This Is How Ellie Kemper Stays Positive and Finds Joy in Every Single Situation

This video is part of Health's My Mantra series. Follow along with new videos on our Instagram page and share your own words of wisdom using #MantraMonday.

There are two options when you're faced with a challenge: Either let doubt bring you down, or use positivity to power through. Actress Ellie Kemper is all about the latter.

The 39-year-old says staying positive is her goal no matter what. “It’s very easy and sometimes a little bit more entertaining to dwell on the bad things in a situation, but that doesn’t help,” she tells Health. “If you want to keep moving forward, if you want to continue to feel like you’re in control of a situation, you have to look on the bright side.”

Of course, this doesn’t always happen naturally, which is why Kemper finds it helpful to have a mantra to use as a reminder: “I promise you, you will feel better if you look for the brightness in every situation,” she says, repeating the words that help her get through stressful moments.

Kemper recently partnered with Tropicana to promote this message—that everyone deserves a moment of brightness in their day, and these moments should be celebrated.

Having a positive outlook has become even more important to Kemper after giving birth to her second child this past September. “I find that life gets even messier and more chaotic—and if you give in to the stress, then yes, you’ll feel downtrodden and more run down and just like you’re overworked,” she says.

So next time you feel annoyed in a situation, follow Kemper’s advice to take a step back and realize that things are still pretty good overall. “Whether it’s something your kid says that makes you giggle, or it’s just the humor of the situation, any of these things will help to power you through,” she explains.

When Kemper is having a hard day, she also likes having something to look forward, such as a good meal. “Food does make me happy,” she admits. “It’s a nice treat.”

“My go-to healthy meal is a combination of whole grains and vegetables...but often it’s not that, usually I’m having pizza,” she continues.

As for working out, Kemper says running is her current favorite workout because of how convenient it is. “You can do it anytime, you can do it for however long you want—all you need is a pair of running shoes.”