January is upon us, a time of goal-setting, self-improvement and seeking the path to living the best life that we can possibly live. While there may be no ‘one size fits all’ secret to finding happiness in life, Russian psychologist & psychotherapist Mikhail Litvak has some important advice.

Litvak attracted global attention with his incredibly knowledgeable books including ‘Psychological Aikido’, translated into a number of different languages including English. Through them, he has introduced the general public to a number of different psychological principles that will help us to better understand human interaction, avoid and dissipate conflict and build a happier life.

If you are setting a New Year’s resolution to improve your life, freeing yourself from negativity and introducing more positivity and happiness, look no further. Litvak has you covered!

Check out these life-changing tips form Mikhail Litvak, and try introducing them into your life:

#1 – If you are feeling rejected in life, it’s time for a change in your way of thinking. No one actually rejects someone else. Instead, everyone is moving forward, and the one who feels rejected was simply the one that was left behind.

#2 – What is the real difference between maturity and immaturity? An immature person ‘knows’, but they often fail to ‘do’, while a mature person ‘knows’ and follows through. If someone is simply standing around criticizing while failing to put their own advice into action, this is a sign of immaturity.

#3 – If you are looking to defeat your biggest enemy, you don’t have to search very hard. Look into a mirror and be better than the person that is staring back at you. Do this every day.

#4 – While we often see depression as a fully negative experience in our lives, it does play an important role. Depression was given to man in order to force him to step back from the world and think about himself. Take note of what areas in your life demand your attention.

#5 – Don’t fall into the trap of chasing happiness, or you will be chasing your whole life. Instead, find the happiness that is within you, and you will be happy regardless of what life may throw your way.

#6 – Rather than allowing the insults of others to drag you down, refocus your time and energy. Put your efforts into achieving success, and the insults will pass you by.

#7 – Why do you put so much focus on the thoughts and opinions of others? If you truly believe yourself to be a good person, what does their opinion matter? Focus, instead, on your self-love.

#8 – There is no ‘male’ or ‘female’ ways of thinking when it comes to true logic. Instead, there is the ability to think rightly and justly or not.

#9 – The best time spent in life will be with a  good book as opposed to communicating with an empty man.

#10 – If a man is unable to say anything good or positive about himself yet still wants to say something, he will start to speak poorly about others. Take note of who brings negativity into the conversation as this is a reflection of them, not of who they speak about.

#11 – While it is nice and comfortable to talk with friends, great knowledge and insight can also come from talking to one’s enemies.

#12 – Happiness is the direct result of nicely organized and structured living.

#13 – This is your life and you don’t require permission to live it. Rather than asking for permission from others, do what you want and what you believe to be ‘right’. After all, no one’s going to give you permission anyway.

#14 – If there is one powerful force that can propel us forward in life, it’s our imagination. Through it we can express all of our abilities, shining a light on our dreams and empowering us to make them a reality.

#15 – We often find ourselves in search of the ‘sign’ that we should seek change, end a relationship, or make a significant career change. However, there is one universal sign that will always ring true – When you notice you are no longer able to achieve personal growth in your circumstances, it’s time for something new.

#16 – If you want to grab something, grab science instead of the throat of a loved one. Science is the way of the future.

#17 – Don’t share negativity with the world, regardless of who you are speaking with. Instead, share only joy and happiness with both friends and enemies and you will always come out ahead – You will bring a smile to the faces of your friends and your leave your enemies upset and/or jealous.

#18 – If you focus all of your time and attention on proving something to someone, your whole existence is just for the purpose of that one person. Instead, choose to exist for yourself and you will no longer need to prove anything to anyone.

#19 – You will know you have achieved spiritual maturity when you are able to love yourself and be comfortable with yourself in your times of loneliness. Don’t see this as a negative experience – we do our best work when we are on our own.

#20 – The road to success is often unclear. However, if you take the time to acknowledge it, the road to unsuccessfulness is easy to spot. It is driven by the desire to be liked and approved by everyone at all times.