Top 10 TV series to watch over the long Summer break!

There's a hell of a lot of  TV to choose from these days, from both sides of the Atlantic and on conventional TV or stream-able online. Netflix is GOD for TV and film these days, so you can watch shows whenever it suits you, on whatever platform suits you - TV, laptop, phone or tablet! Download the app and sign up, and if you go to the Student Beans site, then you currently get 1 month free trial. You'll soon be hooked...

Anyway, back to the shows... here are my top 10 TV shows to watch on those days when you've just had enough of revising for exams, or to catch up on over the long Summer break, before uni starts all over again.

10.

American Dad is an American animation for an adult audience. It's as equally famous as it's sister show Family Guy, but (in my opinion) even funnier. It focuses around the Smith family; Stan, Francine, their children Hayley and Steve, the man-in-a-goldfish-body pet fish Klaus and the funniest character of the lot, their crazy Alien Roger, who has multiple alter-egos, and who is intelligently witty, hilariously cruel and extremely outrageous. You will soon love them all, but Roger alone makes this series unmissable.

9.

House of Cards is a political drama television series which can only be viewed on Netflix. Set in Washington, it is the story of Frank (played by Kevin Spacey) who is a Democrat from South Carolina, who begins an elaborate plan to seek power after being overlooked for the position of Secretary as State. Some TV is mindless television, but this is intelligent and well thought out, so if you like to power, manipulation and ruthlessness then this one is for you.


8. 

Greys is a medical drama TV series which has been around for a while now (10 seasons in fact), but which remains as gripping as it always has been. It focuses on the fictional lives of surgical interns and residents as they become seasoned doctors, with a lot of inter-lapping personal lives and relationships. It is almost always guaranteed to make you cry, but laugh out loud too, and the story lines are gripping and raw. However, be prepared for some gore along the way.

7.

A home-grown show which has found a captive audience across the world, Sherlock is (yes, another) take on one of the most famous detectives of all time. It is a distinctly modern take, set in the present day, and has an amazing cast. Benedict Cumberbatch is a brilliant actor and almost steals the show. Clever, interesting story lines make this a great watch.

6.

 The Vampire Diaries is a supernatural drama show, based on a book series of the same name. Set in the fictional town of Mystic Falls, haunted by supernatural beings. There a lot of love triangles involved - love lives seem infinitely more complex when you are immortal - but there are a variety of great characters involved. It's been on our screens for a while now, so there is a lot to catch up on but it's more than worth it. Lots of tears, tantrums and surprises along the way make it a great ride. And although it didn't make the list, it has spawned a spin-off show, The Originals, involving some of the earlier characters, which is just as gripping. But, as always (although obviously not in this case) the original is always best.

5.

This sitcom is based on the lives of Max and Caroline, who live in New York and work in a diner to scrape by. There are plenty (and I mean plenty) of cheap gags to be had, but it is fun and edgy. Focusing on the friendship, it explores deeper issues in a (very) light hearted manner. Make no mistake about it, these are very modern girls living very modern lives, but you soon warm to them and their friendly, bubbly personalities.

4. 

Modern Family is a sitcom presented in a mockumentary style, and is centred around Jay Pritchett, his second wife Gloria, his stepson and his two adult children and their families, who all live in suburban. As the name suggests, it is a very modern 21st century step-family including a gay son and his family, but it contains lots of great, rich characters and very funny story lines. Gloria, the young glamorous second wife, is the stand-out character who will have you rolling on the floor laughing in every single episode. On top of the laughs, it is heart-warming too and is very cleverly written.


3.

Friends couldn't not make my list could it, it is one of the most popular TV shows ever produced after all. Importantly, it doesn't matter how many times you have seen it (remember those Sunday mornings of T4 during your teenage years), it still remains hilariously funny. Each episode, you fall in love with the characters, their lives and the hilariously written script all over again. It refuses to date and is delivered with perfect timing by 5 incredibly talented actors. Quite simply, it will remain irreplaceable and it is still sorely missed on our screens. Luckily, you can still watch it again and again, to brighten up any day!



2.

