Most of us think of happiness when we think about the word positive. However, happiness isn't the only type of positive thinking.Even though you are experiencing sadness, anger, or challenges, there are many ways to be more positive in your life.Research shows that we have the ability to choose positive emotions and ways of thinking.Emotions can change our bodies on a cellular level.Our experiences in life are a result of how we interpret and respond to our surroundings.Rather than trying to get rid of negative feelings, we can choose to interpret them in a different way.You can become more positive with some practice, patience, and perseverance.
Step 1: Accept where you are.
You cannot change the way you think if you can't identify the problem.It is possible to begin the process of change by accepting that you have negative thoughts and feelings.Don't judge yourself on your thoughts or feelings.The thoughts that pop up or the feelings you experience are just thoughts and feelings.What you can do is interpret and respond to them.Accept that you can't change things about yourself.It will make you feel drained and unhappy if you try to be an extrovert all the time.Accept yourself for who you are right now.It's possible to develop that self into the most positive one you can be.
Step 2: Goals can be made.
Goals help us see life in a more positive light.Even if you don't achieve the goal right away, setting a realistic goal can make you feel more confident.Setting goals that are meaningful to you and align with your values will help you achieve them.Start small with your goals.Don't try to get the moon right away.The race was slow and steady.Make your goals specific.The goal of being more positive is great, but it is so large that you won't know how to start.Word your goals positive, like "Meditate twice a week" or "Smile at a stranger once a day."If you say your goals are positive, you are more likely to achieve them.Don't try to avoid your goals, make them something you're working toward.It's an incorrect goal to stop eating junk food.Feelings of shame or guilt can be caused by it.It says to eat 3 serving of fruit and vegetables each day.Keep your goals in mind.You cannot control anyone else.If you set goals that require a certain response from others, you may end up feeling down.Set goals that are dependent on your own performance.
Step 3: You can practice loving-kindness meditation.
This type of meditation has roots in Buddhist traditions.It teaches you to extend the love you already feel for your family and friends to other people in the world.It improves your resilience, your ability to bounce back from negative experiences, and your relationships with others in just a few weeks.Positive effects can be seen in as little as five minutes a day.There are courses in compassion meditation offered.There are guided mp3 meditations online.Downloads of loving-kindness meditations can be found at the Center for contemplative mind in society.It has been found that loving-kindness meditation is good for your mental health.Studies show that learning compassion for others may help you deal with depression.
Step 4: Keep a journal.
Positive emotions for every negative emotion seem to keep you in a healthy balance, according to recent research.It is possible to see all of the emotional experiences in your day by keeping a journal.It can help you remember your positive experiences more easily.A journal should be more than just a list of things you don't like.Research shows that focusing on the negative emotions and experiences in your journal will make you feel worse.Write down your feelings, not judging them as either good or bad.If you think about it, a negative experience might look like this: "I felt hurt today when my coworker made a joke about my weight."How did you respond?How would you respond now?I felt like I was worthless in the moment.I realized that my coworker says bad things to everyone.I can't be defined by someone else.Think about how you can use these experiences as learning experiences.How can you use it for personal growth?What are you going to do next?Next time someone says something bad about me, I will remember that they don't define me.I will tell my coworker that his comments hurt my feelings and that I need to remember them.Taking a few moments to remember a kindness from a stranger, a beautiful sunset, or an enjoyable chat with a friend will help you remember them later.Unless you pay attention to them, they will pass by your notice.
Step 5: Active gratitude can be practiced.
It is more than a feeling to be grateful.Studies show that gratitude is good for you.The rewards keep growing as you practice, and it changes your perspective almost immediately.Increased feelings of happiness, gratitude, and relationships with others are some of the benefits of gratitude.The natural state of feeling thankful is higher for some people.No matter what level oftrait gratitude you have, you can still foster an attitude of gratitude.Don't approach them like you want something from them.It doesn't mean you put up with disrespect or that you believe you deserve nothing.It just means that you should try to approach things in a way that doesn't make you feel like you're entitled to anything.Share your gratitude.Sharing your feelings of gratitude helps you remember them.Positive feelings can be created in the people you share them with.If you have a friend who will be youritude partner, share three things you are grateful for each day.There are a lot of little positive things that happen throughout the day.Write them down in a journal, take photos of them, and write about them on social media.If your pancakes turned out well, the traffic to work was good, or your friend gave you a compliment on your outfit, note those things.They add up quickly.Take in the good things.Humans tend to focus on the negatives and forget about the positives.Take a moment to acknowledge the positive things in your life.You should try to keep them in your memory.If you see a beautiful flower garden on your daily walk, try to remember how grateful you are for it by taking a mental snapshot of the moment.It is possible to remember these things when you are having a hard time.
Step 6: You can use self-affirmations.
According to research, self-affirmations work on a fundamental level and can form new positive thought neuron clusters.The pathways that are used most frequently are the ones that your brain likes to use short-cuts on.If you make it a habit to say compassionate things to yourself, your brain will come to see that as the norm.Affirmations that are meaningful to you should be chosen.Affirmations can show compassion to your body, remind you of your spiritual traditions, or show your thoughts about yourself.Whatever makes you feel good about yourself, do it!You can say things like "My body is healthy and my mind is beautiful" or "Today my deity/spiritual figure is with me as I go through the day."Say something like, "I am beautiful and strong, I can learn to love myself as I love others, and I am worthy of love and respect" if you have body image issues.
