Think Positively – Positive thinking does not mean ignoring the less pleasant situations in life. Positive thinking simply means that you view unhappiness in a more positive and productive way. You believe that the best is about to happen, not the worst.
Positive thinking often starts with an internal dialogue. Self-talk is the endless stream of silent thoughts going over your head. These automatic thoughts can positive or negative. Part of your internal dialogue comes from logic and reason. Other internal dialogues can rise from misconceptions that you create due to a lack of info or expectations of what might happen.
Think Positively – Below are a few tips from Clarity Chi on how to help train your mind to think more positively:
Disengaging From Negative Information
Although there are plenty of benefits to engaging in social media platforms such as creating meaningful connections with like-minded others and exchanging social support there is a real possibility that it can also have a negative impact on your psychological health. Personal comparisons can affect your self-esteem and exposure to negative news can influence your ability to think positively. Taking an occasional break from social media will help you disconnect from the negativity and help you focus more on the present.
Imagine being the best possible version of yourself every day! By imagining your Best Possible Self (BPS) for just a few minutes a day over a period of 2 weeks you will improve your ability to think more positively and help enhance your mood. During each five-minute session create an image of your “best possible self” in your mind in terms of your personal, professional, and relational development. This type of activity helps you to visualize the kind of person you would like to be while encouraging you to believe that it is possible to attain it. The ability to believe in oneself is highly beneficial to maintaining a positive mindset in life.
Practice Positive Self Talk
Your harshest critic is often yourself so keep in mind how the language you use to describe yourself can have an effect on your overall disposition. By reframing the way you talk to yourself in your head you can help direct your thoughts, behavior, and feelings in a more positive way. For example, instead of thinking “this is too difficult for me to do” you can reframe your thoughts to say: “I’ll look at this in a different way and give it another try”. If you consciously change the way you constantly talk to yourself you will start to think more positively.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Writing down all the things you can be grateful for every day will help you focus on the more positive aspects of your life instead of constantly dwelling on life’s problems. An attitude of gratitude has many emotional and interpersonal benefits that will improve your emotional and mental health, provide you with an overall sense of wellbeing, and increase your happiness. A gratitude journal can help you see your life in a more positive light as you realize just how many things there are in your life to be grateful for and how well things are actually going for you.
Practice Mindfulness
Consciously engaging in the present moment and being more mindful will help you avoid getting distracted by negative thoughts. Being mindful helps you understand your thoughts and feelings better and where your negative thoughts may be coming from. Mindfulness helps you focus on the more positive things in life and provides you with increased sensitivity to how you respond to certain situations in life.
Increased sensitivity can help you recognize when negative thoughts occur and change them to a more positive and productive mindset. By acknowledging the areas where you tend to be pessimistic you can change your thinking to become a more positive person in your personal or career relationships. Focus on one negative aspect and consciously decide to approach it in a more positive manner. Becoming more introspective will help you identify the reasons why you may be pessimistic about certain parts of your life and make positive changes that will help you think more positively.
Spend More Time in the Company of Positive Minded People
The people you spend the most time with can greatly influence the way you think and live your life. Whereas the mindset of negative people can rub off on you and discourage you from believing that things can be better, positive people will encourage you to hope for better outcomes. This is especially true when you find it difficult to see the brighter side of life. Surrounding yourself with positive thinkers will help you become a more positive person.