I will probably upset many people for putting Breaking Bad at number 2, because it is certainly one of the most popular recent television shows to hit our screens. An American crime drama series which follows the story of Walter White, a struggling high school chemistry teacher who turns to a life of crime when diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer, producing and selling drugs, to secure his family finances before he dies. It is gripping and powerful stuff, and each episode is a master piece. It is more than worthy of the crown, and believe me, only just beaten into second position.


And finally the winner is...

1. 

Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama television series, based on a series of fantasy novels with the same name. Filmed in a Belfast UK studio (as well as on location elsewhere in Europe) it is cram-packed with British talent. It is set on the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos, at the end of a decade long summer, with multiple and overlapping plot lines. The first follows the members of several noble houses in a civil war for the Iron Throne of the Seven Kingdoms. The second is the rising threat of the impending winter bringing forth mythical creatures from the icy north. The characters are as morally ambiguous, shocking and complex as the story lines and the show is insanely well-written, and even better portrayed by the talented cast. Expect lots of swearing and nudity, making it more suitable to a modern audience, but clever twists at every turn. What sets this show apart from others is the fact that it is not afraid to kill off main characters, resulting in numerous particularly shocking episodes which have already gone down in fictional TV history. Issues such as social hierarchy, religion, loyalty, corruption, civil war, crime and punishment are explored in a graphic, gory manner. It isn't for the light-hearted, but it is definitely television at its best and
deserves to win the crown.

And one to try...

It doesn't make my top 10 because it definitely won't be everyones cup of tea, however I recently discovered this show which had me hooked from the start. Think America's Next Top Model for drag queens, with a whole lot of bitchy and camp thrown in. RuPauls Drag Race is hilarious and dramatic, and doesn't take itself too seriously with gimmicks and catchphrases galore. In this American reality TV competition, Ru Paul (a famous drag queen) plays host and mentor in the hunt for "America's next drag superstar." Each episode sees contestant's take part in a mini challenge before they hit the cat-walk in their best outfit's based on a central theme. The bottom two enter a fierce battle where they have to 'lip-synch' for their lives to stay in the competition. Promise me, you will be laughing your head off from start to finish, and soon be reciting the catchphrases like me and my partner! And there's plenty of series on Netflix for you to catch up on.

Which Student bank account is for me?!

So which student bank account should you use? First of all, let's look at the best way to treat a student bank account and all it's perks! Look for the biggest 0% overdraft out there, but remember do not go over the limit or you will face big charges. Also be careful to look for guaranteed overdraft limits over 'up to' limits which may not meet expectations. Don't pick an account just because you live near a local branch or near an ATM, most people are rarely required to go in to the branch in person (with great on-line access offered by all banks) and cash is free to withdraw at most ATM's. Once uni is over, switch to a top-notch graduate account instead. For around a year after graduation, you will be eligible for preferential perks.

Santander
Santander will offer you an overdraft of UP TO £1,500 and 1% in-credit interest. They will also throw in a 4 year rail card (worth £120 and gives you a 1/3 off most train journeys) which is a massive bonus! You need to pay £500/term in to qualify. You get the rail card valid for 4 years, within 3 weeks of opening your account, so even if you end up switching then this is a valuable freebie! The overdraft remains capped at £1500 for the whole 3 years, and unarranged overdraft fee's are £5 a day, capped at £10 a month. Paid/unpaid fees of £5 and £10 per item apply.

Co-op
The Co-operative Bank offers an impressive £2000 overdraft. £1400 in first year, £1700 in second year and £2000 in third year. They also have a good reputation of offering some of the greatest customer service in the industry, which is always a bonus if you need to contact them. The bank state that 90% of applicants are successful in being offered the full overdraft amount (which is higher than other banks) as long as account holders maintain a good financial record. No interest is offered for being in-credit and there is an 18.9% EAR charge for unarranged overdraft, plus £15 unpaid item fee (capped at £150 a quarter).

Halifax
One of the biggest interest-free overdrafts on offer, UP TO £3000 but this is assessed case-by-case so may be lower. The first £1000 is a guaranteed overdraft though! If you go over your limit, you are looking at a charge at 24.2% AER plus a monthly fee of £28. Returned/unpaid item fee is £10. 0.1% AER interest offered for being in-credit. 

