You need to sacrifice the simple pleasures of idle laziness to achieve it. If you have a dream, pursue it and give up on habits that hold you back. If not, your bad habits will stay, but your dreams will die.
Don’t just dwell in your comfort zone and expect your life to magically get better. Sometimes, a sacrifice isn’t a sacrifice at all, it’s a path to a better life if you choose to see it that way.
12. Be patient
Good things come to those who wait. This is a daily reminder for you to be patient. No matter what you wish to achieve, and how much effort you put in, life takes time to unfold. You can’t rush something, even if it’s as simple as boiling an egg or something as huge as becoming a life coach who changes billions of lives.
Only patience can help you realize your dreams, and allow you the pleasure of enjoying every minute of your life, at the same time. When you feel anxious or impatient, breathe in and out for a few minutes and compose yourself. Life is too much fun to rush past in a hurry!
13. You have to keep your eyes open
As important as sleep is, it should only take up eight to ten hours of your day – max! The rest of the day, whether you are working, exercising, visiting with friends, or relaxing, it is so important to be fully present and engaged in the moment!
Even if it’s something simple, you need to be involved and be aware of what you’re doing. By being mindful, and fully awake, and aware of everything happening around you, you will find that the time you already spend involved in each of these activities will be richer. And if your eyes are truly open, you may also see new opportunities that you would have missed otherwise.
We’re looking at you, people who can’t seem to keep their eyes off their phones! [Read: How to motivate yourself to do pretty much anything you’d want to in life]
14. There are going to be bad days
While this doesn’t seem very positive, this is one of those daily reminders you need to accept – even if you come up with a seemingly airtight plan for improving your life, even if you get your dream job or love interest, there will still be bad days!
You can’t control all your days to ensure they’re perfect and happy. That’s both unrealistic and unreal. Life will always give you bad days, and that’s okay.
There will be days when things don’t go as planned, when you just wake up cranky and are unable to shake it or when the world seems to be against you – and that’s okay! We tend to be most upset about these days if we think that we don’t deserve them – when in truth, days like these have nothing to do with what we deserve.
Remember that you can’t control everything; the more you attempt to do so, the more you’ll become frustrated. [Read: 14 quick stress busters to get you through tough days]
15. There are going to be good days
This is also something that’s important to accept – there are going to be days that come out of nowhere that ends up being the best days of your life! When these days show up, it is so important to cherish them!
Days when you feel like everything in your life is going right are important to hang onto, particularly for those days that aren’t as great, as a reminder of how wonderful your life really can be.
So while there are going to be bad days, there are also going to be good days. This is one of the daily reminders you need to hold on to when everything goes right for you. Good days, bad days, they are just a part of being human! [Read: Secret to happiness – The uncomplicated guide for a happy life]
16. People change
This realization is one of the hardest ones to accept, but it is also one of the most important. It is all too common for us to just assume that the people we have in our lives will always interpret the world in the same way we do, and will always feel the same way about issues or people or current events.
Change is the only constant thing in this world. Even if a change is scary and uncomfortable, it’s a normal part of life. When you try to resist that change, you will lead a very stressful and unhappy life.
Things change, people change, and that’s one of the daily reminders to hold on to when even the people you love are changing. They will change, and so will you.
It is much healthier to anticipate shifts in the viewpoints of those around you, and to be constantly aware of the nuances in their personality as they happen so you aren’t overwhelmed by a seemingly sudden major shift! [Read: 12 steps to change your life and find your happiness]
17. You can’t force people to change
Equally as important, and forgotten almost as often, is the knowledge that you cannot force people to change their feelings, viewpoints, or beliefs. It is human nature to believe that we have figured out what is right, and that we are helping those we love by trying to get them to believe the same thing.
That isn’t the case, however. This is primarily one of the important daily reminders for both relationships and friendships. You can’t force people to change into the version you want them to be. Also, it’s not your responsibility to make them change, especially if they don’t want to or aren’t ready to do so.
The world is much richer because of the incredible number of unique perspectives we have, and you need to learn to accept others’ beliefs while still remaining satisfied with your own, in order to have healthy and satisfying relationships. [Read: How to change for your partner without compromising or losing yourself]
18. The most valuable resource you have is the past
Ah yes, the past. So many people get stuck in the past instead of living in the present moment. Even as the past can hurt so much, you can also use it to your advantage. Your personal history and the past experiences of those close to you are some of the best places you could ever go for advice.
Looking at what you have accomplished, or the mistakes you’ve made, or hearing about others’ similar stories can inspire you and give you concrete ways to improve yourself individually. They say the only reason you should be looking back at the past is to see how far you’ve come and to learn from it, and that’s highly accurate.
