One of the best gifts anyone can give themselves is to have a more positive mindset and outlook on life. I am usually a pretty optimistic person but no one is perfect and it takes a lot of self-will to weed through the negativity that can sometimes come your way. It’s called life and I’ve learned a few things along the way that I’m sharing on the blog today.
Practice Positivity
The art of practice is the performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it. This is very similar with the practice of positivity when it comes to your outlook on life. I know we all perceive things differently but the way we interpret it can influence the way we feel about a particular situation.
Some of the key things I’ve learned is to have quiet time each morning. There is something so serene about getting up in the silence of morning and finding time for you. Whether it is through the practice of yoga or meditation or reading the bible, I find that quiet time special in helping level set my day. It grounds me and makes me look at the day through a different set of lens.
I’ve also found that diet and a healthy lifestyle can help. There will always be challenges, negativity, and difficult situations that may come your way but when you have a sense of inner calm and a healthy lifestyle, it is easier to let go of the negativity a lot faster and this will do wonders for your overall well-being and life.
Smile More Often
A smile can lift a bad mood. There’s a saying that “nothing you wear is more important than your smile”. It influences your behavior and in turn can be contagious to those around you.
Scientists have found that smiling on purpose can shift you into a better mood and help you feel better. Just the simple act of putting a smile on your face can lead you to feel joy, amusement, or happiness. Supposedly, smiling on purpose changes brain chemistry. Since I’m more apt to being optimistic and happy by nature, a smile comes a lot more easily to me. For many, the trick to making a smile work for you is to smile until you feel it. You’ll be surprised the many benefits you’ll gain from a simple act like smiling. It will help your body deal with stressful situations more effectively and improve your mood, as well as increase positive thoughts.
So the next time you find yourself feeling blue, crack a smile.
Control the Amount of Negativity
While I want to stay up on the events occurring in the world, sometimes a headline is sufficient to grasp new developments so I usually limit the time I spend with TV or radio, selecting only a few stories to read in full. Yes, you can be selective. Over the years, I’ve also learned to select how much time I spend with relatives and friends that dwell on the negative. As painful as it may be at times, my calendar may not always open to those who consistently drag me down. Instead I try to spend more time with people who’re uplifting and honest. By making this choice, I tend to live consciously with a feeling of gratitude for the moment that overcomes forces that can drag me down.
I’ve also learned that gratitude and the practice of gratitude goes a long way on how to live a more positive life. So the next time you feel stressed, overwhelmed or you’re in a negative situation; remember to smile, practice positivity, and filter what you want coming through to you. I hope you’ll share how you stay positive in the comments below.
