Positive thinking is known for improving mental and physical health. Why? Positive thinking can eliminate thoughts that lead to depression, anxiety, or additional stressors.
Making it a habit to be positive can bring significant changes to your life. It puts things in perspective and allows you to focus on the good instead of the bad— changing the way you process thoughts about your relationships, your career, and even yourself.
If you’re someone that suffers from anxiety or is currently dealing with stressful circumstances, it can be hard to navigate away from negative thoughts and into a more positive place. But don’t fret, with a little bit of awareness and focus, anyone can work on making the change.
Recognize Thought Patterns
The first step in abandoning negative thinking is to recognize when you’re doing it. This might seem easy, but when you’re in a cycle of perpetuating negative thoughts, it takes some work to recognize the moments you slip into them.
The second you realize your mind is going to a negative place, take a step back, and evaluate what you’re thinking about. Is this serving you? Is it creating unnecessary anxiety? How does it make you feel?
Keep in mind that negative thoughts are usually just a way your mind plays tricks on you. With that in mind, make the conscious decision to stop them in their tracks.
Daily Gratitude
It’s easy to focus on what’s going wrong. That’s why negative thoughts are so hard to break free from.
Positive thinking isn’t just changing your thoughts at the moment, it’s altering the way you think about things in your life. That’s where gratitude comes in.
All of us have something we can be grateful for at any given time. The simple things, like a beautiful day, a beloved pet, or a healthy dinner are typically what enrich our lives. Take a step back from the cycle of negativity and find your place of gratitude.
To get in the habit of being thankful, try jotting down your thoughts of gratitude every day so you can see them in writing.
Smell the Roses
We all have a million things going on in our lives. It’s easy to rush through life and forget to recognize the beauty around us.
But it’s critical to stop and focus on something outside of ourselves. Focus on the sensory experience of life.
How does this help? Something as simple as taking a walk outside and seeing the vibrant green of the trees in the summertime can ground you. It takes you out of your racing mind for a moment and reminds you there’s more to life than checking things off your to-do list.
Embracing positive thinking might not be easy at first, but remember that the challenge is worth it. Once you’re in the habit, you’ll likely feel less anxious, stressed, and uncertain about life.
And, when we’re focusing on the good, we can manifest it in different ways all around us. What could be better than helping to build a more positive world?
