Bringing balance to your life - Starting with your phone
The What -
If you have news apps on your phone that you often check, try moving the app to another place on your phone. Now, in the place that your News app(s) used to be, download and put the 'Good News Network' App.
When you next go to check the news, you will go to that place out of habit. Except now you will find good news. This can help give you some balance of the mixture of good and bad in the world.
The Why -
If like me, you had gotten into the habit of checking the news every morning, it does tend to give you a pretty one sided and frankly depressing view of the world. Now, that's not to say it isn't good to stay informed so by all means continue to check your news app. But by replacing the old news spot on your phone with a good news app, then at least you will see some positivity.
Our world is full of good and bad things happening everywhere, every day. So seeing both can help balance your mind and viewpoint and set you off on your day in a more level mood.
"Participate joyfully in the sorrows of the world. We cannot cure the world of sorrows, but we can choose to live in joy." - Joseph Campbell
We are also creatures of habit so chances are, you may instinctively scroll to where your news app is, without even thinking about it. By replacing that space with the Good News Network App or any other app that brings you positivity, you will most likely scroll to it out of habit. Plus you still have your usual News app somewhere else on your phone to check afterwards, if you still want to.
The Good News Network App is completely free, by the way so making this change will take maybe 30 seconds, cost you nothing and requires really no future action. You will most likely look at it out of habit from scrolling to that usual spot on your phone anyway. So really why wouldn't you give it a go!?
App Swaps
And while you're looking at your phone, there are plenty of other app swaps you can do to bring more positivity to your day without much effort. So if you want to go a step further, here are a few other uplifting (and free) apps to try below -
Unique Daily Affirmations - An uplifting new affirmation every day
Whole - Enjoy sharing and seeing gratitude from others with new themes every day
TED - Enjoy inspiring, uplifting and great stories
What's Up and MoodTools are interactive apps, combining activities based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).
Gratitude Garden - A fun and beautiful app that helps you appreciate the good things in every day.
Cool your beans
Your phone can really leave you feeling a bit bleurgh so switching up how we use our phones can also help us lift our mood with a few simple changes.
One I've found really helpful is making your first screen your 'happy app' screen. Basically move the apps that don't make you feel good, off of that first screen and onto another one. These might be things like your banking app, the news app and your emails.
Now if the thought of doing this sends you into panic mode, I get it. I know I know, you use those apps all the time, you've got a system, you know where they are blah blah yadee yada...
But cool your beans, you're not taking them off. We are just talking about those apps being one little swipe away.
Move along now little appies - off you go
So move them along and now make the first screen all of your 'happy apps'. Maybe it's your photos and music and that Good news App you've hopefully just downloaded? :)
Now every time you open your phone, you will have some feel good options. If you scroll past them, you will start to notice and be more aware of how much time you spend going to the probably useful but not so uplifting apps on the next screen. Being aware of it is at least likely to make it more manageable.
Creating an album of your absolute most favourite happy photos and snoozing your notifications in the evening can also help in your phone bringing something lighter to your day. Some of the most obvious advice out there on managing your phone time is also some of the best. So limit your screen time, remove apps you don't use and swipe 'No' to receiving notifications.
Let your mind have a rest from the phone stress and for the times when you are on your phone, use it to feed your mind some positivity.
The Who -
This feather is thanks to The Good News Network and how grateful I am to them for finding the goodness in the world and bringing it to my phone. There are also so many other great apps out there, some i'm yet to try. So if you are looking for even more positivity to add to your phone screen. Here is some bed time reading and recommendations for tips and inspiration;
Lou @ feathered Paths Xx