As we all know, keeping a positive mental attitude is utmost important if we wanted to build a successful life.
The problem with most people (including me) is that it is very difficult and challenging to consistently think positive about whatever happens in our life.
Sometimes we just can’t realize and are not conscious about our thoughts. We think about destructive thoughts and did not realize it.
The first step in developing a positive mind is to be conscious about our thought. We need to understand our feelings and our thoughts at the particular moment so that we can change it.
Sometimes when things happen, we’re just trapped in the situation, can’t help but thinking negatively.
For example, most people will think negatively and worried when they get fired instead of thinking positively and constructively about the possibility that will happen to them.
It is just too common that we have been programmed to think that way. Our society has taught us to worry when bad things happen such as being sacked or been rejected by someone.
And luckily we can reprogram our mind to develop and to make positive thinking our habit. And here are the 7 keys how we can create a positive mental attitude that will change our lives for the better…
1. Use Positive Language
It is said that the words that you use will shape your destiny. If you read Anthony Robbins’ Awaken The Giant Within, you will understand clearly how our language that we used in our day to day conversation can affect our lives.
It is a completely different feeling when you say you are “frustrated” and when you say you are “a little confused”.
And if you can change the way you feel, you can definitely change the way you make decision and the way you act. Thus, changing your vocabulary can definitely change your life.
Here’s a great example, when you wanted to recommend a great movie to your friends, what words would you use? Consider the 2 examples below:
“This movie is good, go watch it.”
“This movie is fantastic, go watch it.”
Which of the above sounded more exciting and more powerful in attracting your friends to watch the movie? You know the answer.
And if you notice, from the examples above, only 1 word that change. With just the change of one word, it affects the emotion that we associate with our feelings.
Just imagine what would happen if you make it a habit to use positive words to describe everything in your life and in your daily conversation. Do you think it is going to create a huge impact in your life?
So starting from now, use more positive and empowering language in your life, whether it is when you are talking to someone or when you talk to yourself in your head.
2. Manage Your Inner Voice
Do you know that we talk to ourselves most of the time? Some people called it the inner voice, some people call it self-talk and some people call it self speech.
If you want to create a positive mindset, you definitely have to learn how to manage your inner voice. In fact, most people feel negative because they talk to themselves negatively.
What would you tell yourself when you are sacked from your company? Most people will worry about their future, worry about the money that they need to survive and worry about the uncertainty that lies ahead.
This is mainly because they talk to themselves in a negative way. They say to themselves, “what if I can’t find another job?”; “what if I can’t pay my bills?”; or “I have failed that’s why my company sacked me.”
These thoughts are not going to help you at all. If you want to stay positive, you have to talk to yourself in an empowering way. Such as telling yourself:
“Great, finally I’m free and able to explore more about my life and my passion.”, or “Great, I always wanted to go for a long holiday, now I’m fired and I got the chance to do so and discover myself more.”
How you talk to yourself will greatly affect your emotion. If you talk to yourself in a positive way, you will feel empowering and confident.
Thus, learn to manage your inner voice. Talk to yourself in an empowering way to build more positivity in your life.
3. Improve Your Self-Image
How do you feel about yourself? How do you look at yourself? And how do you describe yourself?
Successful and positive people have a strong self-image. They believe that they are good and they see themselves as successful. That is why they have the confidence and dare to act upon their dreams even when others told them it can’t be done.
Positive thinking has a lot to do with your self-image and your self-esteem. If you have a lot esteem and low self-image, you will think negatively most of the time.
It is when you believe that you have the potential, you have the capability and you have the talent; you will be more positive and able to tap more into your own potential.
So how can you improve your self-image? It can be as simple as changing your outlook. How do you feel when you dress professionally compare to when you dress casually? Can you feel the difference? Absolutely.
This is why there are some clothes that we love so much and we tend to save them for “important” event because we believe that when we wear them, they give us the confident and we look good in them.
How do you feel if your hair is messy compare to when you are well groomed? Does it makes a different in the way we feel? Definitely.
We care about how others look at us. We believe that when we dressed professionally, people tend to respect us more. This is why we want to drive a better car and living in a better neighborhood because we care about how others look at us.
Therefore, improve your self-image to develop a positive mental attitude. When you are in better shape physically, you will have more energy, more confident and of course, feel more positive about your life.
4. Have a Sense of Humor
When you are happy, you will tend to tap more into your creative potential and be more positive. Have seen someone happy but are not positive? Rarely.
