Keeping a positive attitude and taking care of yourself consists of more than just smiling and staying active. People may consider laughing and smiling as staying happy, and eating healthy and working out as taking care of yourself. In reality, it goes much deeper than this and there are many more ways to improve yourself, and the effects play deeply into your behavior.

Start simple; you can easily do small things to take care of yourself. Self-care can consist of eating healthy food, staying active, staying hydrated, getting more sleep, and cutting out excess sugars. According to Healthline, you should drink about 64 ounces of water per day, which will help you feel more alert and energetic throughout the day. The National Sleep Foundation states that teens should get 8-10 hours of sleep every night in order to function to their best ability for the next day. Cutting out excess sugars is important because sugar has many negative effects on your body, damaging organs like the heart, brain, liver, etc. This means cutting out soda, excess desserts, and other things that your body doesn’t necessarily need.

Taking care of yourself also means keeping yourself clean not only on the inside, but also on the outside. This means having a cleaning routine every day and/or night. This may consist of showering, taking off makeup (if needed), washing your face, moisturizing, and more. Your routine may vary due to the person, but it is good to hold yourself accountable for these things.

It can be simple to change your daily routine, but being consistent with it is the hard part. There are many ways to help you maintain a healthy diet, and take care of yourself. Zen Habits lists strategies to help you. Start with keeping anything you don’t want out of the house; if it’s not there, you can’t eat it. You also don’t want to starve yourself, since this is never a sustainable answer and has serious long term consequences. Knowing your motivation and setting reasonable goals is important too. You should know what you want to do, and plan accordingly. When trying to set a daily routine or schedule, it is good to write out a list of things you need to do, and put it somewhere that you will consistently see it (your phone, bathroom mirror, etc.). This will force you to see your goals, and help motivate you to get them done.

Self-care may contribute to your attitude, but other things can also help you stay positive and happy. Positive self-talk is one way to help with this. Psychology Today states that positive self talk is simply recognizing the truth in yourself and things around you, which can bring joy in almost any situation. This means accepting yourself for who you are and realizing that no one is perfect. Being kind and positive with yourself is an easy way to stay confident and in a good mood.

Self care is key to maintaining a healthy life and a good attitude. Beyond the obvious benefit of a sound mind and body, a good attitude can be all around beneficial. LinkedIn describes how a positive attitude can give you more energy to be productive, as well as change the way you approach problems. Positive mindsets can help you see the good in bad situations, find solutions rather than problems, and recognize new opportunities. Overall, it simply can boost your self esteem and bring about more happiness in your life.