Developing an optimistic outlook and positive thinking can lead to a ton of positive changes in our life, but sometimes, it’s hard to stay positive, especially when certain situations arise. However, the power of positive thinking isn’t just a cliché.
Positive thinking comes with a multitude of physical as well as mental benefits as has been demonstrated by science over and over again. You may wonder if staying positive really makes much of a difference and the short answer is yes.
The benefits of positive thinking go way beyond simply feeling happier. You also feel more relaxed, energetic, cheerful, satisfied with life, have control over your emotions and actions and are more likely to be free from health concerns.
Sure, we all know that learning to see the glass half-full can sometimes be easier said than done, but as research shows, positivity is well worth the effort for your mind as well as your body. Here are our TOP 10 tips to kickstart your positive thinking.
#1 Prepare Your Environment
The environment we build for ourselves has a huge impact on whether or not we think positively. In this case we are talking about an environment that includes the people we spend time with and the messages we hear and read from media and social media as well as the messages we tell ourselves. Ensure that your environment is as conducive to positive thinking as possible and surround yourself with positive, uplifting people, join supportive online communities, read inspiring books and blogs, listen to empowering podcasts and talk radio, fill your home and office with positive images and have reminders all around you to remember to think positively. It may also be helpful to recruit a friend or family member to create accountability for creating your positive thinking habit.
#2 Take Note of At Least 1 Positive Moment Every Single Day
A method that has been proven to be successful in increasing positive thinking is to notice the positive things that happen in your daily life. The amazing thing about this exercise is that you aren’t just positive while you are doing it, but the effects can actually last a lot longer. A recent study showed that the participants who wrote down positive experiences for three consecutive days reported better moods and fewer illnesses even three months after the experiment. So to improve your positivity, write down three things at the end of the day that you are grateful for and that were positive in your daily life.
#3 Meditate
We all know that meditation comes with a multitude of benefits for our body as well as our mind. While we are talking about it now because it can increase positive thinking, meditation has also been found to improve feelings of purpose in life as well as decrease illness. The secret to establishing a successful meditation practice is to start very small. Just 2 minutes a day will help you to establish a strong habit and once you are comfortable with it, you can extend the length of your meditation practice.
#4 Smile
It may sound simple, but it has been scientifically proven that smiling can improve our mood and thought patterns. This is due to the fact that our facial muscles are directly linked to our brain’s emotional center and when you frown, you can instantly feel depressed and moody. On the other hand, putting a smile on your face sends positivity and happy thoughts to your mind. So get into the habit of smiling more and you will be more positive and happier all around.
#5 Consciously Replace Your Thoughts
Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts – and let’s be honest, we all have them from time to time – make a conscious effort to replace the negative thoughts with positive ones. To be truly successful in transforming your thought patterns, make it a habit to replace a negative thought about a situation, person or challenge with two to three positive thoughts to overpower the negativity and within no time, your thinking will become generally more positive.
#6 Sing
Science has proven that singing helps to boost our mood and can even fight depression and the more you sing, the happier you are. So take any chance you get to belt out your favorite tunes and put yourself in a positive frame of mind. Whether it’s under the shower, on your way to work or when you work out, sing more. It’s a great de-stressing activity and it’s a whole lot of fun.
#7 Solve Someone Else’s Problem
When you are completely stressed out or worried about a certain situation in your life, take the focus off of yourself and start to help someone else with their problems. You’re doing something good for another person while at the same time putting your life and situation in perspective and you will soon enough realize that your life isn’t as bad after all and things are looking pretty darn good.
#8 Start Your Day with Positive Affirmations
We’ve talked about it before, but it is definitely worth mentioning it again. The way you start your morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. We’ve all had those days when we woke up late and rushed to get out the door to still make it to work on time and from there on it was a downward spiral of events where it felt like nothing good happened. This is due to the fact that we started with a pessimistic view and negative emotions. Instead of letting negativity dominate your life, start your day with positive affirmation. It may feel silly, but talk to yourself in the mirror and repeat statements like ‘It’s going to be an awesome day today’ or ‘Today is going to be a positive, successful day.’ Give it a try and you’ll be amazed how positive your day will actually be.
#9 Focus on the Present
We are talking about this present moment – not today, not this morning, not this hour, but this exact moment. Sure, you may have just gotten your head bitten off by your boss or you had a fight with your partner or friend, but what is so bad about this exact moment. Forget what happened 2 minutes ago, forget what’s going to happen in five minutes from now. Focus on this individual moment and in most instances, you will realize that it’s not all that bad. Keep in mind, most sources of negativity come from our memory of a recent event or the exaggerated imagination of a future event. Stay in this present and like magic you will be in a more positive frame of mind.
#10 Practice Self-Care
The better we take care of ourselves, the more we’ll be equipped to think positively. Make sure you get plenty of rest and sleep, work out on a regular basis, eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and practice stress-management techniques. Taking care of our mental as well as physical health will provide us with more energy and motivation to focus on positive thinking.
Positive thinking has hugely powerful effects on our life and negative thinking simply doesn’t work. When you can manage to stay positive you will be more healthy, improve your outlook of the future, boost your cognitive function, fight stress, extend your lifespan, and increase your focus and motivation while at the same time avoiding pain, a reduction in libido and sex drive as well as mood swings.
DON’T MISS YOUR HAPPY BOOST
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked