It is relatively easy to dwell on the negativity that surrounds us. We rarely question or bask in the positivity that is relayed to us. If a negative comment or situation passes us by we let those thoughts ruminate. We slowly start to believe it to be true. All the while this negativity is taking over our lives and impacting several aspects of our day-to-day. It is not easy to get over a recent breakup, being laid off from work, or losing someone special in our lives. But building positive reinforcement to tackle the negatives which come our way is crucial to moving ahead in life.
Benefits of Positive Thinking
It can be slightly difficult to look at life as a series of opportunities, especially when negativity strikes. However, research has suggested having a positive outlook adds plenty of positives to your well-being.
For one, positive thinking helps to negate stress. With positivity, we are looking at ways to move around stressful situations. Stress is known to negatively impact our bodies. At the forefront, it lowers immunity. When you are finding ways to manage stress, your body is spending less time in that stressful state, boosting your immune system.
Positive thinking promotes happiness and psychological well-being. Some research has linked this state to contributing toward better heart health. Other research has linked lower chances of mortality from serious health conditions among those who have an optimistic outlook.
Among all the physical benefits, the mental health benefits also amount in plenty. Positive thinking for one has been observed to lower rates of depression and anxiety. With an optimistic outlook, you are less likely to engage in self-loathing, guilt, and intrusive thoughts, prime concerns linked with mental health conditions.
10 Ways To Build A Positive Outlook
The key here is not really giving up negativity or opting for a positive way of life. It is more about finding a way to navigate through possible negativity that you encounter. There is often no way to avoid negative circumstances. But looking at it as a prospect to overcome, and building the ability to do so is largely what a positive outlook entails.
1. Accept The Imperfect
A lot of negativity stems from us expecting things to be a certain way. While there is nothing wrong with this, it is an indirect way in which we put stress on ourselves. One way is to stop comparing ourselves to others. There is no perfect way or journey to reach a goal. The second is to avoid changing people and circumstances. Once we shrug these off, we will notice feeling lighter.
2. Find Humor in Things That Don’t Go Your Way
We will often find ourselves taking everything that doesn’t go our way as a negative outcome. However sometimes just laughing at some situations as a big mistake can help us to be more accepting of challenges when they come our way. Look at situations as ones to learn from. Know that you will make mistakes. Sometimes the smile through picking yourself up and dusting off failure reinforces your optimism.
3. Surround Yourself With Optimism
Negativity breeds more negativity. People, situations, and even habits that encourage staying negative should be avoided. Sit and reflect on what brings you down. Or rather those that don’t lift you up. These are hindrances you can live without. You will soon feel lighter and look toward each day with a more “can-do” attitude when you shrug all of what makes you believe you can’t.
4. Practice Positivity Daily
Optimism is built. Similar to a muscle flex, if we do not use it, we will lose it. When you approach each day, ask yourself “how can I look at today more optimistically?” Long work hours, difficult colleagues, a mountain of laundry? All of it can be tackled by breaking it down one task at a time. The key is to limit overwhelming yourself. Once each task is accomplished you are automatically adding more positivity to your day through your small achievements.
5. Practice Being Kind To Yourself
Cut yourself some slack. Not everything will go the way that you expect it to. It is okay to make mistakes, to fail, and even give up sometimes. We are not superhuman. Some days are tougher than the others. Give time for yourself to heal. Take a break away from people. It is okay to express vulnerability. Recovery happens when we accept this.
6. Spend Time On Cultivating Healthy Habits
Being healthy fuels your body toward a more optimistic outlook. Eating healthy, exercising, sleep, make us feel good. This, in turn, encourages leading a more optimistic life. When we know our body can, our mind also believes it.
7. Let The Outdoors Uplift You
Being in nature and outside, in general, can drastically help improve your sense of wellbeing. Being cooped up in the house or even the four walls of office space with light that is not natural is known to lower general mood. Some exposure to natural light daily has been studied to drastically improve mood and encourage optimism.
8. Don’t Hesitate to Give Back
By lending a helping hand we are not only bringing a smile to someone else’s face, but we are also increasing our general well-being. There are several ways to volunteer within your communities. If you don’t have the time to volunteer, single random acts of kindness when possible also help. These simple gestures help us step away from the small bubble where we cultivate negative thoughts. We look through a larger lens, often to situations where we might be better off. It encourages a more positive mindset.
9. Journal Your Negative Moments to Manage Them Better
With the daily hustle of life, it can often be easy to overlook the situations that are contributing to our negativity. Take some time out daily to reflect on ways you were unable to tackle negative situations. It is when we reflect we can understand ways we could have worked around it. Read back on what you have written. Also, write down things that made you feel positive and thankful for. You will soon realize this to be a long list!
10. Seek Help When You Are Unable To Cope
Being positive is not always easy. There are so many things today that make it easy to feel negative. For one, social media and living in an online world limit human exposure. Loneliness is a breeding ground for negative thoughts. When situations are beyond the scope of your ability, consider talking to a professional. Negative emotions can be linked with depression or anxiety, which can limit your normal daily functioning. A healthcare professional can help you navigate through them,
The bottom line is, that there is no one way to maintain a positive outlook. It looks different for everyone. This is why introspecting and understanding situations and people that contribute to your negative ecosystem is vital. Find ways to work around them. What works for one, might not work for another.
Try to include positivity in small doses every day. Make it routine. Soon you will observe feeling lighter from the expectations that negativity brings, and more fulfilled from the joys positivity brings.