Positivity: 10 Tips to Change Your Negative Mindset
Using positivity to help us be more successful or happier might sound like a no-brainer. But why then do most people not apply this idea in a conscious and rational way? In this article, we will look at how positivity can alter someone’s mental and physical state as well as provide tools to help you change your mindset.
What is positivity?
It’s rare to find someone who doesn’t want to live a happier life.
“Positivism” is formally a philosophical movement whose main idea is based on the definition of arguments that try to define a concept as true or false. But the idea has evolved over the years and is now something totally different. Now, positivity is related to seeing each activity in some kind of beneficial way. It’s closely related to faith and self-confidence.
However, believing that everything will turn out well is not a simple matter – nor does it guarantee that a happy ending will actually happen. Still, it fills us with conviction and inner strength to try.
At its core, positivity is about putting aside the negative, isolating all feelings of failure, and turning them into success and joy.
How can you integrate positivity?
Positivity is a state of mind, it is nothing more than a way of seeing things. Therefore, it can be modified and transformed into a habit. And while this shift won’t happen overnight, it’s easier than people realize.
If you spend a few hours of your day analyzing your thoughts, you will discover that you are actually more negative than you think. So, there is a way to improve and eliminate all the negativity in order to increase positivity and its effects on your life.
Just with phrases like: “I hope everything goes well”, “I might win”, “I don’t think I did as well as I expected, etc.”, people condition themselves under a negative mental state. It not only limits our ability to adapt and cope, but it can create other problems elsewhere in our minds and bodies.
Modifying such thoughts for others such as: “I know I will do very well”, “Of course I will win”, “I did better than I expected, etc.” are some simple ways to start the shifting process.
Fear keeps positivity away
It makes us insecure, it restricts us, and it alienates us. Fear is something natural, it is that alarm that tells us, “Beware, something might happen.” However, what will truly happen? Are outcomes really as bad as we imagine them? Or is the swirl of nightmarish thoughts the real enemy?
More often than not, our modern-day reactions to fear make no sense.
It has been shown that people with a positive mind live longer and better than people with a negative one. Fear literally can cut our lifespan. So, we can choose to wake up in the morning and grumble about everything wrong with the day. Or, we can try to find the good in things.
Being positive is almost synonymous with being happy
A day-to-day reality is that positive people relate better and have more friends and acquaintances because they give off positive energy and good vibes. You know that if you approach them you will have good feelings, and that is something we all like. You know that you will have fun, and maybe even feel that positivity they portray.
First impressions are a perfect example of this.
When we see a person we don’t know smile, we “like” them better than someone who is next to them, serious and grumpy. This does not mean that we have to go around smiling at everyone, however, a small grin can make you more approachable.
Positivity: Tips & Facts
It’s up to you
You set your mindset: positive or negative.
According to psychiatrists and psychologists, 50% of our character is determined by genetic factors; and 10% by our environment, but there is a 40% that depends only on us and our attitude towards life. It’s this 40% that we must work on to nurture positivity and therefore live longer.
The happier, the healthier
It not only helps you reduce stress and anxiety, but it also protects your overall health. According to a study from University College London, maintaining a positive attitude is linked to having a strong immune system and therefore fewer neuroendocrine, inflammatory and cardiovascular problems.
Look for the bright side
With everything that happens to us, there are both positive and negative aspects. The trick is to look for the bright side even in the negative. Even the worst criticism can be constructive.
Focus on finding something good in adversity. For example, there is no doubt that receiving negative criticism is hard to take. But in the face of criticism, you can choose to believe that you didn’t deserve it. The other person just wanted to hurt you. Or, if you are at fault, reflect on what you’ve been told and find the nugget of truth that helps you be a better person.
Focus on the solution
Whenever you find yourself in a difficult situation, instead of dwelling on the problem (which will lead you nowhere but to despair) concentrate on finding a solution. Then, define the steps that will allow you to reach it. This will help you to abandon the negative mindset.
In general, setting goals (as long as they are realistic) gives us a more positive outlook on life and encourages us to move forward. If the problem or concern is something you can’t change, try to accept it and accept that life is sometimes “unfair”.
It doesn’t make sense to waste your energy worrying. Constantly thinking about it will only make you more frustrated.
Pay attention to the subtleties
Avoid polarized thinking. It’s never all or nothing. Things are not just black or white; between the two extremes, there are many shades of gray. Instead of thinking about only two outcomes (one positive and one negative), make a list of all the possible outcomes that can happen between the two options. This will help you realize that the situation is not so dramatic.
Don’t blame yourself
Don’t think you are responsible for everything that goes wrong. If your neighbor doesn’t greet you in the elevator doesn’t mean she’s upset with you, she’s probably having a bad day.
Stop complaining
Constant complaining strengthens the chain of harmful thoughts. If we think in destructive or negative terms we end up making them happen. Your goal should be to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and that should be noted in your language as well.
Substitute expressions like “I’ve made a mistake” with “I’ve learned that” or “If I don’t make it through the job interview, I won’t be able to pay for the house” with “I’m confident in my abilities to get this job. Everything can be formulated in a positive way; the more you practice the easier it will be.
Visualize future achievements
The simple fact of imagining yourself getting what you want (making it to the end of the month, passing an exam, etc.) makes you feel more positive about the effort it takes to achieve those goals and unconsciously increases your self-confidence. Let your imagination run wild and visualize those scenes.
Nourish yourself with positive emotions
Positive thinking is certainly easier if you are also feeling positive. To encourage this, the best thing is to do activities that you like and that bring you joy, satisfaction, happiness, etc. Watching a funny movie, having a coffee with a friend, or playing with your children are simple, everyday things that boost your positivity.
The problem is that sometimes the little joys go unnoticed or we get used to them, and when we consider them normal we stop appreciating them. To prevent this from happening, reflect at night on all the good things that the day brought you and write down in a notebook five things that made you happy that day.
Surround yourself with positive people!
Like smiles or yawns, optimism and pessimism are also contagious. Try to surround yourself with positive people, as this will be very beneficial for your mood. Likewise, avoid pessimists as much as possible. And if you can’t avoid the buzzkill try to counteract their negativity.
