What do you do when life pulls the rug out from under you?
During difficult times, it’s easy to give in and wallow in your sadness and feel pity for yourself. I’m sure that many of you have heard the phrase – “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” I say that the way to get yourself to that space of toughness to cope with whatever life may bring is by developing a habit of positive thinking.
Now thinking positively doesn’t mean that everything in life is sunshine, unicorns and rainbows all the time, it just means that you choose to have an optimistic view of life in general and try to see the good within the bad.
In this post, I’m going to talk about why you should try to make thinking positively into a habit and then I’ll go through the 10 different ways you can go about trying to think more positively.
Why Develop A Positive Thinking Habit?
There’s a quote by Plato that says, “Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind.”
“Reality is created by the mind, we can change our reality by changing our mind.” Plato
Your mindset influences all aspects of your life as it effects every decision that you make. For instance, if you have a positive mindset because you’ve developed a positive thinking habit you might decide to eat an apple as a snack instead of a gigantic slice of cake which has a direct effect on how your body functions. That will help you to manage your stress before your stress manages you.
Making a choice to develop a positive thinking habit helps you to become stronger inside and out; helping you to develop the grit needed to make it through the difficult times that are sure to come your way.
Yes, of course you’re human and there will be times when you’re having a day and it seems like nothing is going right, but when you already have built up the habit of positive thinking, you’ll bounce back quicker in the long run as you’ll have an easier time of seeing the silver lining inside of the cloud. So how can you develop a positive thinking habit? Read on to find 10 simple ways to help you start thinking positively.
10 Ways To Develop Your Positive Thinking
Start Each Day With A Smile
Your morning sets the context to the rest of your day. If it starts on a positive note, chances are the rest of your day will follow suit. And if it doesn’t, your positive thinking habit will put you in a better position to deal with the problem.
Welcoming each day with good energy and elevated spirits, puts you one step ahead. The first part of your morning routine should be beginning each day with gratitude and a smile. It doesn’t cost you anything and sets you on the right path for the day.
Plan Each Day
You probably know what I’m going to say - plan your work then work your plan. It’s important to think about the clearly defined goals that you have for that day and write them down.
Think beyond a “to-do” list, however. Consider how writing down in your journal how you want to feel, that day and then think of ways to achieve that feeling all day long. Do you want to feel productive? What actions can you take today so that you can feel yourself making strides in your productivity? Do you want to feel abundant? What can you do today to increase the abundance in your life? Positive thinking = positive feeling.
Focus On What’s Important
What are your priorities? What are those goals you really want to achieve? Visualize those goals becoming reality. Break them down into bite sized actionable steps. And concentrate only on what matters. Leave the rest behind. This gets you to the results that you want – which puts you in a positive frame of mind.
Detach From The Outcome
Life is a roller coaster (or even a Ferris wheel). Sometimes you’re on the top while other times you’re on the bottom.
No matter how great you are, in life there will be times when you’ll give something your all and things won’t turn out the way you wanted. It happens. But when it does, it’s important not to be too discouraged. Accept it as part of life and keep things moving.
Create a consistent habit of giving your best effort each time but try to detach from the result, so that if things do work out then great! And if they don’t you won’t be devastated. Focus on what you can control – your effort.
Challenge Yourself Often
Keep your mind open to opportunities and new things. Challenges should be seen as opportunities to learn new things and test your strength because they help you grow and become a better person.
Think of every problem is a chance to become you 2.0. It might be tempting to stay in your safe zone, but you’ll have more positive outcomes when you put yourself out there and try new things. Finding out that you can do something that you thought you couldn’t do is a great way of developing and maintaining a positive thinking habit.
For me, whenever I learn a new papercrafting skill, it reinforces my belief in my abilities which reinforces my positive thinking habit, increases my self-care and reduces my stress. You can do the same.
All Things In Moderation
In a relentless pursuit of happiness, many people fall victim to overindulgence. As with most things in life, too much of anything yields negative results. Adopt an attitude of moderation, and you stand to have more optimistic perspectives on everything.
Be Realistic
Everyone wants something out of life. And going after your dreams is one of the best ways to stay motivated and fulfilled in life. However, it’s important to make sure that what you desire is possible to attain. Spending your energy, hoping for something impossible to manifest will only yield disappointment down the line.
Think about this, if you’re interested in having extra money, throwing all your efforts into winning the lotto is unrealistic – but starting a side hustle or updating your resume to get a better job is more likely way to get what you want. You likely won’t become a millionaire overnight, but with a positive and realistic attitude, the sky is the limit.
Stay On Top Of Your Health
Keeping a positive mindset is much easier when you’re in peak physical and mental condition. Stay on top of your doctor appointments and seek additional help to maintain your mental health if needed.
You’ve got to move it or lose it! If you have aches and pains, be kind to yourself – you deserve to inhabit a body that works well and feels good. Positive thinking is a result of positive habits. As much as you can, eat clean, sleep well, drink enough water and your mindset rises in return.
Love Yourself And Talk That Positive Self-Talk
Remember, before others will love and adore you, you must love yourself first. This means that you need to commit to caring for yourself in every way. Commit to learning, finding your purpose, surrounding yourself with quality friends, getting enough exercise and time outdoors, donating time to worthy causes and engaging in hobbies that bring you joy.
Praise yourself as much as you praise other people. When you look in the mirror, compliment the good things you see. When you build self-confidence and self-love, positive thoughts flow. Talk that positive self-talk and you’ll be surprised at how much that contributes to your positive thinking habit.
Laugh As Much As Possible
Last but not least, even during hard times, make time to enjoy your life. Have fun! Try to look at the bright side of things as much as you can. A few laughs and giggles help relieve negative baggage like anxiety, disappointment, nervousness and fear. Find ways to laugh at everything – even yourself.
It you follow these tips regularly; you’ll be well on your way to developing a positive thinking habit.
What’s one thing that you’re going to do starting today to develop you’re positive thinking habit? Let me know in the comments – let’s talk!
Cassandra Martin-Himmons is a trainer, wellness coach and consultant who believes in empowering her clients and providing the tools that they need to make positive changes in their lives to manage their stress and increase their self-care. In her spare time, she enjoys papercrafting, volunteering and travel. Connect with her on Instagram or Linked/In