HSBC 
Another whopping interest-free £3000 overdraft on offer here, but this is only guaranteed at £500 and very likely to be less than this amount. The interest on offer for being in-credit is a reasonable 2% and unpaid fee's stand at £25. No freebie on offer here either, unlike a few other banks below.

RBS
RBS offer a shopping discount card and Tastecard membership with their account and the £1000 interest-free overdraft, rising to £1500 in the third year, is generous enough.

Barclays
A £2000 interest-free overdraft from the start is more than enticing, and 10% discount on travel insurance for those student holidays in Ibiza and Marbella.

Lloyds
Lloyds will offer a free NUS Extra card for 3 years which is worth £12 a year and will get you a generous discount in many shops. Alongside an interest-free overdraft of £1500, this is definitely worth considering.

It's a difficult choice to make, and you need to weigh up the best pro's for you. However, in my opinion, the Santander account's free 4 year rail card (worth £120 in it's own right will save you countless £££££ on rail journeys to see your friends and family over the 4 years) will save you a hell of a lot more. An awesome freebie, and a decent interest-free overdraft, are more than enough to make this top the list!

Sun-loving Brits!

As many of my international friends have recently observed with amusement, Brits do tend to go a bit overboard at the first sight of any sunshine. Especially after the wettest winter on record. It doesn't matter if it's not actually warm enough, the sunnies, shorts and dresses come out and the jumpers and coats are gone. Any small patch of grass, long abandoned over the winter months, is suddenly transformed into a seething mass of people making the most of the weather - particularly students. However it is important to remember that the sun can burn at any time of the year, regardless of temperature. As we move into the warmer months, here is my guide to staying safe in the sunshine.

• Avoid being outside in the sun during the peak hours of 11am and 2pm, particularly in warmer weather. If not, stick to the shade where possible during these hours.
• Stay covered up. Hats, umbrellas, light & cool jackets will protect your skin. Light weight and light coloured clothes will keep you cool.
• Sun cream is a must, the stronger the better! As a general rule, you should use SPF 30 as a minimum but preferably use higher. Make sure you reapply every couple of hours, particularly after water exposure - even if it is labelled waterproof - and use Vaseline or lip balm on lips. Make sure you buy sun screen that protects against UVA and AVB, and check for standard marks to ensure it will work.
• If you have thin hair, you can even buy special sun screen for the top of your head so you don't need a hat. Remember to cover the hard-to-reach areas like the back of your knees, back of your neck, back of your ears and elbows. Oh, and even your feet!
• Avoid lying in the sun for prolonged periods at a time. You may want a tan, but this is very damaging to your skin. It is better to build up a tan gradually over time with frequent but limited exposure.
• If you do get burnt: come out of the sun immediately and seek shade. Apply an after sun lotion or moisturiser to soothe the skin. Aloe Vera works wonders on burnt skin, so look for it when choosing a cream. Keep hydrated by drinking lots of water and take ibuprofen to ease the discomfort. Importantly, avoid further sun exposure until it settles down - burnt skin is damaged and so any further sunshine will cause further damage.

Enjoy the sunshine (now, and during Spring/Summer) on the rare occasions it makes an appearance in this country but please do it safely!

DOs and DON'Ts of a great (but cheap) night out!

There's only one thing most student's love more than a night out, and that's a CHEAP night out. But there are some important do's and don'ts to consider...

DO pre-drink!

Pre-drinking has become ingrained into student culture, and it is a great way to start a night out with friends. Ladies, make it an experience and get ready together whilst sipping wine, listening to some chilled music. Gentlemen, crack open the beers and catch-up with your mates with the tunes blasting. But...

DON'T go too overboard...

Having a drink before you go out and getting tipsy is a great way to make sure you spend less money whilst actually out, but it is pointless if you get so mortal that you don't even make it out of the front door. We have all been there at some point, but actually getting out to visit bars & clubs is fun. Save the serious drinking at home for house parties or drunken nights in.

DO line your stomach.

Again, pre-drinking saves money but it if you go too hard, the night will be over before you know it. Lining your stomach is a must to ensure you hit the tiles tipsy, but not legless. Buy cheap pizza (adding your own toppings & extra cheese to mix it up a bit), wedges and chicken nuggets so you don't break the bank.

DO play drinking games!

There are so many amazing drinking games to play, and they are a fun & exciting way to begin the night out. There are a whole host to choose from here, but my personal faves are Ring of Fire and I Have Never. Remember, you have a whole night ahead of you yet so take it easy, but have loads of fun too. 

DON'T purchase a new outfit every time you go out. You might be worried about people judging you, but honestly they won't remember every outfit you wear to every night out. Mix and match different tops and bottoms to wear the same clothes more than once, but achieving different looks. Similarly, swap clothes with your mates so you can wear a new outfit without spending any dollar.

DO work out the best transport options. If there are two or three of you, it might work out cheaper to use a bus. For bigger groups, taxis become most economical. If it is only a small journey, and there are a group of you, you could even (safely) walk into town to save valuable pennies. Remember though, don't walk alone or in unlit areas. 

DO go out during the week and take advantage of student deals. Student weekday nights are often the cheapest, and often still every bit as busy as the weekend. In Manchester, you get shots for 50p by going out on a Tuesday instead. If you have a day off in your timetable, make the night before your weekday night out! 

DON'T go out on a Friday or Saturday night if you don't have to. As above, go out during the week and host house parties or 'nights in' with your mates on these nights as they tend to be more expensive.

DO try to secure a guest list before a night out. Sometimes entry is fee or heavily discounted if you do so, and the entry fee you save can be used to buy the kebab at the end of the night.

DO get to the club early. Many places have free entry before a certain time, and put on better drink deals earlier on.

DON'T forget to find your local 'Spoons. Wetherspoons has some of the cheapest drinks going, so take advantage by stopping off there during a night out. You can even buy some cheap grub to line the stomach with meal deals which include an alcoholic drink.

DON'T be afraid to seek discount for large groups. If there is a lot of you going out, try to save money on entry or even on drinks in the club by purchasing 'rounds' - you will be surprised at how generous the bar people can be.

DO purchase a hip-flask and take along some drink with you. Easier to get away with in smaller bars or pubs, and it will save you money!

DON'T have a kitty, or buy rounds, unless you can trust everyone you are out with. Some people will often try to avoid getting a round in, or get more out of the kitty than their fair share. It's sad, but true. However...

DO form a small pact with a couple of your closest mates (who you completely trust to not take advantage) to make a mini kitty, or buy small rounds for just you guys. It saves everyone having to line up and buy individual drinks every time, and no one will be taking advantage of your money.

DO check out smaller bars or pubs, before clubs. Not only do they tend to be cheaper, but when they are less busy they are much more likely to have special deals to entice people in. You should happily take advantage of any of these deals.

DON'T take out a jacket in the summer months and you will save yourself a couple of quid on the cost of the cloak room. However, if its cold or wet then the small fee is more than worth getting ill.

DO stay round a mates house if there is room. It's an extra person to share the journey home with, splitting the cost and making the journey safer. If there isn't room, then share taxi's anyway dropping people off individually and sharing the bill.

DO set yourself a budget, and stick to it. Why not leave the card at home to avoid the temptation of spending more, only taking what you need in cash but remembering to leave aside money to get home. 

DON'T forget to just enjoy yourself with your friends, and remember that you will have much more fun (and plenty more memories) if you don't drink too much and stay tipsy rather than get too drunk. You will last till the end of the night, remember more of the fun antics you got up to and will have saved yourself a small fortune on expensive drinks. Plus if you last all night, you have more friends to share a taxi home with, which equals even more savings!

Alternatives to nights out?

As a student, a lot of time is spent in the Library. When it gets to Friday (or, face it, Wednesday) night, going out clubbing seems like the perfect way to take a break and enjoy yourself. But clubbing can get boring after a while and, although the night itself might be fun, the hangover isn’t. 

