A positive attitude isn’t only helpful in life, it’s helpful in exercise. If you believe you can do something you can do it. If you face a workout or a Pilates class like it is going to be fun, it’s probably going to be better than if you moan the whole way there about how much you hate working out. Find something to look forward to. Do you meet up with a friend you rarely get to see when you attend a class? Does it give you some much deserved time for yourself? Do you like the music? There are lots of little things in life we can focus on to make up happy and see the world through a more positive perspective.

So try to be positive as much as you can. Let little things make you happy, whether a little thing is staying up for plank longer than you did last week or seeing that one of the flowers you planted in your garden is in full bloom. See the good parts in what you do. Instead of feeling like you didn’t finish plank, think about how long you lasted. Instead of seeing the gaps in the garden where the rabbits munched your flowers, see the blooms.

The rest of this week, try to notice something you may not normally notice in a positive light. Maybe you even right it down. Studies have shown that keeping a gratitude book–a book where you write down 5 things a day that made you happy, really does improve your general disposition. When you take time to come up with what makes you happy in life, you aren’t focused on that seemingly bad aspects of a hectic life. With a positive outlook and a good fitness program, you’re sure to start feeling better about yourself and the world around you.