How do you see your life: full of opportunities or quite challenging to deal with? What about your glass? Is it half empty or half full? How you answer these questions reflects your viewpoint on life, whether positive or negative. Researches suggest that having an optimistic mindset can aid in stress management while also enhancing your overall health and wellbeing. From combating low self-esteem to minimising the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving physical health, positive thinking can do much more than you think.
We at SoulSensei believe that learning how to think positive always allows one to transform potential challenges into learning opportunities, see the best in people, and embrace a life filled with light. If you find yourself stuck in a spiral of pessimism, this is the blog you need! Read more and learn how to develop positive thinking in six simple yet effective ways. But, let us first begin by clearing up the basics of positive thinking.
What is Positive Thinking?
Positive thinking refers to the practice of approaching life’s challenges with a positive attitude by focusing on the good in every situation life puts us in. It not only impacts our mental and physical health but also inculcates a sense of hope that everything in life will go well. Developing positivity acknowledges hardships but focuses on finding strength and opportunity within them. If you are still wondering why positive thinking is important, here are a few reasons to consider:
- Learning how to improve positive thinking can help promote creativity.
- It can help boost your resistance to illnesses, including the common cold.
- Positive thinking not only helps improve physical health but also ensures a longer lifespan.
- Once you learn how to think positive when depressed, you can seamlessly enhance your coping skills and significantly boost your mood.
- It can also help manage stress, enhance pain tolerance, and improve overall psychological health.
- Upon learning how to develop positive thinking, you will notice a significant shift in your thinking pattern. You will begin to think with clarity which will further enhance your problem-solving skills, going through various situations in life.
Now that you know the significant impact positive thinking can have on your life, it is time to learn how to improve positive thinking. The first step leading to thinking positively begins with identifying and addressing your negative thoughts. This could include:
- Catastrophic Thinking: This is when you experience a minor setback and immediately expect the worst.
- Negative Filtering: This is when you turn a blind eye to the good side of a situation and only focus on the negative side.
- Self-Blaming: This is when you blame yourself for every disappointing situation that occurs in life or when something goes wrong.
- All-or-Nothing Mindset: This is when you see things as either good or bad and there is no in-between.
Every time a negative thought crosses your mind, try shifting your focus to the positives with rational thinking. This is not an overnight journey, and your negative thoughts might not leave you just so soon. But practising, positive self-talk and learning how to improve positive thinking can make a significant difference.
Top 6 Ways to Think Positive
Once you have nailed dealing with negative thoughts, it is time to learn how to think positively. Here are six ways that can help embrace positive thinking every day:
1. Keep a Gratitude Journal
This might not seem like a foolproof way to learn how to think positively, but building a habit of sitting down each day to note the things you are grateful for automatically pushes you to shift focus on the good things of your life. Doing so helps you feel more optimistic, develop a better outlook on life, and improve sleep as well.
2. Use Positive Self-Talk
Indulging in positive self-talk can have a significant impact on your emotions and response to stress. When learning how to think positively, good self-talk can help you navigate and transform your negative thoughts, revealing an optimistic outlook on life.
3. Picture a Bright Future
Learning how to think positively about your future requires you to imagine the best version of what lies ahead. Envision in detail your successful, happy future—your career, health, relationships and hobbies—and write it down. Research suggests that imagining a good life ahead can make you feel happier in the present moment.
4. Keep a Smile on Your Face
A simple smile can make all the difference when learning how to think positively, even when going through stressful situations. So, spend more time around those who make you happy, and keep looking for humour in life.
5. Focus on Your Personal Strengths
Your personal strengths are your superpower for leading an optimistic life. Try this for a week: each day, focus on one of your personal strengths—such as organisation, creativity, discipline or kindness—and write how you plan to use it differently that day. Then, simply act on it. By the end of the week, you will notice how it gave you a boost of happiness and minimised the symptoms of depression.
6. Follow a Healthy Lifestyle
You might not realise this in the beginning, but exercising every day can significantly impact your mood and help reduce stress. Whether it’s a 30-minute workout session for five days a week or following a healthy diet and getting enough sleep, a healthy lifestyle is sure to add positivity to your life.
We hope this blog helps you learn how to think positively and encourages you to build an optimistic mindset. Additionally, watch this video by Dr. Ddevika, a certified health, wellness and spiritual coach at SoulSensei. In this video, she discusses five easy steps to build a routine for reinforcing positivity in your life.
Sources
- Sherwood, A. (2018). What Is Positive Thinking? [online] WebMD.
- Cherry, K. (2023). The Power of Positive Thinking. [online] Verywell Mind.
- Kim, E.S., Hagan, K.A., Grodstein, F., DeMeo, D.L., De Vivo, I. and Kubzansky, L.D. (2016). Optimism and Cause-Specific Mortality: A Prospective Cohort Study. American Journal of Epidemiology, 185(1), pp.21–29.
- Mayo Clinic Staff (2023). Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress. [online] Mayo Clinic.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How to stay positive in life?
You can stay positive in life by identifying your negative thoughts and reframing them into positive ones, finding the good in every situation, focusing on personal strengths, practising gratitude, following a healthy lifestyle, and smiling more.
2. How can I train my mind to think positively?
You can train your mind to think positively by practising gratitude, identifying and discarding negative thought patterns, being optimistic about the future, and indulging in positive self-talk.
3. Why is positive thinking important?
Positive thinking is important to manage stress as well as to improve both your mental and physical health. It helps promote creativity, resist illnesses, improve pain tolerance, and boost moods. Furthermore, it enables you to think with clarity, enhance your problem-solving skills and look at life in a positive light.