So, instead of spending all of your money on alcohol, why not explore the different options available? There are plenty of ways to enjoy yourself and de-stress instead of going out, and often they are cheaper than clubbing.

Going out for culture

Orange Wednesdays is one of the greatest inventions for students and should be taken advantage of. Or what about a comedy club? It’s a good laugh and generally pretty cheap,unless it’s a touring bigshot. And if that’s not to your taste, the theatre is also a good bet - productions are always touring the UK and it doesn’t have to be expensive if you don’t mind the restricted view in the gods. Even better, if it’s the Royal Shakespeare Company, they do £5 tickets for 16-25 year olds.

Staying in for culture

It’s time to break out the duvet, order some pizza and make some popcorn for a girls' night in (or boys'; duvets don’t discriminate). Order your pizza and get settled in and then make your viewing choices. Movie or TV marathon? Catch up on the blockbuster you missed at the cinema last year or finally work out what all the fuss is about with Breaking Bad?

Take some exercise and get healthy

This is as simple as it sounds. Students don’t have the healthiest of lifestyles, what with the alcohol, takeaways and general lack of fruit and veg. So go to the gym: it’s warm, there’s TV, radio and showers, if you paid the hefty fee at the beginning of term, and you’re finally feeling like you’re being good and burning off the extraordinary amount of chocolate you ate last week. Even if you don’t want to pay for the gym, you can still go for a run for free. This is an especially good idea in exam season when exercise can be a really good break.

Cup of tea

As a student you’ve got friends all over the place: friends off your course, friends from your society and friends you used to live with - not to mention those you just picked up along the way. However, you often find that you lose track and you haven’t seen some of them for months. A great way to remedy this is to take a day and go round visiting all of them, one cup of tea at a time. Spend an hour with each and move on, having a good catch up and filling yourself up on their biscuits while you go – there’s no reason you shouldn’t try to save money on food at the same time!

Hide and seek - with Nerf guns

You’re a not technically an adult yet – maybe legally but not at heart. So grab your flatmates, switch the lights off and count to 10 because playing hide and seek in the dark and acting like a complete child is just plain fun. If you want to make things more interesting, Nerf guns are a great addition to the lights being off. Either play it as first person to hit is the winner or simply go wild in shooting tiny foam darts at each other.

Exercise of the more childish kind

Laser questing. Not entirely dissimilar to a nerf gun fight in the dark, but slightly more room to run about than your flat - and no danger of losing your damage deposit. And although you might be having fun and shooting at your friends, all that running around definitely counts as exercise. Other variants (which are free, but weather dependant) include snowball fights, water fights and a good old kickaround.

Practical jokes

There’s always the one flatmate who accidently leaves their room unlocked. This is prime time for attack and should not be squandered. Common responses to this occurrence often include clingfilming, tinfoiling or Post-It noting the room. However, if you want to be more imaginative, maybe switch their furniture with the living room furniture, or fill multiple cups with water and cover their floor. Although this is fun, make sure that you judge your target carefully and don’t go too far. You’ve got a whole year to live with them and at some point you might leave your room open.

Flat meal

A nice bonding activity that doesn’t have to be expensive. You never really see all of your flatmates at the same time and sometimes you only see them for about two minutes a day. Try to start a tradition of cooking a nice meal together every Sunday and splitting the cost. You can do a roast dinner for £1.50 each, if not less, and it gives you all a chance to catch up and remember why you moved in together in the first place, or, if you’re first year, gives you a chance to get to know each other better.

Go out for a meal

After all the essays and exams and general stress, occasionally it’s nice to treat yourself by having dinner at a restaurant. And again, not that you have to be a cheapskate, but plenty of chains do student discount and have vouchers you can download to get your meal cheaper. Having a night where you can eat nice food and drink a glass of wine with your friends is an enjoyable break and, despite engaging in regular nerf gun fights, sometimes it’s nice to feel like an adult.