Let me ask you this question right now, do you think that you will accomplish more when you are happy or do you think that when you are happy you will accomplish more?
Which comes to you first? A lot of people thought that when they achieve what they want, then they will be happy. This is often the other way round. Studies have shown us that people who are happy tend to achieve more.
You first need to be happy, have a sense of humor, and then you will be able to tap into your potential to achieve more.
Very often, we have the thought, “If I achieve ________, then I will be happy.” Or “Once I become ________, I will be happy.”
You have to understand that happiness is the both the reason and the result for achievement. When you are happy, you will be more positive about the future.
So don’t be too rigid. Instead, be more flexible with the possibilities of life. You don’t have to be too serious about life as well. When you look at things too seriously, you will get yourself trapped in the situation where you just can’t change.
Hence, try to be more flexible and have fun in life. It is when you feel the happiest that you will get the creative juice flowing in you the most.
5. Practice Healthy Lifestyle
It is difficult to feel positive when you don’t have a good health. The same like being happy; when you are healthy, you will have more energy to be positive.
Enough sleep
Make sure you get enough sleep. If you don’t have enough sleep, your mind will jam and it will be difficult to think positively. So how many hours of sleep do you need?
Normal people require 6 to 7 hours of sleep. However, this can change according to your lifestyle. Some people sleep 5 hours a day and they can still feel very energetic during the day, while some other people sleep 8 hours and may still feel not enough. So adjust accordingly to your physical need.
Eat healthily
When you eat too much of junk food, you will feel the lack of energy and difficult to focus. Cultivating a positive mindset requires you to consume healthy food. Don’t underestimate what the food you eat can do to your mindset.
Exercise regularly
It is said that when you exercise, your body will release endorphin that will make you feel good. You will feel happy and accomplished after your workout session. This is why studies have shown that with regular exercise, you will be more positive and able to accomplish more.
Additional reading: 45 Tips To Live a Healthier Life
6. Engage With Positive Activities
If you want to be positive, do things that will make you feel positive. You consciously and purposely choose to engage with activities that will make you feel positive. Here are some examples of positive activities that you can do…
Read
Read great books to develop a positive mindset. When you read, you actively focus your mind into thinking what the author has to say. Of course, read great books that will empower and improve your life. If you read comic or unnecessary material, you will flood your mind with the information that will drag you down. Choose to read books that will make you feel positive.
Watch
There are so many great motivational and inspiring movies out there for you to choose. You don’t have to watch comedy all the time even though comedy makes you feel happy some time. Look and learn from successful people who are doing good to the world and the society. Get insights from role models that will inspire you.
Listen
Try to listen more to positive news and information than the negatives. When you mix around with others, are they talking about negative things more than positive things? When you switch on the radio, are you listening to songs that will uplift you or news that has no meaning to you?
Experience
One of the best ways to develop a positive mindset is to experience positive act. What you can do is to register as a volunteer and do something good to the world. You will feel totally different when you help those who are in need.
Try to choose to volunteer for things that you love doing. If you like to keep the environment clean, helping out to take care of children in the orphanage may not make you feel fully engage.
Related article: 47 Ways How To Feel Alive and Happy Again
7. Mix with Positive People
This is definitely one of the most powerful techniques to develop a positive mindset. A lot of successful people dedicated their outstanding success to mixing and networking with the right people.
When you mix with positive people who talk about positive topics and ideas, you will join the conversation and become part of them. On the other hand, if you mix with negative people who talk about other people and blaming all the time, guess what, you will become part of them as well.
It is said that birds of the same feather will fly together. If you mix around with loser you will end up becoming a loser. So go and mix with winners, so you will become one as well.
Imagine when you mix with other successful people, what are the topics that they talk about most of the time? They would discuss about business, net worth, stock market, etc.
What happen when you mix with people who always blame and complain? They will talk about how the economy slows them down and how unfair the government policy is going to be.
Can you see it? Who you mix around will determine what you talk and discuss about. And this will greatly affect your thinking as you are part of the people you mix with.
The Conclusion
Adopting a positive mental attitude is not complicated. It is just that you need to be conscious and do it actively until it becomes a habit. And when it becomes your habit, you will automatically think positively most of the time.
You have to consistently remind yourself to be positive all the time. This is why tools such as goal setting and a vision board help a lot.
Do let me know your opinion about thinking positive and this article.
