A bad day can easily turn into a bad life, where everything sucks. Don't let your mood control your mind, learn skills for happiness.

So you've been stuck in a rut, lost the momentum or are feeling less than jazzed about your life. Maybe the dreams you wanted aren't so great in reality or the ideas you thought would bring you happiness are no longer serving you. Sound familiar? Your confidence and self-esteem takes a hit when you're stuck in a rut; you lose life-balance and tend to freeze or take a few steps back into your comfort zone.

Therapist Emily Roberts explains how small acts of self-care, some take less then a minute, can raise your self-esteem and make you happier.

Positive thinking is essential to self-confidence and overall health. According to the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking is scientifically linked to longer lives, lower rates of depression, increased immunity, and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. We have been conditioned to think negatively, compare ourselves to others, and get stuck in self-deprecating cycles of worry. It’s all around us, in the news, on your Facebook feed, even in your home. So how do you make the shift to feeling more positive and confident? Start small, with positive and intentional actions every day. The more you practice positive thoughts and behaviors, the more confident and self-assured you will feel. Here are ten ways you can feel more positive and confident every day.

Are you looking for love in all the wrong places? Perhaps you're single and searching for that soul mate. Maybe you're in a happy, committed relationship, but still feel like you want something more. No matter what your relationship status, looking for love starts with looking inwards. Looking for love involves looking at your self-esteem and confidence. It's more about the relationship you have with yourself than anyone else. Love attracts love; negative feelings attract more negative feelings. You may be looking for love, but what are you really attracting?

The right book can crack you open to fantastic feelings. When you find one that resonates with you, it can help break patterns that keep you from living the life you want. Looking for a good read that will get you thinking in a new way, feel happier, and gain tools to keep you from falling back into the cycle of low self-esteem? These may do the trick.

Happy holidays? Get real! Maybe a happier holiday will do. For many, the holidays are anything but happy. There's the stress to spend too much, dealing with family dysfunction and those feelings of insecurity from comparing your life to family and friends' lives. All of these can wreck the holiday season. When you focus on the past, the problems and the feelings of frustration it produces takes away from all the self-confidence and self-esteem you have been working on. When we put our energy into negative thinking or those on the naughty list, our self-esteem plummets. Instead, focusing on feeling happier will make this a happier holiday for you and the ones you love.

As I write this post, I am attempting to manage a hectic work week. I am in the middle of a 45-hour intensive training, seeing clients, answering emails, and maintaining some of my social life. Is this going as planned? Hardly, but I am accepting that I am doing the best I can. This statement, or the willingness to accept that in the moment you are doing what works to be effective, given the circumstances, is a key component to maintaining a positive relationship with yourself. Beating yourself up, focusing on the “shoulds” or past and not accepting that you are trying, leads to unhealthy and low self-esteem.

Happiness is not a pursuit or a journey, but rather increasing positive feelings in the moment. Learn how be happier, improve self-esteem and happiness in your everyday life.

Are you settling for less in your life? Learn how to build you confidence and self-esteem in order to feel more fulfilled.