How to Stay Positive: 19 Smart Habits

“Having a positive mental attitude is asking how something can be done rather than saying it can’t be done.”
Bo Bennett

“To avoid situations in which you might make mistakes may be the biggest mistake of all.”
Peter McWilliams

“We don’t see things as they are, we see them as we are.”
Anais Nin

One of the very first issues I began to work on consciously with my very own private improvement was to enhance my outlook on life.

It was over 15 years in the past that I began to delve into this subject and to step-by-step – and whereas typically tumbling backwards – construct a extra optimistic outlook.

An perspective that might over time grow to be an increasing number of steady in order that I couldn’t solely take a look at the world in a optimistic approach throughout good days.

But additionally so I might keep optimistic and constructive even throughout robust occasions and maintain working in direction of one thing higher.

 

In this text I’d like to share 19 of the most effective, smartest and handiest habits for doing in order that I’ve realized throughout over greater than a decade.

I hope you will see one thing useful right here to keep optimistic.

Bonus: Download a free step-by-step checklist that can present you the way to keep optimistic. It’s straightforward to save as a PDF or print out for everytime you want it throughout your day or week

1. Find the optimistic viewpoint in a unfavourable scenario.

One of the only however handiest methods to construct a extra optimistic outlook has in my expertise been to ask extra useful questions as usually as potential.

When I’m in what looks as if a unfavourable scenario – perhaps I’ve been lazy, made a mistake, failed or stumbled in some form of approach – then I like to ask myself questions like:

• What is one factor that’s optimistic or good about this example?
• What is one alternative inside this example?

Doing so is an entire lot higher than what I used to do in such conditions. Because again then I normally requested myself how a lot I sucked and the way issues might get even worse now.

I do nonetheless not all the time use these questions immediately.

Oftentimes I want a little bit of time to course of the ideas and emotions that come up in scenario earlier than I can try this.

Trying to drive optimistic pondering if you find yourself nonetheless in an emotional turmoil or a bit shocked normally don’t work that nicely.

2. Cultivate and stay in a optimistic surroundings.

Who you select to spend your time with and the enter you get from additional away just like the TV, the web and magazines may have an enormous impact in your outlook.

To give you the option to keep optimistic it’s important to have influences in your life that help you and carry you up as an alternative of dragging you down.

So rigorously take into account what you let into your thoughts.

You can for instance ask your self:

• Who are the three most unfavourable individuals I spend time with?
• What are the three of most unfavourable sources of data I spend time on?

Consider the solutions. Then take into consideration how one can begin spending much less time with a kind of individuals or info sources that carry an excessive amount of unfavourable power this week.

And how one can spend extra of the time you’ve now freed up with one of the optimistic individuals and different sources in your life.

3. Go slowly.

I’ve discovered that after I go too quick, after I strive to assume, speak, eat and transfer round in my world actually shortly then issues don’t go too nicely.

Stress builds up. Negative ideas about absolutely anything begin to nicely up and I really feel like my very own private energy decreases.

But if I decelerate only for a couple of minutes – even when I’ve to drive it by strolling, speaking and consuming slower – then my thoughts and body calms down too. It turns into simpler to assume issues via clearly once more and simpler to discover the optimistic and constructive perspective.

4. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.

It’s very straightforward to lose perspective, particularly in case you are burdened and you’re going too quick.

And so a molehill can grow to be a giant and terrifying mountain in your thoughts.

A easy three step approach to deal with these conditions so that they don’t get out of hand is to:

Say cease.

In your thoughts, shout “STOP!” or “NOPE, we are not going down that path again!” as quickly as ideas of this sort begins to spin in your head.

Breathe.

After you’ve disrupted the ideas by shouting cease sit down and simply be nonetheless.

Breathe along with your belly and give attention to simply your in-breaths and out-breaths for a minute or two to calm your thoughts and body down.

Refocus.

Question your mountain constructing ideas by speaking to somebody shut to you and getting a extra grounded perspective on the scenario by simply venting or by getting his or her enter.

