Tips for Keeping Positive
With all the negative news around the world lately, it can be hard to stay positive. There are days when you try to have a positive attitude, but get bogged down by a minor mistake. While it's easy to let that ruin your day, you can also redirect your thinking into something positive - reflect on what you have learned from the situation and focus on thoughts that will give you hope.
But why is it so important to stay positive? With having a positive attitude, you can deal with stress and negative situations in a much healthier way. It means being optimistic in the way you look at life, which in return will benefit your relationship with yourself and others.
If you want to lead a happy and successful life, having a positive attitude is one of the major keys. However, having a positive mindset is an active practice and can be much easier said than done. So, we’ve come up with tips to help you look at life in a more positive way.
1. Start your day in a positive way.
When you hit the snooze button, do you feel like you need more time to sleep? Do you think of endless reasons why you should stay in bed? The things you do and feel first thing in the morning set the tone for the rest of your day.
Instead of hitting snooze, you can start your morning with meditation. Meditation can enhance your awareness and prevent stress and anxiety. Some people also schedule a workout in the morning. A morning sweat will reward you with endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine –the feel-good chemicals that will boost your mood and help remove stress.
You can also start by practicing affirmations, listening to a podcast or creating a healthy meal. A quote to remember throughout the day is “You have control over how you feel, even if you can’t control what is going on around you”.
2. When faced with a bad situation, find an optimistic viewpoint.
Whenever we are trapped in a bad situation, the questions we ask ourselves make a difference in the way we think and feel. Instead of asking why this happened to you, open up your mind to new viewpoints and possibilities. Ask things like:
- What can I learn from this?
- What step can I take to stop this from happening again?
- What is one opportunity within this situation?
The way you talk to yourself shapes your mind and future, so make sure to keep it positive. The language you use during self-talk has a lot of power on your mindset. If you talk to yourself negatively, it can cause you to view yourself in a negative way. However, if you talk positively about yourself, you will feel good - your mindset will change and you will be confident with your actions. By using positive language when you describe yourself and life, eventually, your mindset will change and it will be easier to stay positive in your daily life.
4. Surround yourself with positive influences.
The people you keep in your life have a bigger impact on your attitude than you may realize. According to research, we are the average of the five people we spend the most time with. We may not realize, but we tend to imitate the people we spend the most time with. If you spend most of your time with people who have a negative attitude or people who complain about everything, you’re likely to start acting the same way.
Surround yourself with people who bring you up instead of down. Spend time with people who motivate and encourage you. We may not have control over a lot of things, but we can choose the people we spend time with.
5. Understand everyone has strengths and weaknesses.
Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. If you focus on other people’s strength, it may be hard for you to stay positive. What may be easy for others is hard for you, and what may be easy for you can be hard for other people. Keep things positive by thinking about what you can learn from them, and also what you can teach them in return. They may be good at a specific task, but you are also an expert in other things.
6. Reward yourself for your accomplishments.
You may not feel that this is important, but rewarding yourself when you accomplish your goal provokes positive emotions. It helps you realize that your efforts resulted in a success. By doing this often, your brain will associate pleasure every time you can accomplish something. It also encourages you to keep setting goals for the future.
7. Laugh a lot.
Humour is the best medicine. According to research, laughter can increase endorphins, relieve stress and release tension in the body. The positive thoughts associated with laughter can help you cope with difficult situations and make you feel happier. By making humour out of negative situations, it prepares your mind and body for a positive outlook.
Even a simple smile can help you have a positive outlook in life. Research shows that smiling makes you feel happier as the feedback sent to the brain by the facial muscles impacts the development of your emotions.
8. Practice Gratitude.
There are so many things to be grateful for everyday - remind yourself of that. Try creating a gratitude journal and at least once a day, jot down 3 things you are thankful for. It can be as simple as seeing your friend or as large as getting your dream job. Whatever it is, that will make you feel thankful for the day. By training your mind to look at the good things you have in your life, you develop a more positive outlook.
Don’t let a bad choice ruin your day. Remember that you have control on how you feel. Teach yourself to be positive in every situation and whenever you feel a setback, thinking positively can make bad situations feel better. Try practicing the tips above daily to help you live life in a more positive way.