Step 7: Cultivate optimism.
People who had won the lottery were no happier than people who hadn't, according to research done in the 1970s.Humans have a baseline of happiness to which we return after external events.Even if your baseline is low, you can still cultivate optimism.Your self-esteem, sense of well-being, and relationships with others are improved by optimism.A way of interpreting the world is optimism.You can learn different ways of interpreting thanks to the human brain.Pessimistic outlooks view the world in terms such as "everything is unfair," "I'll never be able to change this," and "My life sucks and it's my fault."If you look at the big cello recital you have next week, you might say, "I already suck at cello."I will botch the recital.It is assumed that your cello skills are innate and permanent, rather than something you can influence with hard work.It makes it seem like your cello skills are a personal failing, rather than a skill that needs practice, because it makes a global blaming statement about you.It could mean that you don't practice the cello because you feel like it's pointless or you're bad at something.Neither is helpful.An optimistic outlook would say, "That big cello recital is next week, and I am not happy with where I'm at right now."I will practice an extra hour every day until the recital, and then just do my best.At least I will know I worked as hard as I could to succeed and that is all I can do.It can interpret them in different ways.There is a big difference between true optimism and blind optimism.It's possible that you pick up the cello for the first time and get admitted to the school.This isn't realistic and could leave you disappointed.It is possible to prepare yourself to face the reality of your situation with true optimism.You will have done all that you can to achieve your goal even if you aren't admitted to your dream school.
Step 8: Referring to negative experiences is something you can learn to do.
People try to avoid or ignore negative experiences.It makes sense because they are painful.Trying to ignore or suppress these experiences damages your ability to deal with them.Consider how you can change these experiences.Can you learn from them?Can you see them differently?Consider Myshkin Ingawale.Ingawale told the story of how he invented technology to save pregnant women's lives in rural India.It didn't work the first 32 times he tried it.He was given the chance to see his experience as failure and give up.His invention has helped reduce deaths of pregnant women in rural India by 50% by learning from past challenges.Dr. Viktor Frankl was imprisoned in a Nazi concentration camp during the Holocaust.Despite being faced with the worst of humanity, Dr. Frankl chose to interpret his situation on his own terms, writing that "everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms, to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances."What went wrong?What is at stake?What can you learn from this?Has this experience taught you to be a better person?You can re-interpret the experience if you take a moment to reflect on it.
Step 9: Use your body.
Your mind and body are connected.It could be that your body is working against you.The levels of stress hormones in your body can be affected by your posture.Stand up straight.Hold your shoulders back.In front of you, hold your gaze.Take up some space.The power pose can help you feel more confident.There is a smile.Research shows that when you smile, your brain makes you happy.If you use a duchenne smile, the muscles around your eyes and mouth can be activated.People who smiled reported less pain than people who did not.You should dress in a way that expresses who you are.How you feel depends on what you wear.Even though the coat was the only difference, a study showed that people who wore lab coats performed better than those who didn't.No matter what society says about it, find clothes that make you feel good and wear them.Don't get hung up on investing your size with any meaning, clothing sizes are completely arbitrary, and one store's size 4 is another store.No number can determine your worth.
Step 10: Get some physical activity.
The body's natural "feel-good" chemicals are released when you exercise.It is possible to fight anxiety and depression with exercise.Studies show that regular, moderate exercise increases your well-being.Moderate physical activity should be at least 30 minutes a day.If you want to get the effects of exercise, you don't have to be a good looking person.Moderate exercises like jogging, swimming, or gardening can help you feel more positive.It is possible to feel more positive and increase your overall health by doing yoga and tai chi.
Step 11: Life is created from within.
If you want more success, focus on how you are already successful.If you want more love, focus on the people that already care about you and the love you have to give to others.If you want to create greater health, focus on all the ways that you are healthy.
Step 12: Don't worry about the small stuff.
Everyone in life is confronted with things that seem important at the time but aren't really an issue if they step back and have proper perspective.Research has shown that material things won't make you happy.It is possible to make up for other needs by focusing on things.According to research, we need five basic things to flourish in life: positive emotions engagement, relationships with others, accomplishment, and swept up in something.If you don't find personal meaning in what you do and how you act, you will not feel good about it.Material objects, fame, and money will not make you happy.
Step 13: The law of attraction can be used.
Our activity and thoughts are similar to magnets.If we don't deal with the problem, it will continue as it is or get worse.Our own negative vibes rule the day.When we think positively, we will act and reach goals and ways to overcome and accept positive options, which will bring their rewards.Positive thoughts can boost your immune system.
Step 14: Do things you enjoy doing.
