The best possible attitude that anyone could adopt is the attitude of an optimist. The attitude of a positive thinker. Today I’ll be sharing some positive thinking tips you can adopt to be more happy overall in your daily life.
With a positive attitude, you will think more constructively and meaningfully. And, life will be a whole lot better.
Being a positive thinker is synonymous with being a believer. You’ll make moves that most people wouldn’t dare to make. You will take new paths and reach a particular destination you crave for.
Besides, you won’t be scared of any failure or setback that you might encounter. You will typically feel motivated to keep taking action!
So, the power of positive thinking is insurmountable! As a positive thinker, you’re literally unstoppable.
Positive Thinking Tips
The question now is; how do you develop this vital mindset? How do you become a positive thinker?
The key is; you have to shun being pessimistic. But how?
Well, in this article, I will highlight 15 positive thinking tips that will help you move your life from a pessimistic end to an optimistic end. Ladies and gentlemen, shall we?
1. Start By Replacing The Negativity In Your Life
Want to develop a positive mindset? Then start shaking off negativity from your life. Be mindful of the thoughts you contain in your mind! Or the people you keep close to yourself.
Start by asking yourself; what are the 3 main streams of Negativity in my life? It could be a friend, or the books you read, the podcast you listen to, even the movies you watch or the blogs you visit! (No worries, you’re safe with this one.)
Whatever they are, once you are able to identify them (the 3 main sources of negativity), then start eliminating them.
How do you go about this?
First, generate ideas on how to limit the time you spend on those sources of negativity. Write down any idea(s) you come up with (this is necessary so you don’t forget easily). Then plan on how to execute those ideas.
Now, the next thing is to channel your valuable time to more positive things…
Related: How To Remove Negativity From Your Life And Be Happier
2. Always Focus On The Good Side Of A Situation
Another great positive thinking tip is to always find the good side of any situation.
You see, the main difference between a positive-minded person and a pessimist is their perceptions! Their difference comes from how they view things and how they choose to understand.
Typically, pessimists will rather give up along the way when they face obstacles. They will see no reason to keep pushing. They will simply feel like the only alternative when they feel stuck is to quit.
But that’s not a thing for a positive thinker.
Positive thinkers are optimists. They always believe that there is a way out of any problem. A way to resolve any issue and keep pushing. They don’t simply back down.
If you really want to delve into the positive side of life, then you must find a way to stay up when life hits you hard. When faced with a negative situation, you have to focus on the positive side.
Did you lose a job? Remember you are alive and you can always get a new job with your qualifications. So, stay up and keep pushing.
Did you lose a friend or someone close to you? Sure, you still have the good memories to hold on to. Those good memories should be your consolation.
Just so you know, any negative situation can be handled if you learn how to focus on the good side.
Always find a way to stand up and stay up.
3. Forgive Yourself
No matter how hard you try, sometimes your BEST might not be good enough. As a matter of fact, your failure might be due to inescapable circumstances or maybe as a result of your own mistake.
Sure, it’s normal to blame yourself for certain shortcomings, but don’t do it for long! If you really want to be positive, you have to learn how to forgive yourself and move on. Blaming yourself for so long and holding on to that failure will only lead to self-destruction.
4. Give Yourself Some Credit
Due to frustration or dissatisfaction, we often forget the things we did right. We tend to focus on our inadequacies and feel like we are not good enough.
Well, if I must say, that is a very negative way of living! Just like you take the blame for being wrong, also learn to give yourself some credit for a little progress. You truly deserve it.
Even if you’ve messed up in certain aspects, you have to feel a bit complacent where you got them right. That’s a good way to stay motivated to even get better.
5. Learn From Your Past Mistakes
Your past mistakes are not there for you to hold on to. They are there for you to learn from!
Our brains are wired to repeat what we find convenient. Now, if your mistakes happened because you got so comfortable, you might repeat those mistakes a thousand more times (where you failed to LEARN from them).
The past is gone. So, no matter how much that particular mistake hurts, you can’t change what happened.
You can only learn from the mistake by:
- Understanding why it happened in the first place, and then
- Changing the behavior that resulted in the mistake.
6. List Your Strengths
Pessimism at times might force you to start thinking that you can’t do it, that you can’t achieve it. That the goal is too much for you to reach. Or that you don’t have what it takes…
But no!
There are thousands of capacities inside of you, waiting to be triggered and explored. You have to remind yourself what you are capable of.
I will give a little illustration;
Let’s say you are seeking a position in a reputable multinational firm, and your gut is letting you down, then you have to create a list of those strengths you’ve got; those certifications that qualify you for the position; those raw skills or talents you’ve got.
Also, list out the experiences you’ve gathered over the years. This will help you to focus on the reason why you will be hired. Not the reason why you won’t. And of course, that’s a typical way of being positive!
