You’ve probably come across many people in your life telling you things like, ‘Stay positive,’ or ‘Think positive.’ Most often, people say those when they see you during the low points in your life, and do you know why? It’s because having a positive mindset is known to benefit you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Moreover, being optimistic no matter the circumstances is considered a valuable characteristic any person can have.
What Is A Positive Mindset?
To further understand the matter, it’s best to define a positive mindset first. This is the act of approaching challenges and setbacks in life with optimism. But it isn’t about ignoring or avoiding all of the bad things you come across. Instead, it’s about seeing the good in people, making the most of bad situations, and viewing life in general in a positive manner.
With a positive mindset, you’re shielding yourself from negativity that could potentially drag you down and make situations even worse. Moreover, it’ll help you cope with difficulties and recognize the lesson to be had in every challenge. Having a positive mindset is easy when you’re currently in a healthy and happy disposition. But what if you’re in a dark place where it’s hard for you to find any sort of light in your life?
Ways To Gain A Positive Mindset
That’s when you ask yourself how you can be more positive, and whatever method works for you, you can use it every day for the rest of your life. Positivity isn’t as simple as looking cheerful and smiling all the time. However, even small habits and lifestyle changes may help you become more of an optimist.
Here are some of the ways you can turn situations around and practice a positive mindset in your daily life:
- Reframe Your Thoughts And Situation
When something terrible happens in your day or week, your typical response is to get upset, frustrated, or mad about the situation. There’s nothing wrong with feeling terrible since that’s part of having human emotions. However, letting negative emotions get the best of you whenever you’re faced with challenges can take a toll on your mental and emotional health.
For instance, when you’re stuck in a traffic jam and you allow yourself to wallow in irritation, you’ll end up ruining your entire day with your bad mood. That would then affect your performance at work or your life at home. So instead of getting annoyed over the traffic jam, reflect on how blessed you are that you have a car and you’re not fighting your way into a crowded train or riding a bike to work with sweat dripping down your face. While waiting for the traffic to move, you can sip on your coffee, play your favorite music, meditate, or listen to a podcast.
If you’re having difficulty reframing your thoughts, you can schedule an individual counseling or online counseling appointment on https://www.insightnorthwest.com/ or similar websites. The professionals in such establishments will assist you in creating changes you wish to make in your life, including the ability to reassess your thoughts and various situations. The more you practice this habit, the easier it’ll be for you to find the good in your life.
- Keep A Gratitude Journal
Regularly write down all the things you’re thankful for. You can do this every morning when you wake up or every night before going to bed. Even if you think there’s nothing to be thankful for, sooner or later you’ll realize that there’ll always be silver linings you should be more appreciative of.
Your gratitude journal will serve as your motivation to continue acknowledging the good things in life because, after all, each day comes with its ups and downs. Keeping a gratitude journal will make you feel more optimistic about your future, and as a result, you’ll sleep better and wake up happy and well rested.
After several weeks, months, or years, you can go back to your old journal entries and realize how fortunate you’ve been all this time and how you’ve been able to overcome adversities. Every time you go through problems, just check what you’ve written in the past so your thoughts will naturally generate positivity instead of negativity.
- Speak Or Read Affirmations Every Morning
Sometimes, due to the stress and busyness of your daily life, you forget to appreciate and see the good in you. As you know, it isn’t easy to be optimistic about life and other people if you can’t even be optimistic about yourself. Positivity always starts within, and you won’t be able to radiate positivity if you don’t have it for yourself first.
One effective way of practicing positivity within yourself is by speaking and reading positive affirmations every morning. When you wake up, assess yourself and write down all the pleasant characteristics you have and the things you want to accomplish. Here are a few examples:
- You are strong and brave.
- You love yourself and your body.
- You’ll be kind to everyone you meet today.
- You’re talented, and you’re doing your best.
- You believe in yourself.
Once you’ve listed your affirmations, make it a habit to say or read them aloud every morning and every night. These positive statements will raise your self-esteem and boost your motivation to achieve your goals.
Suppose you’re in the lowest point in your life, or perhaps you can’t get out of a challenging situation for some reason. During such moments, it can be hard to write down anything good about yourself and your circumstances.
Thus, it’s advisable to write down a lot of positive affirmations and quotes on small pieces of paper and place them in a glass jar. Then, upon waking up, you can pick out three to five of them to read, or grab more on days when you’re experiencing setbacks. Those uplifting affirmations will make you feel good about yourself and get you back on track in overcoming whatever challenges you’re going through.
- Have Time To Do Something Fun
People who are too serious about life and have almost no time for fun are bound to be more pessimistic. While there’s nothing wrong with being committed to your job and other responsibilities, not having fun may eventually cause you to experience more negativity. You might stop seeing or encountering anything that can trigger joyful and happy emotions.
So instead of drowning yourself with work, squeeze in some pleasurable activities into your schedule. Even something as quick as 15 minutes of reading comics or having one of your favorite snacks can already boost your mood and positive feelings. You can schedule a movie marathon on the weekend to let yourself relax, or do things that’ll make you laugh. Alternatively, you can pick up a new hobby like Mahjong or tennis. Think about the things or places that you find enjoyable and make time for it regardless of how hectic your lifestyle is.
- If You Cannot Say Anything Good To Yourself, Say Nothing At All
Your parents have probably taught you not to say nasty things to others or not to say anything if you can’t say anything nice. But many individuals tend to be harder on themselves than on anyone else. You may automatically berate yourself when things go wrong or get discouraged as soon as nothing goes as planned.
Instead of being negative about yourself, it’s important to practice being nice, reasonable, and considerate. Keep in mind that no one’s going to treat you better than you. So as much as possible, don’t say or even think anything terrible about yourself.
- Practice Mindfulness Meditation
Most of you already know how beneficial meditation is to one’s mental and emotional health. One of the main goals of meditation is to train your mind to stop harassing yourself and focusing on negative thoughts. Your mind can become your biggest enemy when you constantly let it generate thoughts against you.
To gain a positive mindset, you need to start training yourself to only engage in good thoughts and avoid delving into ideas that can be discouraging, pessimistic, and toxic. Mindfulness meditation will help you bypass an unhealthy mindset and put a spotlight on your positive thoughts and feelings.
- Surround Yourself With Optimists
Did you know that your environment can also affect the way you think? For instance, if pessimists often surround you, you’ll likely become one as well. Whenever things go wrong, and those people quickly complain or talk you into giving up, you might do the same thing later on.
Another kind of pessimist is someone who never seems to believe in you. When you’re out there trying to reach your dreams, they’ll be lingering around, telling you things that could discourage and pull you down.
Thus, if you wish to live a positive life and be a happier person, you need to be in the company of optimists. Only socialize with individuals who see the glass as half full. Being surrounded by positive-minded people will influence you to follow their ways. So choose your companions wisely and cut off those negative people who constantly feed you with harmful and disheartening thoughts.
- Make Someone Else Smile
While working toward a positive mindset, did you know that bringing positivity to someone’s life can also boost positivity within yourself? You don’t need to do complex things to make a person’s day better. It can be as simple as smiling at every stranger you meet, complimenting your loved ones, or holding the door open for the person behind you. These simple but touching actions are enough to put a smile on another’s face, improve their day, and, at the same time, boost your optimism.
Conclusion
Having a positive mindset can do so much for your emotional and mental health. The more optimistic you are, the easier it’ll be for you to tackle challenges, think of resolutions, and lead a healthier life. Being an optimist may not come naturally to many of you, but by following the tips above, you’ll slowly but surely be able to lead a positive life and enjoy the benefits that come with it.