It doesn’t really matter who you are – the fact is, we all have our ups and downs. If your downs seem to outnumber your ups, and negativity seems to be taking hold of your life in various ways and at a lightning fast speed, then you could certainly use a boost. Here are ten wonderful ways you can be more positive – starting right away!
Take Time To do Something You Love Each Day
Taking time out to do something you enjoy can help you regain a more positive sense of being, enjoy your life more, and
stop negative thinking and worries. When you do activities you enjoy, you place yourself in a better frame of mind automatically, without thinking about what you are doing. So, whether you enjoy artwork, writing, or playing fetch with your dog, make a point to do it as frequently as possible. Even a few minutes of fun can help more than you might imagine.
Surround Yourself With People Who are Positive
While there are some people you really don’t have a choice about spending time with (your boss, for instance), there are others who are certainly optional. Choose to spend more time with friend and acquaintances who are a positive influence on you, and their positive moods will rub off.
Help Other People
When you are kind and helpful, you open yourself up to positive energy – plus, you feel really good. Whether you have an elderly neighbor who could use a little help with her yard work, or if one of your children needs a little extra nurturing, or even if a stranger is struggling to open a door, helping out can put you in a more positive frame of mind.
Open Your Mind
When you open your mind to see the big picture, your troubles might look a whole lot smaller – even if they originally seemed to be insurmountable! Look for positive role models in the form of people who have overcome adversity to make the most of themselves, and be sure to take note of the fact that these people did not let negativity get the better of them, even though doing so would have taken less effort than overcoming their circumstances.
Reassess Your Priorities
Take a moment to think about what is really important. Will the small, petty annoyances that might be getting you down today have much of an impact in a week? In a month? In a year? What will remain? It’s likely that family, friends, and other, more important things will take precedence over small irritations.
Be Forgiving
By forgiving yourself and others, you allow room for new possibilities. Living in a state of anger toward yourself or others can paralyze you, and hold you back from reaching your true potential. It is important to understand that things that have happened in the past are all water under the proverbial bridge, and that every moment of every day is an opportunity for a new beginning in one way or another. So, if you are holding a grudge, let it go. You’ll have more energy to expend on positive things!
Exercise Your Body and Your Mind
No matter what is happening in your life, take the time to exercise both your body and your mind. If your life is highly structured, make exercising your body and taking the time to read for at least a few minutes priorities each and every day. When you exercise, you release stress and tension, and you help maintain your physical health. Exercising your body clears negativity by flooding your system with natural feel-good chemicals. It doesn’t take a lot to get some exercise! If you don’t exercise now, start out by taking a little walk outside. If you already exercise but you know you should do more intense workouts, get together with a trainer at your gym, or go online to find a plan for extending your routine.
Reading and creative pursuits help your mind stay limber and young. If you find yourself planted in front of the television set too often, look for ways to do other, more positive things instead.
Clear Clutter
Clearing the clutter from your countertops, kitchen table, spare bedroom, garage, or car does take a little time – but when you do this, you affirm to yourself that you are worthwhile. You deserve to live in a clean space, that is free of clutter and other messes. Clutter creates negativity by taking up space and by promoting a feeling that there’s just not enough time in the day to accomplish the things you need to get done.
Getting rid of things you don’t need, and donating them to an organization that helps people who need a fresh start in life can help you feel good – and it clears more space in your life for the things you really do want. So, if you have things you can live without, get rid of them. Make room for good things!
Remember to Laugh
If you can find a way to really enjoy a good laugh each and every day, you’ll be amazed at how quickly you start to feel better. Laughing releases the same kind of endorphins exercising does, which can change our brain chemistry and make us feel more positive. A good long laugh helps you get more oxygen to your cells, and finding things to laugh about helps clear negativity. Find a favorite comic strip, read a funny joke, or spend time with a person who cracks you up, each and every day. It will do you good!
Envision Your Future in Positive Terms
When you think about your future, really envision yourself living the kind of life you have always wanted, and loving every minute of it. Spend time in creative visualization, and put those grateful thoughts of having an abundance of everything you need, out to the Universe. When inspiration strikes, act on it! You never know when the next good, creative idea is going to show up and help you move forward in your life even faster.
Try using
positive affirmations and self-hypnosis to experience the power of positive thinking.