You’ll be motivated to take the bold step.
7. Acknowledge Your Weaknesses
One of the best positive thinking tips is to admit your weaknesses. A positive-minded person always wants to improve. But there is no way you can ever improve if you don’t accept your shortcomings.
The advice here is that you have to take note of the things you are not good at, then work hard and improve on them.
This will make you a more sophisticated person. You’ll be well-versed and your confidence will improve. But remember, it all starts with acknowledging your shortcomings.
Related: 11 Tips On How To Invest In Yourself And Change Your Life
8. Speak Positively
What you speak determines what you have in your mind. So, there is a strong connection between the words you speak and the kind of mindset you have.
A positive minded person will only speak positive words at all times. If you are used to negative speech, then get intentional about the words you speak.
Where you used to say; I can’t, learn how to start saying; I can. Where you used to say; it’s impossible, start saying; I see possibilities.
If you can start practicing positive speech, it won’t be long before you start thinking positively. Can I get an amen, somebody?
9. Always Work Out
Experts suggest that working out does not only build your body but your mind as well. So, regular exercise won’t only make you shed some body weight. It also alleviates your mental burden!
When you’re drained mentally and a wave of negative feelings seems to occupy your mind, just 15-30 minutes of physical activities can go a long way to set your mind free.
Regular workouts will help in building your sense of determination. Also, with periodic exercises, you will start focusing on something else… Not just negative thoughts.
Exercising regularly is easily a positive habit that results in positive thinking.
Related: Easy Ways To Be More Active Without Going To Gym
10. Stop Making A Big Deal Out Of Nothing
This is one issue many people have to deal with. There are certain insignificant incidents that we face at times but we end up making a big deal out of them.
You’re probably familiar with that feeling when you make a minor error (let’s say, at work), then you get so afraid it might cause the management to fire you. That’s a typical example of making a mountain out of a molehill.
This kind of behavior is typical of a pessimist. Don’t be that person anymore.
11. Focus On The Present
Sometimes, concentrating on the present is all you need in order to discard any negative thoughts arising from the past or regarding the future.
A popular saying has it that; the past is gone, the future is yet to come, but the most valuable commodity you have is TODAY and that is why it is called PRESENT.
Therefore, learn to make the most of your present situation. Learn to concentrate on what happens in your life today. That’s one of the best positive thinking tips you should embrace.
12. Bring Positivity Into Other People’s Lives
The fact remains that; you get what you give.
If you really want to break free from the shackles of negative thoughts, then start by extending positive gestures to others. It’s just simple psychology.
When you light up other people’s lives, you’ll definitely feel good about yourself. And that pleasant feeling is bound to trigger the positive mindset in you.
To do this, start by helping those in need; not necessarily monetary help.
For instance, someone may be in need of your comfort or companionship during hard times. Surely, if they can rely on you in such situations, they will value you. Consequently, you’ll value yourself a little bit more too.
13. Take Things Slowly
Going fast in life seems all nice and cool. But going too fast is negative. When lots of things start happening in your life because of too much haste, it often doesn’t end well.
In such situations, you start having accumulated stress both physically and mentally. You won’t be prudent enough to judge right. You’ll lose your acumen. And most likely, lots of negative thoughts and emotions will flood your mind.
It’s nobody’s fault but yours. You rush a lot!
Learn to calm down a bit and take things gradually. This way, you’ll be meticulous enough to make the right decisions in life.
14. Start Your Day On A Good Note
How you start your day goes a long way to determine the outcome of your entire day. This might sound bizarre, but it’s true.
For that reason, always start your day on a positive note.
Some helpful ways to start your day are:
- Walk up to the mirror and tell yourself something positive
- Reminisce and ponder on any useful information that will positively affect your day
- Engage in early morning exercise
- Listen to a motivational podcast or video
- Make your bed
- Declutter quickly
- Meditate/Pray
Ensure you practice some (if not all) of these every morning. There is no positive thinking tip that can be more useful than starting your day well.
Related: Morning Habits To Supercharge Your Day With Positivity
15. Seek To Be Positively Inspired
Yes. One of the best ways to change from pessimism to optimism is by seeking inspiration from positive sources.
You can find yourself a mentor who will inspire you to think positively. You can read motivational books or listen to inspirational podcasts.
There are various other ways you can get inspired positively. Just seek such inspirations and you will surely break into the positive realm of life.
Final thoughts
Applying all these positive thinking tips might not be all that easy (actually, not easy at all) because it has to do with a shift of mindset. But no matter how difficult it might be, once you get intentional about actualizing that shift, it will become a lot easier!
Please pin & share these positive thinking tips!
If these positive thinking tips were helpful to you in any way, please take a moment to pin this post to your personal development board on Pinterest. You can also share it to your favorite social media platform. Thank you!
