November 7 by Amy Morin in Communication, Motivation | 7! "hares
Positive thinking can lead to a lot of positive change in your life. Developing an optimistic outlook can be good for both your physical and mental health. But sometimes, certain situations arise in life that makes it hard to keep a positive outlook. Take steps to make positive thinking become more like second nature and youll reap some big benefits. Here are 1 tips to make positive thinking easy. 1# "pen$ Time %ith Positive Peop&e !f you surround yourself "ith constant complainers, their negativity is likely to rub off on you. #pend time "ith positive friends and family members to increase the likelihood that their positive thinking habits "ill become your habits as "ell. !ts hard to be negative "hen everyone around you is so positive. '# Take (esponsibi&ity )or *our +ehavior $hen you encounter problems and difficulties in life, dont play the role of the victim. %ckno"ledge your role in the situation and take responsibility for your behavior. %ccepting responsibility can help you learn from mistakes and prevent you from blaming others unfairly. !# Contribute to the Community &ne of the best "ays to feel good about "hat you have, is to focus on "hat you have to give. 'olunteer in some manner and give back to the community. Helping others can give you a ne" outlook on the "orld and can assist you "ith positive thinking. ,# (ea$ Positive an$ -nspirationa& Materia& #pend time each day reading something that encourages positive thinking. (ead the Bible, spiritual material, or inspirational )uotes to help you focus on "hats important to you in life. !t can be a great "ay to start and end your day. .# (ecogni/e an$ (ep&ace Negative Thoughts *ou "ont be successful at positive thinking if youre still plagued by fre)uent negative thoughts. +earn to recogni,e and replace thoughts that are overly negative. &ften, thoughts that include "ords like -al"ays. and -never. signal that they arent true. !f you find yourself thinking something such as, -! al"ays mess everything up,. replace it "ith something more realistic such as, -#ometimes ! make mistakes but ! learn from them.. Theres no need to make your thoughts unrealistically positive, but instead, make them more realistic. # Estab&ish an$ 0ork To%ar$ 1oa&s !ts easier to be positive about problems and setbacks "hen you have goals that youre "orking to"ard. /oals "ill give you motivation to overcome those obstacles "hen you encounter problems along the "ay. $ithout clear goals, its harder to make decisions and gauge your progress. 7# Consi$er the Conse2uences o) Negativity #pend some time thinking about the conse)uences of negative thinking. &ften, it can become a self0fulfilling prophecy. 1or e2ample, a person "ho thinks, -! probably "ont get this 3ob intervie",. may put less effort into the intervie". %s a result, he may decrease his chances of getting the 3ob. 4reate a list of all the "ays negative thinking impacts your life. !t likely influences your behavior, your relationships, and your feelings. Then, create a list of the "ays in "hich positive thinking could be beneficial. 3# 4))er Comp&iments to 4thers +ook for reasons to compliment others. Be genuine in your praise and compliments, but offer it fre)uently. This "ill help you look for the good in other people. 5# Create a 6ai&y 1ratitu$e 7ist !f you start keeping a daily gratitude list, youll start noticing e2actly ho" much you have to be thankful for. This can help you focus on the positive in your life instead of thinking about all the bad things that have happened in the day. /etting in the habit of sho"ing an attitude of gratitude makes positive thinking more of a habit. 10# Practice "e&)8Care Take good care of yourself and youll be more e)uipped to think positively. /et plenty of rest and e2ercise and practice managing your stress "ell. Taking care of your physical and mental health "ill provide you "ith more energy to focus on positive thinking.