Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 2: Changing Your Mindset
• Part 2 of 2: Practicing a Positive Lifestyle

Have you ever found yourself in the company of someone who can always find something good in a situation? If you yourself want to be more optimistic, you can take small steps to make a big change in your outlook. By recognizing and rethinking the negative thoughts you may have about yourself, you will create a positive mindset. And this positive outlook on the world can improve your ability to deal with painful and negative situations.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Changing Your Mindset

1. 1 Repeat positive affirmations. Remember every day that you love and respect in yourself. Over time, you will develop a more positive attitude towards yourself thanks to these self-affirmations, positive statements that will help you get inspired. Self-affirmations can also make you more compassionate and caring towards yourself by overcoming any negative thoughts you have. Here are some examples of positive affirmations:
   • I am able to do everything today.
   • I have the strength to overcome this bad circumstance and turn things around.
   • I am a strong and resourceful person, I can keep moving forward.
2. 2 Write down your positive traits. Use positive affirmations to list the qualities you value. Ask yourself what you like best about yourself, and write down those traits. In addition, you can add skills and achievements that you are proud of. You might write, for example, "resourceful," "capable," or "graduated."
   • Use your list to remind yourself of all of your positive qualities. You can reread them every day so that positive thoughts about yourself are well ingrained in your head.
3. 3 Do what you love. It's easy to fall into the trap of negative thinking if you don't like what you are doing. You may be overwhelmed by work or personal life. Take time each day to do things that make you happy. It could even be something as simple as a coffee break with a friend or 30 minutes in a warm bubble bath at the end of a long day.
   • Research has shown that a hobby that makes you smile can even relieve pain.
4. 4 Recognize the importance of self-confidence and gratitude. Building self-confidence and increasing self-esteem can be considered a form of positive thinking about yourself. Research has shown that feelings of gratitude can bring you feelings of well-being and boost your self-esteem. Gratitude also fosters positive feelings towards others, and will remind you of all the positive aspects of your life.
   • Feelings of gratitude are also associated with higher levels of empathy, which will help you feel more connected with others.

Part 2 of 2: Practicing a Positive Lifestyle

1. 1 Practice mindfulness meditation. Instead of meditating to clear your mind, focus on being fully present in the moment and fully aware of your experiences. Find a quiet, comfortable place and spend some time focusing on your thoughts. It will sharpen your mind and make you feel prepared, both will help you stay positive. Tell your mind to be calm and not do anything, just think about every moment.
   • Research has shown that mindfulness reduces stress levels.It promotes positive thinking by reducing anxiety, bad moods, and low energy levels that are associated with stress.
2. 2 Practice deep breathing. Start focusing on your breathing. Pay attention to how you feel physically and emotionally as you breathe in and out. Focus on what's going on around you. As you inhale as much as possible, use your senses to note what you see, hear, and feel in a room or space. Is your body tired, relaxed, or tense? Be mindful of your thoughts and feelings.
   • Deep breathing is a great way to reconsider what has absorbed most of your thoughts and affected your feelings throughout the day.
3. 3 Get into cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Consider working with a CBT therapist. This therapy will help you change your current way of thinking. Since thoughts greatly affect your worldview, you should start changing your negative thoughts into positive ones. To do this, you first need to learn to be aware of your thoughts. When you catch yourself thinking negatively, stop and reformulate it into a positive one. For example, if you are stuck at a bus stop and cannot wait for the bus you want, gratefully take this time as an opportunity to relax or talk to someone who is also waiting for the bus.
   • It is sometimes helpful to write these thoughts down to help you rethink and rephrase them. For example, you might write a negative thought (for example, you don't like driving in the rain) for something positive (an opportunity to get more practice driving in rainy weather).
4. 4 Write down your goals. Part of having a positive outlook on life is a sense of hope for the future. Goal setting is a great way to focus on the future. Plus, when you reach your goals, your self-esteem will increase markedly. To increase your chances of successfully meeting your goals, make sure they:
   • Written down on paper (research shows that recorded goals are more detailed and more likely to be met)
   • Detailed
   • Realistic
   • Created with timelines or deadlines
   • Formulated in a positive manner
5. 5 Realistic expectations. Be positive all the time, yes, this idea may seem great, but you still need to be realistic and honest with yourself. There will be times in your life when you just won't feel positive. In fact, sometimes there may be situations that will justifiably make you feel sad or angry. However, you can use your positive outlook on life to help yourself deal with unpleasant emotions and gain a sense of acceptance and hope.
   • For example, if you have just lost a loved one, of course, you will be sad and upset. But you can still use positive thinking to remind yourself that you have something to value, such as spending time with your beloved pet. You can also use optimism to remind yourself that these difficult times will pass.