Top Tips for Developing a Positive Attitude [Part 2]
Rev. Dr. Kitty Boitnott, NBCT, RScP
Heart-Centered Career Transition and Job Search Coach | Stress Management Coaching
Everyone has times in their lives when they react negatively to a situation. You wouldn't be human if that weren't the case.
But when negativity becomes habitual, it can start to have adverse effects on you. So it may be time to make an attitude change and cultivate a generally positive mindset.
And here are some top tips to help you cultivate a positive attitude:
1. Avoid complaining. Complaining is a negative response to any situation that drains you of energy. Complaining rarely fixes anything. It can just make it worse because you talk about the situation instead of moving on.
2. Express gratitude every day. Say thank you for even the smallest things. Eventually, you will start to become grateful for everything.
3. Keep a list of things you have accomplished. Remembering your wins will help whenever you have a bad day or experience a setback.
4. Let go of the people in your life that you recognize are negative, critical, and abusive of you. They drain your energy. Instead, surround yourself with supportive, positive people.
5. Help others. Volunteer. Think about others instead of dwelling on your problems.
6. Learn to meditate daily. Even a 10-minute meditation first thing in the morning will help you start your day with a positive thought. Then, visualize having a great day.
7. Let go of envy. Envy is a highly negative emotion. It eats at you. Nothing positive comes from feeling envious of others.
8. Be kind and smile at others. Ever noticed that if you smile at someone on the street, they often smile back? It's contagious. Try it.
9. Choose to be happy. Happiness is a choice, after all. When a negative thought enters your mind, push it out as quickly as you notice it. Substitute a happy thought instead.
10. Have faith in yourself. Believe the Universe will help you. It will.
11. Read inspiring stories and watch inspirational movies or television shows. They will help to lift you up.
12. Repeat inspiring and motivating affirmations. Check out Louise Hay and others who offer affirmations that you can use.
13. Practice mastering your thoughts. Access your subconscious mind.
14. Use visualization. Release all thoughts you don't want to happen.
Cultivating a positive outlook takes conscious thought and conscious action.
Be aware of your thoughts. Pay attention to the attitudes of those around you. Once you are aware of the negative thoughts in your environment, you'll be able to counteract them more quickly.
10 Easy Ways to Be Happier
Here's a quick list to help you create a more positive attitude and to be happier.
1) Listen to music you enjoy. Music improves your mood and is an easy thing to do.
2) Don't watch so much television. Read more.
3) Be aware of any negativity--yours and those around you. Negative thoughts and feelings only drain your energy.
4) Make time to be alone with yourself. Sit quietly in your favorite room, in nature. Go anywhere that you can be alone, even if it is only five minutes.
5) Take some time to figure out who you are or who you want to become.
6) Exercise daily. Even a short walk can improve your mood.
7) Have projects and goals to work toward. Working on something that motivates you will keep you happier.
8) Do the things you enjoy doing. Do you like to crochet? Do it daily. Love to read novels? Do it for a few minutes every day. Enjoy hiking? Go ahead and take a hike in the woods.
9) Eliminate the things that don't make you happy. Avoid anything that brings you down.
10) Smile more. Smiling brings on happy feelings. Try smiling even when you don't feel like it. It will help.
Cultivating happiness is one way to build a positive outlook.
Every day, find ways to be happy, even if you have to force it at first.
It will grow on you.
It is definitely possible to cultivate a positive attitude. However, if you've always had a tendency toward a negative attitude, I hope these tips will help.
The main thing is to do something that makes you happy. Staying in your "happy place" will make it more difficult to fall into a negative frame of mind.
Remember that you are the one who is in control of your thoughts. You can make a choice to be successful, have positive thoughts, and be happier or not. It's up to you.
Until next time.
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