Or merely ask your self this to widen your perspective and to sit back:

Will this matter in 5 years? Or even 5 weeks?

5. Don’t let obscure fears maintain you again from doing what you need.

Sometimes it’s your decision to take an opportunity in life. Start a brand new behavior that feels unfamiliar, your personal enterprise on the aspect or ask somebody out for a date.

A standard entice while you need to do a kind of issues is to get misplaced in obscure fears and about what might occur in the event you truly took motion.

And so the thoughts runs wild fueled by concern and it creates nightmare situations and loads of self-doubt.

I do know. I’ve been there many occasions.

So I’ve realized to ask myself this: truthfully, what’s the worst that might occur?

When I’ve figured that out I additionally spend a little bit of time on attempting to determine what I might do if that that usually fairly unlikely factor occurs.

I’ve through the years found that the worst factor that might realistically occur is normally not as scary because the nightmare my fear-fueled thoughts might produce.

Finding readability on this approach doesn’t take a lot time or effort and it will probably enable you to cut back stress and keep away from a lot thoughts made struggling. And enable you to get going, step outdoors of your consolation zone and take that probability.

6. Add worth and positivity to another person’s life.

What you ship out you have a tendency to get again from the world and the individuals in it.

Not from everybody. And not each time.

But what you ship on the market issues an entire lot.

What you give them and the way you deal with them is what you’ll get again. And they approach you deal with others and the way you consider them additionally have a tendency to have a giant impact on the way you deal with and take into consideration your self.

So give worth and unfold the positivity by for instance:

Helping out.

Lend a hand when shifting. Give a good friend a trip in your automotive.

If she or he wants info then assist out by checking it up on Google or asking a good friend of yours.

Or begin a weblog or a podcast and share what’s helped you out in life.

Just listening.

Sometimes individuals don’t need any direct assist.

They simply need somebody to be there absolutely and listening as they vent for a short time.

Boosting the temper.

Smile. Give hugs when acceptable. Play uplifting music when hanging out with a good friend or recommend an inspiring film in your film evening.

Or encourage when somebody has had a foul day or are going via a tricky time.

7. Exercise frequently and eat and sleep nicely.

This could be very apparent in fact.

But I do know the large, massive affect a great evening’s sleep or good exercise can have when my ideas are pessimistic and I’ve a whole lot of tensions on the within.

And I understand how a lot easier it’s to assume clearly and optimistically when my belly is just not empty.

So I extremely advocate being cautious about these fundamental habits which will sound boring. Because they do have an enormous impact both approach relying on the way you handle them. To me, there’s a clear hyperlink between my bodily and psychological health.

8. Learn to take criticism in a wholesome approach.

One of the commonest fears is the concern of criticism. It can maintain individuals again from doing what they need in life.

Because having negativity flowing out of somebody’s mouth or e mail and it being about you possibly can damage. And being rejected can sting fairly a bit.

But if you’d like to take motion on what you deep down need then criticism is just about unavoidable. So the bottom line is studying to deal with it in a more healthy approach.

By doing so your concern of it is going to reduce and it’ll damage much less in the event you do get criticized.

I normally use 4 steps after I get some criticism. Maybe they might help you out too:

Step 1: Don’t reply immediately.

When you might be offended, upset or riled up then is time to relax a bit earlier than you reply.

Take a minimum of a few deep breaths or just a little time to course of the message earlier than you reply.

Step 2: Really hear to the criticism.

Try to stay open and down to earth and determine how this message might help you.

Ask your self:

Is there one factor I can be taught from this criticism? Is there one thing right here that I’ll not need to hear however might assist me?

Step 3: Remember that the criticism isn’t all the time about you.

Some criticism is useful. Some is just assaults or somebody lashing out as a result of they’re having dangerous day, 12 months or job.

To reduce the sting of such criticism – usually actually offended or overly essential in an unconstructive approach – I strive to be understanding. I believe to myself that this particular person may not be feeling so good in the mean time.

Step 4: Reply or let go.

