Life is full of ups and downs, and it can be all too easy to fall into the routine of thinking negatively about things in general. However, that can actually have a detrimental effect on our lives and even our health. It can certainly impact our mental state. In order to fully enjoy your life and really make the most out of every opportunity, being more positive is something that we should all strive towards. It can be difficult, especially if we are naturally drawn to the more negative side of things, but you can do it, and here is how.
Photo by Binti Malu from Pexels. This is a collaborative post.
Look After Your Body
By keeping our bodies fit and healthy and looking as good as possible, our mental state can become a much more positive one. Worrying about our looks, how fast we are aging, being unwell, or knowing that we are eating the wrong foods and not exercising enough can all contribute to making us feel more negative. By exercising regularly, keeping hydrated, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, and keeping ourselves looking good, we can be a lot more positive in general. This doesn’t mean extensive plastic surgery, of course; using moisturizer, exfoliating, conditioning our hair, or finding out how finasteride works regarding hair loss can all help us out when it comes to a positive attitude.
Keep A Gratitude Journal
You will have had one of those days that were going well until one event – large or small – ruined it. It might have been a rude server in a restaurant or a difficult journey home from work. Perhaps it was a disappointing outcome to a request. It could have been anything. In order to stop these things from pulling our positive outlook down into a negative one, you can keep a gratitude journal to help you out. The gratitude journal is where you will write down all the good things that happened during your day; all the things you were grateful to have been a part of. That way, when you are feeling down or something has happened to dent your positive attitude, you can read through your journal and be reminded that most of the time, things are actually good.
Look At Challenges Differently
Challenges don’t have to be negative – in many cases, they can be hugely positive, teaching us new things and showing us that we can cope with anything that comes our way. The key is not to let them overwhelm you from the start. If you do, you will only see the negative, and the more negative you are when you think of the challenge, the less chance there will be for you to see through that and come up with a solution.
If you are facing something that you cannot change, then being positive about it is the only solution. If you are facing something that you do have power over, then a positive outlook will show you the way to go. This gives us a lot more control and makes what could look like an insurmountable problem become a much smaller challenge. By looking at all challenges, no matter what size or what they represent, in a more positive light, you can achieve a lot more and not have to fall into negativity.
Get Rejected
Rejection can be something that really does make thinking positively a difficult thing to manage. Many people find that rejection, whether it be in a relationship, their career, or anything else in life, makes negative thoughts the far easier option. However, because it is impossible to go through life without being rejected in some way, in order to not become too down about it, you will need to look at these rejections as lessons to be learned. Find out the reason behind each rejection if you can, and work to ensure that that doesn’t happen in the future. Perhaps you were rejected for a job because you don’t have the experience, for example. In that case, the lesson learned is to gain more experience before applying for a similar job. Rejection can actually be hugely useful in life, so being positive about it makes a lot of sense.
The last thing you want to do if you are rejected is to start to always assume that rejection is going to come your way. This kind of thinking could even jeopardize the outcome of interviews or dates because you are projecting negativity – it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Use Positive Words
Words have a lot of power. Think of the books you have read or poems you enjoy. Think of advertising in print or on TV. The words used will make you feel a certain way and make you think certain thoughts. The same is true about the words you use when speaking yourself as well. If you talk about something being dull or mundane, that’s exactly how you will continue to feel about it. If you tell yourself that what you are doing has a purpose, and that it is useful and simple, for example, it will become a much easier task to get done. This will make you more productive and give you a better outlook on life in general.
We all get used to using specific words and phrases in life, and it can be difficult to break the habit. To make a start, you will need to slow down and speak only when you have carefully selected the words you want to use. Although this will certainly be a strange feeling to begin with, once you are more practiced, it will happen a lot faster, and soon enough, you won’t have to search for positive words; they will come naturally.
One word in particular that should be removed from your everyday speech is ‘have’. Use ‘get’ instead, and the outcome feels a lot more pleasant. You might think that you ‘have’ to pay your rent, or you ‘have’ to go to work. You might ‘have’ to go out in the rain to the store because you need to pick up some groceries. Changing ‘have’ to ‘get’ instead will give you things to be grateful for. You ‘get’ to pay your rent; it’s a privilege, and it means you are earning enough money to put a roof over your head. You ‘get’ to go to work, whereas many people are searching for a job, and so on. This is a really powerful way to become a lot more positive.
Open Yourself Up To Humor
Studies have shown laughter to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. It also boosts coping abilities, attitude, and self-esteem.
Allow yourself to laugh in all circumstances, including unpleasant ones, and be receptive to humor in life – it’s often there if you look for it. When you laugh, it quickly lifts the atmosphere and makes tasks seem less of a challenge. Even if you’re not in the mood to laugh, faking or pushing yourself to do so might enhance your mood and reduce stress.
Spend Time With Positive People
It has been shown that both negativity and happiness are infectious. Consider the people you’re spending time with. Have you ever noticed how a person in a poor mood can drag practically everyone in a room down? A person who is positive has the opposite influence on others.
Being in the company of positive people has been proven to boost self-esteem and raise your chances of achieving your objectives. Surround yourself with those who will encourage you and help you see the bright side of things.