Work, if you must

It’s easy to stall doing your work. Especially given the multitude of different things you could be doing, to avoid it, like cleaning the entire flat top to bottom. However it’s simply better for your stress levels if you start your work early rather than putting it off, leaving you plenty of time to do any of the activities on this list, or, if you’d rather, go for a night out on the town without worrying about working with a hangover the next day.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/student/student-life/alternative-nights-out-10-things-to-do-instead-of-clubbing-which-might-just-save-you-a-hangover-9096296.html

Keeping those heating costs down by staying warm this winter!

So far this winter it hasn't been particularly cold in the UK, with little or snow in most cities. This is a blessing for the most vulnerable, such as the elderly, but also for students who need every penny we can get our hands on.

Because it hasn't been particularly cold so far, then at some point it will probably turn a lot colder. It's best to be prepared now, to save on those heating bills at the end of winter! Doing whatever you can to stay warm over winter, means you wont be turning on the heating at every opportunity - which costs valuable ££££!

1. Use a blanket or duvet when sitting on the sofa, or out of your bed.
2. If that doesn't work, then put the PJ's on and get in to bed and under your duvet. There is a lot to be said about how warm and snuggly a bed can be.
3. A onesie! There is a huge trend for onesies these days and they can be picked up very cheap. Wearing one in bed keeps you warm on the coldest of nights, and keeps out pesky draughts which normal PJ's or dressing gowns don't. Try and buy one with enclosed feet!
4. The power of a hot water bottle should not to be sniffed at. Be careful not to burn yourself though.
5. Drawing curtains at dusk and keeping doors shut will block out any draughts, making you feel warmer.
6. A hot meal goes a long way! Keep yourself well-fed with hot food to stay warmer.
7. Similarly, drinking hot drinks like tea & coffee will also help you to stay warm
8. Keep active, moving about will keep your body temperature up and you won't need to put the heating on so often.
9. Wearing several light layers will keep you warmer than wearing just one, big chunky piece of knitwear so remember to layer up if you are feeling chilly.

Of course, when it is THAT cold outside you have no choice. But do it as a last resort and not at the slightest drop in temps.

Talking about bills, living in a  house or flat share is a whole different ball game to halls - students are exempt from council tax, but there is still gas, electricity, water, insurance, TV license and rent to be worrying about.

If you live somewhere where bills aren't included, there is an easy solution! Glide is an AMAZING company which makes bills simple - and stress free - for any student household. If everyone in your home signs up, Glide will quote you a one-off, monthly cost (per person) to take care of ALL your bills. Each individual is only responsible for their share of the cost, taking away the need to be anxious about housemates paying up and on time. You have access to an online metre for the energy used, so if you use less energy than you have paid for, you receive a refund for this amount at the end of the year. Bonus! It's not a question of why not use them, it's more why the hell would you not?! 

The importance of being positive!

Be more positive!

A huge part of remaining motivated at university is being positive. Thinking about the world positively will improve not only your academic life, but your personal, professional and social life too!

Modern life is busy, hectic and stressful - so it is easy to lose track of the bigger picture. We become so engrossed in all the work we are doing at uni that we forget about the end-goal, or the (positive) light at the end of the tunnel. A lack of energy doesn't help anyone to stay positive, so we need to make sure we eat and sleep well. As a society, we care too much about what others think and not what we think of ourselves. We should only judge our successes on how we feel inside, and not what others think.

There are some huge advantages to being positive in life, as listed here. This list was taken from: http://www.positivityblog.com.

1. You will create a better world around you as your surroundings will become affected and change due to your positive thoughts and actions.

2. You will make better first impressions. Everyone stereotypes, whether they want or not. A positive first impression can mean a lot in many situations and have a lasting effect throughout your relationship with that person.

3. You will focus on the good things in people. Not their faults. This will make things much better overall and improve all kinds of relationships.

4. It´s easier to become more productive when you stop laying obstacles in the middle of the road in the form of negative thoughts.

5. Work becomes more fun. Everything becomes more fun.

6. You become more attractive. People like positive people. Positive people make other people feel good about themselves and they don´t drag the mood down. Also, a positive attitude is an indicator – and source – of high self-confidence, a quality that just about everyone is attracted to.