No matter the content material of for instance an e mail I strive to maintain my reply level-headed and type. I’ll add a query or two to get extra particular suggestions that’s useful.

And in the event that they don’t reply or I’ve merely gotten a nasty assault then it’s time to delete it and to let that scenario go.

9. If one thing nonetheless will get below your skin then know what to do.

Sometimes one thing can nonetheless get below your skin and damage you. Even in the event you use the steps above.

Two issues which have helped me with that problem are:

Let it out.

Just letting that subject out into the sunshine speaking it over with somebody shut may be very useful to see it for what it truly is.

And to discover a more healthy perspective on the scenario.

Improve your vanity.

I’ve discovered through the years that with a stronger vanity issues drag me down much less they usually don’t wreck my day as a lot anymore.

Negativity from others  bounces off me far more usually as an alternative. If you need to sensible assist with this then have a look at my 12-week, step-by-step Self-Esteem Course.

10. Start your day in a optimistic approach.

How you begin your day normally units the tone for the remainder of your day.

So watch out about the way you spend your mornings.

If you get going at full pace, misplaced in future troubles in your thoughts then the stress, perceived lack of energy of over your life and unfavourable ideas will ramp up shortly.

If you alternatively begin your day by shifting slowly, by having an uplifting dialog with your loved ones or good friend otherwise you spend a while with studying or listening to inspiring and useful articles or podcasts over breakfast or throughout your bus trip to work then that may make a giant distinction for the way your entire day will go.

11. Mindfully transfer via your day.

When you spend your time within the current second then it turns into a lot simpler to entry optimistic feelings and to keep sensible about what you possibly can truly do about one thing in your life.

When you get misplaced up to now or future like so many people have spent a whole lot of time on doing then worries very simply grow to be greater.

And failures and errors from the previous being replayed time and again in your thoughts drag you down into pessimism and into stress.

By shifting slowly via your morning and hopefully via a lot of the remainder of your day it turns into simpler to mindfully keep within the second you might be in.

Another easy approach to reconnect with the second in you might be in and to put your full consideration there once more is to focus simply on what’s going on round you proper now for a minute or two with all of your senses.

See it. Hear it. Smell it. Feel the solar, rain or chilly wind in your skin.

It would possibly sound like a small and insignificant factor to do. But this simplifying reconnection with the second can have a really optimistic impact on the remainder of your day.

12. Create a reminder.

Being conscious of your problem is necessary to make an actual change. But in the event you’re pondering that you just’ll simply bear in mind to keep optimistic every day and week then it’s possible you’ll be disillusioned.

So create a reminder on paper or in your good cellphone (I take advantage of the Google Keep app) with 1-3 of the concepts on this article that you just like essentially the most.

13. Say cease in the event you can’t assume straight.

Sometimes after I’m mendacity in mattress and I’m about to go to sleep unfavourable ideas begin buzzing in my thoughts.

Then I say to myself: No, no, we’re not going to take into consideration this now (let’s do it in a while as an alternative).

For instance, within the morning after I’ve gotten some sleep. When I revisit a scenario with some level-headed pondering then in 80% of the instances the problem could be very small to nonexistent.

14. Be grateful for the stuff you usually take as a right.

Take a minute as you get away from bed within the morning or get into it within the night and put your consideration on a couple of issues that many on this planet should not have or issues it’s possible you’ll take as a right.

A couple of of my favorites:

• Three regular meals a day.
• A roof over my head through the lengthy, chilly seasons right here in Sweden.
• As a lot clear water as I would like.

This is an easy approach to shift your consideration away from a unfavourable subject that could be bouncing round in your head and snowballing. Or to simply begin the day on the correct foot and set a optimistic tone of thankfulness for the remainder of it.

15. Take 3-5 minutes to use a gratitude journal.

If you need to develop on the thankfulness behavior then take into account making a gratitude journal the place you, for instance, write solutions to questions like these for 3-5 minutes within the morning or night:

• What are 3 issues I can be pleased about in my life at this time?
• Who are 3 folks that I may be grateful to have in my life and why?
• What are 3 issues I can be pleased about about myself?

