Positive thinking is one of the keys to happiness in life. It can make physical and mental health maintained. But how to have and maintain a positive mindset and attitude?
Developing an optimistic outlook is also good for physical and mental health. Although sometimes the wheel of life is always spinning and you are faced with a difficult situation, you must be clever on how to respond on it.
Do not let negative thoughts dominate your thoughts. All thoughts and positivity will affect our daily moods. All is determined by our mindset on how we see things.
Well, if you are one of them who like to think negatively, here are tips or ways to have a positive mindset and attitude:
1. Focus on the Present Time Instead of The Past
You have just made a mistake that makes a coworker or boss disappointed and even angry with yourself. As the result many people will develop negative feelings in the mind. Although this is very likely to happen, don’t let negative thoughts drag on.
Immediately forget the unpleasant incident even though it just happened recently. Focus yourself on the present. Keeping in mind past events, plus worries about the impact of these events in the future will only make things worse.
2. Surround Yourself With Optimistic People
There are studies proves that the environment also influences one’s behavior patterns. Try to surround yourself with people who have an optimistic soul so that the positive aura that emanates from him can catch up to you.
Instead, reduce your frequency (especially if you are in a difficult situation) to socialize with people who are always pessimistic bring negativity. These people will just bring you further and influence you to the difficulties and negativity.
3. Focus on the Good Things
One of the most important way to have positive mindset is to try to focus the mind on things that are positive. When you are faced with a difficult situation, try to see the positive side in it even though small.
This may sound like a cliché, but it’s quite effective. For instance, when your boss is not satisfied with your work. Instead of thinking negatively and blaming yourself, try to think that this indicates if your boss believes that you have the capability to produce something better.
4. Learn to Be Grateful
This is also the most effective way to have positive mindset. Gratitude has been proven to be able to get rid of stress, increase self-respect, and not to forget that is generating positive thoughts even though you are facing hard times in life.
After all, you must have had some pleasant moments. Also, do not forget the presence of family and other closest people who have endlessly provide their support to you.
Well, these are the things that you should be grateful for. Thus, positive thoughts will automatically appear to replace negative thoughts.
5. Grow from Your Mistake
No human is free from mistakes. Everyone must have made mistakes during their life. However, don’t make this mistake constantly make you think negatively, including blaming yourself.
Instead of continuing to stare at the error, all you have to do is move on and learn from the mistakes to be better in the future. Remember, this is not the end of everything. You still have many opportunities to change.
6. Keep a ‘Happy’ Journal
Retrieve back and write down all the positive things that happened to you in one day is also a way to help think positively. This has even been proven by a number of studies.
The studies found that recording positive and happy things was effective in increasing optimism. So, try to apply this method to help you think more positively!
7. Look for Things That Make You Laugh
When negative thoughts hit, it will usually accompanied by worry, fear, and sadness. If so, looking for things that invite laughter is a way for these negative thoughts to disappear and be replaced with positive thoughts.
You can either watch videos or read writing that contains elements of humour. Talking about funny topics with friends can also be another option. Most importantly, these things can provoke laughter because once you laugh, a sense of excitement arises which will automatically arouse a positive atmosphere within.
8. Do Positive Self-Talk
What is positive self-talk? Positive self-talk is an attitude in which you talk to yourself to make sure that everything will be okay, or you can definitely solve the problem at hand.
According to research, talking to yourself to gain positive thoughts is effective in helping to control thoughts, feelings, and behavior when facing difficult times.
9. Start the day with positive things
Starting the day with a positive ‘ritual’ is also a positive way that will make your day. There are several activities that you can do about this, such as morning exercise, listen to favorite music, and even helping others to do the positive self-talking.
Whatever it is, do something that make you in a good mood because this is the key to gain the positive thoughts.
10. Find Out The Source of Your Negativity and Solve It
Everyone must have a reason why the brain is filled with negative thoughts. To think positively, you need to first get rid of your negative thoughts.
So, how to get rid of these negative thoughts? Finding out the source of negative thoughts is the first thing you must do. To support this, you can also share stories with people closest to you like friends or spouses. Try to ask for their opinion about you.
Spend sometimes to do a self reflection. Think hardly what is the root cause of all your negativity.
After knowing what is the root of the problem, you can ask for advice what should be done to resolve the problem.
11. Treat Each Difficulties as Challenge
When you have in mind that everything looks so difficult and bad, you really have a deep negativity. If you think that way, it won’t make things better.
Instead of think negatively, try to turn something difficult into a challenge. For example, you are required to make monthly presentations by your boss. Instead of being afraid and thinking things through, why not try to find a way for the presentation to work well. For instance, make a presentation outline looking for reliable sources to support presentations. Create a unique presentation design while remaining informative Practice one day before up to 30 minutes before the presentation begins.
Turning difficulties into challenges will make you calmer and able to think positively, also can unwittingly hone creativity in solving a problem.
12. Celebrate Happy Moments
The way to grow positive thoughts that you must not miss is to celebrate every happy moment that happens. Even for small things, celebrating happy moments should be done to keep the mind positive.
13. Appreciate Each Achievement
In connection with the previous point, another positive way of thinking that you can do is to reward each success achieved. Don’t look at how small or how much success you get. By appreciating every effort that has been done, this helps stimulate the brain to think that you are competent, intelligent, and the like.
14. Apply the Principle of ‘Nothing is Perfect’
Implying the principle that nothing is perfect in this world is also a positive way of thinking that you can apply. The reason is that negative thoughts are often triggered by feelings of guilt and feelings of being unable to do something. By instilling this principle, you also become confident in yourself to complete the thing that is being done, even in various other life contexts.
15. Don’t Give Up Easily
This positive way of thinking might also sound like a cliché, but it is by having this unyielding nature that you stay excited in facing any problems that occur in life. Again, this relates to the positive thinking principles described above, such as assuming every difficulty is a challenge and also believing that nothing is perfect in this world
16. Stop Feeling Sorry For Yourself
Self-pity for what has happened lately to yourself will only increasingly make you trapped in negative thoughts. Instead of the solution obtained, what happens is that you are even more stressed and even depressed. Not. You are not that pathetic. Convince yourself that everything will be OK. Instead of continuing to feel sorry for yourself, why not ‘wake up’ and make even harder efforts and prayers. Isn’t that right?
17. Read Some Motivational Literacy and Books
There are tons of books and short quotes that spread enthusiasm and motivation out there. Treat this as a medium for generating positive thoughts within yourself.
18. Meditation
Many studies have proven the benefits of meditation to help foster positive thoughts. In fact, this activity was created with the aim of relaxing the heart and mind of the culprit, which of course will automatically have an impact on the emergence of a positive aura in the body.
From now on, try to take a few minutes in the morning to do this meditation activity. Do it regularly and feel the benefits of this one.
19. Do Social Activities
Conducting social activities such as helping others or volunteering also mentioned can lead to positive mindset and thought for those who do it. Although there are not many scientific explanations that link this, a number of people claim their moods and minds have improved after social activities.
20. Sports
In addition to meditation, exercise is also a positive way of thinking whose effectiveness is quite high. Sports activities based on research can help the body release the hormone dopamine, aka the ‘happy’ hormone.
If the mood is good, automatically the mind will come either positive or positive. You can do sports activities like jogging, gymnastics, and other types of sports such as playing futsal and basketball. As long as you do it consistently, the results will be felt.
Bottom Line
Positive thinking and mindset also has many benefits for physical and mental health. The research shows that having positive mindset help you to minimize the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer. It also will improve the quality of your life and healthy mental.
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