It's hard to execute sometimes.It's a good idea to carve some tasks into your day that will make you happy.You are distracted from being sad or negative when you do something that you love.Listening to music is one of the positive activities that you can do.You can listen to the genre you like.A person is reading.It's good to read.It can teach you a lot.Non-fiction can help you learn more about the world.Creative expression.painting, writing, etc.There are sports, hobbies, and other things.Being with family and friends.The awe-inspiring.Studies show that the feeling of awe or wonderment you experience when you are walking in nature, viewing a stunning painting, or listening to your favorite symphony is great for your health, both physically and mentally.Whenever you can, find ways to incorporate a little wonder into your life.
Step 15: It's a good idea to surround yourself with friends.
The people in your life have stood by you through thick and thin.You will probably help them as well if you list their support to help you become more positive.Both the good and bad times have friends helping each other.People who surround themselves with friends with similar values and outlooks are more likely to be happy and positive about their lives.Your brain releases neurotransmitters that make you happy when you interact with people you love.Spending time with friends and loved ones will make you feel better.Encourage your friends and loved ones to be your gratitude partners.Imagine the positive vibes that you can help each other develop by fostering a network of sharing things you are grateful for.
Step 16: Show kindness to other people.
If a person is less well-off than you, compassion is doing something for them.It can make you feel better.Research has shown that when people give money to charity, they feel better about themselves.Think of ways that you can serve others, whether it is on an individual level or in your community.It is also good for your health.Like leads to like.If we do something nice for someone else, especially if it's unexpected, there is a higher chance that they will pay us back.It will eventually make its way back to us.Some people call it karma.Scientific studies show that the "pay it forward" principle is a real thing.Try tutoring, volunteering, or ask your church how you can get involved.Someone needs a microloan.A small loan to a person in a developing country can help her grow her business.Most microloans have 95+ repayment rates.Give gifts to people you don't know.A person is buying a cup of coffee.Send a friend something you made for him.You may get a bigger "happiness rush" from giving a gift than the person you are giving it to.
Step 17: You can keep it in your wallet or pocket.
If you're unsure or feel like a pick-me-up, check the quote for a quick reference.It is wonderful that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds, and the pessimist fears this is not true.A person can change his future by changing his attitude.If you say you can't paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.There is a painting byVincent Van Gogh.
Step 18: See a therapist.
People think that they only need to see a counselor or therapist when there is something wrong.Even if you aren't sick, you go to the doctor for an annual checkup.It can be helpful to see a therapist.If you want to learn how to think and behave more positively, a therapist or counselor can help.You can ask your doctor for a referral.Your provider can tell you about the counselors in your network if you have health insurance.There are low-cost options.Mental health clinics, community health centers, even public-service counseling centers can be found online.
Step 19: Negative influences should not be avoided.
Humans are highly susceptible to emotional contagion, meaning that the feelings of those around us influence our own.Don't let bad behavior or negative vibes rub off on you.You should choose your friends wisely.The friends we surround ourselves with can have a huge impact on our outlooks.Share your own positive process with your friends if they are always negative.Encourage them to be positive too.You may need to detach from them if they are still negative.Do what you like.You're likely to feel bad if you don't feel comfortable doing something.That doesn't make for a positive experience.Learning to say no to things you don't want to do can help you feel better about yourself.In work situations, this is also true with friends and loved ones.
Step 20: Challenge negative thoughts.
It is easy to get swept up in a negative thinking pattern about ourselves.We can be our own harshest critics.Take the time to challenge negative thoughts.If you can find the logical flaw in the negative thought, try to turn it into a positive thought.It will make a huge difference in improving your positive thinking skills if you do this for a long time.Say "I can!"More than "I can't!"Remember, everything can be framed in a positive way.If you get angry and snap at a friend, you might think, "I'm a horrible person." This is a cognitive distortion, and it makes a general statement about a specific incident.It makes you feel guilty but not anything you can use to learn from.Accept responsibility for your actions and think about what to do next.I snapped at my friend, which hurt her feelings.I was wrong.This way of thinking doesn't generalize yourself as "horrible" but as a person who made a mistake and can learn and grow from it.It's a good idea to find three positive things to say about yourself for every negative one.If the thought shows up that you are stupid, challenge it with three positive ones.I finished that project last week and it received rave reviews.Difficult problems have been solved by me in the past.Even when we don't get what we want, we gain valuable experience.Experiences are more valuable than material things.Material things waste away while experiences stay with us.Positive and negative aspects can be found in most situations.We can choose which ones to focus on.When we're being negative, we can try to think in a different way.There's no reason to worry about the negatives if they can't be changed.Some parts of life are not fair.That's because life is.We will only make ourselves more frustrated if we waste energy and happiness on things we can't change.
Step 21: If you have traumas, deal with them.
You may have underlying issues that need to be dealt with if you find yourself constantly unhappy, upset, or negative.Professional help is available in dealing with traumas, such as past abuse, exposure to stresses, natural disasters, grief, and loss.If you can find one that specializes in treating trauma, you should look for a licensed mental health professional.It can be difficult to work through traumas with a counselor or therapist, but you will emerge stronger and more positive at the end.
Step 22: Don't be afraid of failure.
Franklin D. Roosevelt said the only thing we have to fear is ourselves.We will make mistakes.It's about how we get back up again.We have the best chance of staying positive if we are expecting to succeed, but not afraid of failure.