7. Being negative has very little concrete advantages and is not a very empowering way to look at life.

8. It opens up your mind to focus on other ways of looking at things. Sometimes wonderful new ways you might not ever have thought about or experienced before.

9. It puts the Law of Attraction to better use. The Law of Attraction basically says: whatever you think about you attract into your life. As you replace the negative thoughts with positive thoughts you will start to attract more positive opportunities and people into your life.

10. You´ll waste less time. Negativity can be like a self-feeding loop. First you think one negative thought. It leads you to three more. And then you start examining your life in deeper detail through a depressing lens. When you get into a vicious cycles like this it can eat up hours, weeks and years of your life. It can drain a lot of your energy whilst trapping you in paralysis by analysis. And you probably won´t become that much wiser in the process. 

Every single one of the reasons above will lead you to having a more positive, productive and successful journey through university. So I challenge you, to take up the Positivity Challenge!

The Positivity Challenge! (taken from: http://www.positivityblog.com/index.php/2007/02/09/take-the-positivity-challenge/)

For 7 days you will try to only think positive thoughts. Whatever happens to you will see the good side of it and what positive things you can learn and take away from it. By the end of the week you will have started to discover the very real benefits of a positive thinking, how much negative thoughts there are both in you and the world (you might be surprised) and begun establishing a new habit to replace your old, less constructive one. And then you can continue from there.

What I suggesting here is not a mindless kind of positive thinking where you pretend everything is ok whilst the house and your bed is actually on fire. Instead it’s you noticing a situation or stimuli and then choosing a positive and useful response to it instead of reacting in a knee-jerk way. It´s you focusing on what could be a more positive and useful solution for you. 

Cut the negative threads quickly. Only allow yourself to go on a negative thread of thought for a set time-period, perhaps 30 seconds or a minute. Then just cut it off, drop it and think about what positive things you can get out of this situation. Don't feed the negative thoughts with more energy or you might trap your mind in a downward spiral for quite a while. If you start going down a negative thread of thought it is important to cut it fast.

Realize that it is possible to choose what you think about and how you react. You don't have live your life in reaction. Being reactive to everything is not very empowering. You have a choice. But it might take some time to make this click in your mind. Even though I understood this intellectually pretty fast it took a longer time to understand and accept it emotionally and on a deeper level.

Focus on the gap between stimuli and reaction. The more you think about this and try to use it by consciously choosing, over time (for me it was months but it can surely be achieved quicker) the gap will appear larger and larger and that will make the process easier.

Accept your feelings, don't deny or refuse them – Although it's often possible to just quickly cut off negative thoughts sometimes it might not be enough. Negative emotions can build up within you over time or you might feel be overwhelmed by a certain situation. Then you can try the counter-intuitive way and not keep the feeling out by fighting it.

Instead, accept the feeling. Say yes to it. Surrender and let it in.

Observe the feeling in your mind and body without judging it. If you just let it in and observe it for maybe a minute or two something wonderful happens. The feeling just vanishes. It sounds weird but give it a try.

Get the physical fundamentals down. If you don't have time to sleep a healthy amount of hours, eat properly and get exercise then you need to re-prioritize. If you don't do this it will be harder to become and stay positive. If you do re-prioritize, your general sense of well-being will increase, you will feel stronger and have more energy. 

Act as if. Smile to feel happier. Move slower to relax. Use positive language. Act as if you are a positive person and you will start to feel and become more positive. It might feel weird at first, but it really works.

Start your day in a better way!

Limit your time with really negative people – Some people feed on negative energy and whatever you try it never pleases them or changes their sour minds and moods. If nothing you do works then finally you might have to cut them out of your life or at least limit your time with them.

Model positive people. Find positive people in your surroundings or anywhere in time and space (through documentaries, biographies etc.) and learn from them. Find out how they handle everyday life, problems, setbacks and compare it to your own thoughts and how you would handle similar situations.

Focus on the now and future, not the past. A lot of people spend a lot of time thinking about on the mistakes they made in past. A better way is to think about the mistake you made and what you can learn from it. Then stop wasting your time and shift your focus to the present and the future where you can actually make a change.