You can use a pocket book, a easy notepad or just a notice taking app in your cellphone in your journal.

16. Practice optimistic self speak as finest you possibly can.

How you speak to your self makes a giant distinction.

We all have an internal critic that may usually pop up and begin to criticize you for what you might be doing (or what you didn’t do yesterday).

A fast approach to cut back the affect of that internal critic to keep cease, as I discussed in tip #4 and #13. A couple of cease phrases which have been the best for me are, for example:

• Nope! Nope! Nope!
• Stop!
• Nope, we’re not taking place that path once more!

This additionally works nicely when a unfavourable considered any variety that you realize can simply develop into a giant snowball pops up in your head.

So cease unfavourable self-talk shortly and also you’ll have more room, time and power to spare to give attention to the optimistic ideas and taking optimistic steps ahead in your life.

But even be variety to your self and speak to your self in a optimistic approach:

• Encourage your self to take a small step ahead.
• Tell your self you can take the following step ahead and that you just’re a sensible and succesful particular person.
• Pat your self in your again for one thing you bought completed.
• Be variety and useful – as talked about earlier – when you’ve a setback.

You’ll not solely really feel loads higher in the event you focus as finest you possibly can on optimistic self speak but additionally carry out loads higher in my expertise.

17. Spend 80% of your time specializing in options.

It’s straightforward to get dragged away into making a mountain out of molehill, to really feel powerless or like a sufferer in the event you dwell an excessive amount of in your issues or challenges in life.

So a great rule of thumb is to spend simply 20% of your time on that and 80% of your time on specializing in an answer to what troubles you.

You might not be ready to discover a full resolution to each problem you face, a minimum of not proper now. But you possibly can most frequently do one thing or a couple of issues to cut back that subject in your life or make it simpler to take care of.

18. Remember: a foul day will typically simply be a foul day.

Sometimes, even in the event you use a handful of the highly effective ideas and habits on this article your day or week will nonetheless be form of dangerous.

That’s OK. It’s regular. Life merely has its pure peaks and valleys.

Things is not going to be nice on a regular basis.

But right here’s two attention-grabbing issues:

Reminding your self of this straightforward reality of life might help you to additionally do not forget that you’re not alone on this. Every human on this Earth has ups and downs in life (even when they fight to declare in any other case on for instance particular media).

If you settle for that life is rather like this typically and also you let go off that dream of perfection and of all the pieces being superior on a regular basis you’ll create much less struggling for your self and your life be lighter and happier.

19. Celebrate small and greater successes.

If you solely have a good time while you’ve had a giant win or overcome some large problem then it turns into very straightforward to lose that motivation and optimistic perspective that you realize helps out loads in lots of areas of your life.

But you possibly can replenish it extra usually by merely celebrating each small and greater successes.

You can for instance have a good time:

• Taking that first step ahead with one thing you’ve procrastinated on for a while.
• Getting a great grade in your most up-to-date take a look at in class.
• Signed a brand new shopper at work.
• Having gone for a 3 minute jog for the primary time in a very long time.
• Flossed every single day this week.

And you possibly can for example have a good time that by:

• Having your favourite meals for lunch.
• Eating a tasty snack.
• Spending a little bit of time in your favourite pastime.
• Going to the films tonight or this weekend.
• Buying your self one thing you’ve wished for weeks now.

I do know, it might sound a bit foolish to have a good time small victories – it did to me, a minimum of – however you’ll actually be serving to and strengthening your self, your motivation ranges and your optimistic mindset in the event you do.

Here’s the following step…

Now, it’s possible you’ll assume to your self:

“This is really helpful information. But what’s the easiest way to put this into practice, actually stick with it and stay positive even on tough days?”.

Well, I’ve bought one thing particular for you.

A free step-by-step guidelines that features the highest steps on this article. Save it or print it out so you’ve it in your each day life and for the following time while you get caught in unfavourable pondering.

Click the picture under to obtain the free guidelines:

Image in the beginning of the article by Sterlic (license).