Positive thinking helps with energy, motivation, self-esteem, and overall happiness and contentment. Now we know it also adds years to your life. When you think constructively, you get rid of stress, live a healthier life, and make better choices.
However, at times, we all fall prey to negative thoughts. We begin to get out of our funk by tuning into our thoughts and redirecting our thought processes. So, at the moment, do whatever it takes to change your mood – exercise, dance, turn up the tunes, and sing. Get the endorphins flowing.
If your tendency is toward negativity, more intentional work is needed. However, you will begin to experience its benefits and reframe your thoughts more quickly with time and practice.
Firstly, begin to think positively by incorporating these actions into your lifestyle:
1. Be responsible for your thoughts.
No one can tell you what to think or controls how you react to your thinking. When you begin to take responsibility for your thoughts, you’ll face the reality of what they’re doing to or for you and be more able to change those negative thoughts.
2. Plan to think positively.
Many of our thoughts come from the subconscious mind and intertwine with our feelings. When you focus on the positive aspects of what is going on, any unwelcomed feelings will become much less significant, which allows for objectively viewing the problem and solutions.
3. Avoid negative people.
Negative people can ruin your best-laid plans. They can feed the fire of self-doubt and anxiety. Sometimes called falling prey to crowd-mentality, you go with general.
4. Write down your thoughts.
It’s helpful if you can see at the end of the day what your thoughts have been. For a while, take the time to write them down. You’ll see what went wrong with your thoughts and be able to improve them.
5. Consider the repercussions.
For example, if you have a deadline for an assignment and it becomes clear that you’re not going to meet it, consider what might happen. If you finish it on time, it won’t be as good as you wanted. If you take more time, it may cause other problems. Also, consider solutions. For example, you could ask for an extension to the deadline.
6. Minimize catastrophic thinking.
Rather than thinking the worst about a situation, try to minimize it and lower your anxiety level by being practical about it. If you’re susceptible to those thoughts, avoid situations (such as television news) that might cause you anxious thinking.
7. Live for the moment.
When you spend too much time trying to guess or analyze the future, you’ll convince yourself of failure – especially if you’ve failed in the past. If you think you’ll fail, you probably will.
Secondly, when you catch yourself thinking negatively, try any of the following:
8. Meditation.
Finding some time for yourself to meditate or relax and restore your energy levels can do wonders for your outlook. When you combine some yoga stretches or deep breathing, you can make more significant leaps.
9. Smile from the inside, out.
The best way to diffuse a negative situation is to smile until it hurts – including your eyes, face, and body. It can lift a mood almost instantaneously and help relieve stress, too (and it takes fewer facial muscles to smile than to frown).
10. Help someone else.
Helping someone can fill your heart and mind with happiness. And, how can you think and project negative thoughts when you’re so happy?
11. Keep a gratitude journal.
Those who have had to overcome significant obstacles in their lives say a gratitude journal keeps you focused on the good in life. Write a few thoughts every day. It helps in good times and bad.
12. Choose positive people to be around.
You may have to work with negative people, and you may have some in your own family. Still, the friends you choose can have a positive outlook which helps to keep the negative thoughts in perspective.
Remember, you direct the choices in your life, so choose to be positive, grateful, happy, and in control.