As we say goodbye to 2014 and prepare to welcome 2015, not everyone will be sad to see the back of this year. Whether you have experienced health, financial or relationship difficulties, here are 10 tips for putting a bad year behind you and looking forward to a year of hope and possibility ahead.

 

1. Focus on the positive

Make a list of all the good and bad things that happened, rip up the bad and focus on the good - no matter how small, there is always a silver lining, whether it's moving on from a bad relationship or something that happened that made you appreciate something or someone in your life

 

2. Look to the future

A new year calls for a new approach to life. Leave the bad things in the past and focus your energies on moving forward in the most positive way possible. Whether it's just changing your attitude or setting up a set of positive goals to achieve for the year

 

3. Surround yourself with positive people

Leaving traumatic experiences in the past is only possible when you are surrounded by positivity, and promoting a positive attitude starts with those around you. It's important to surround yourself with people who bring out the best in you and really encourage and help you to move forward. While it can sometimes be difficult, it's important to try and leave destructive or negative friendships and relationships in the past.

 

 

4. Give yourself something to look forward to

Whether it's taking on a new hobby, making time for daily exercise or treating yourself, it's important to have something to look forward to and enjoy every day. Focusing on one positive thing every day will drown out those negative thoughts or memories, and help to build up your happiness on a daily basis. Those little things can have a big impact.

 

5. Learn to forgive and forget

Clinging on to the fights and the fallings out is a harmful exercise, and one that guarantees you will never move on. As difficult as it may seem, the best way to put a bad experience behind you is to make peace with it. Reaching out to forgive will help you to forget and move on to happier and healthier relationships.

 

6. Don't be afraid to ask for help

Whether you have lost a loved one, a relationship or a job, these traumatic life events can have a serious impact on your life and wellbeing. Don't be afraid to ask for help or advice, whether from a trusted friend or a professional; sometimes it is important to receive insight from others who have been in your position, in order to move forward.

 

 

7. Get better, not bitter

Nothing will halt your progress more than obsessing over what you could have done differently, or what you should have said, and coming up with a list of ridiculous rules to ensure that you never make a mistake ever again. You are only human - you are going to make mistakes and so are the people around you. Rather than being bitter and swearing yourself off men/ women for life, or giving up on a lifelong dream that didn't work out, learn and move on in the belief that it will work out next time.

 

8. Count your blessings

Forget about the past, don't worry about the future and just focus on the present and all of the good things you have going for you. When you begin to live in the moment and count your blessings, those not-so-nice memories and experiences from the past will begin to fade into insignificance.

 

 

9. Don't pay so much attention to the opinions of others

Everyone will experience judgment at some stage in their lives, and dwelling on the negative thoughts and opinions of others can be hurtful and harmful to our progress. Learn to block out the negative thoughts and words of others, and instead concentrate on learning and growing through the encouragement of your loved ones.

 

10. Be patient with yourself

You are not going to be able to get over a year's worth of drama and trauma at the click of a button. The process is long and slow, and there will be hiccups along the way. The key to successfully getting over a bad phase and ensuring that it stays firmly in your past is to take your time on the road to recovery. Get to the root of the issues, work on rectifying them and invest time into ensuring that you can learn and move on.

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