Do not discount your past experiences, even if they aren’t what you wish they were, because they brought you to where you are now! [Read: 5 life-altering lessons you can learn from regret]
19. Everything is forwards from here
As important as the past is, what’s done is done! Even though you can learn from the past, you cannot go back in time and re-do it. You need to accept this because guilt and regret can cloud even the brightest of futures. You need to hold on to what the future holds, as this is how you keep yourself moving forward.
If anything, this is one of the daily reminders to encourage you with hope and great potential for what your life is yet to be. You will achieve great things in your future, but you can’t do that if you dwell on the past.
Once you have dealt with a situation, and learned from it, you need to release it and look forward – there are adventures ahead of you that you could never dream of, and you won’t be able to see them if you are forever looking into the past! [Read: Letting go of the past and being excited by your future]
20. You can’t control everything
There will always be things beyond your control, and that’s okay. This is what makes life… well, life. Life is mysterious and marvelous and confusing, all at once. The more you attempt to control everything, the more frustrated you’ll get after everything.
So just let go of trying to control every outcome and getting everything you want, and just go with the flow of life.
Focus better on the present moment and accept the things you can’t control. This is one of the daily reminders you need, especially if you tend to control things. [Read: How to control your emotions and become the pinnacle of restraint]
21. Pain is only temporary
No matter what, pain and heartbreak will pass through in your life. Even if it feels like your world is ending and like there isn’t a tomorrow, everything you feel right now will pass. Time heals all wounds, so you can’t rush feeling better.
You need to go through the motions of feeling your pain, and only then can you recover from what you feel. No matter how broken or damaged you feel, we promise it’s not always going to feel bad. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, even if you might not see it yet.
Think back to every painful event in your life. We’re pretty sure you felt defeated and totally lost several times, and yet here you are now. So realize that just like those events, you will always get past the next one. [Read: When people hurt you – How to deal with the pain and respond to them]
22. Everything does happen for a reason
It might not make sense at the moment, but everything really does happen for a reason. This is one of the daily reminders you need if you’re having trouble making sense of a particular event.
When something bad or negative happens, such as maybe a breakup or worse, it doesn’t make sense at that moment. But you can hold on to the reminder that everything happens for reasons beyond our understanding and comprehension, but they’re still reasons. So keep the faith and move forward with this particular reminder in mind.
23. Stop reaching for perfection
You will never achieve anything if you always reach for perfection. As ironic as that sounds, perfection is a double-edged sword that limits you from reaching your goals and living your most authentic life.
Not to mention, it’s an impossible standard you’re setting for yourself because perfection is unquantifiable. No matter how well you do something, there will always be a better way to do it tomorrow.
Stop fearing rejection and failure, and realize those are both opportunities for growth and betterment. The more you put pressure on yourself to be perfect, the more you won’t successfully reach your goals. So every time you’re tempted to achieve perfection, hold on to this as one of your daily reminders. [Read: How to finally get over the fear of not being good enough]
24. It’s okay to rest and take a break, but never give up
Whenever you feel tempted to give up and disregard all your progress, remember how far you’ve come to be where you are now. It’s alright to rest and take a break. In fact, the reason you might feel so exhausted is because of your lack of a break.
But you also need to remember that giving up is never the answer. Rather than giving up and quitting, just rest and try again tomorrow. You owe it to yourself not to give up, ever. [Read: Giving up on life – How to change your self-deprecating attitude]
25. Happiness isn’t a destination, but it’s a choice you make
Many people think that happiness is achieved when you get to a particular destination or phase in your life. That when you accomplish this and that, you’ll finally be happy.
But that isn’t how life works. Happiness is a state of mind, and you can be happy right now if you just change your mindset about everything. If you feel unhappy, remind yourself that you can be happy if you want to. [Read: How to be happy in life: 12 hacks to find real happiness instantly]
26. Your past will never define you
No matter how much you think your past defines you, it doesn’t. The only way your past will define you is if you allow it. No matter what happened in your past that’s haunting you and preventing you from moving forward, your past will never define you.
What defines you is your ability to get back up and come back stronger. So no matter what darkness is in your past, that’s not who you are. All your past shows is what happened in your past, nothing more.
[Read: How to let go of the past and be excited by the future]
So, what are the daily reminders to keep you moving forward?
These daily reminders can help you hold on to the bigger picture of what life is all about.
When you feel stuck or are dealing with something painful, just remember these. It will help you, and give you the mental strength to move on, because there’s a much better life ahead of you, just as soon as you push past this burden.
These daily reminders can help keep you in check, whether on days when you feel like there’s nothing interesting going on or on days when you feel like the ground is quaking beneath your feet. And most importantly, they will lift your spirit and encourage you to keep moving forward in life!