15 Behavioural Tips to Develop the Habit of Positivity

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“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” - Willie Nelson

There’s no doubt about it, having a negative attitude can have a huge impact on overall health, upsetting the balance within, and being a source of additional stress in our life.

For some, negativity has been a lifelong habit. So, what can you do to effectively change this ‘inner bad language?’

#1 Commit to positive thinking. When you wake up each day give yourself a mini pep talk – what do you want to achieve? How will you react to situations? How will you avoid negative thoughts? Remember, thinking positive is a habit, this means you can learn to do it!

#2 Notice negativity. When you become aware of the negativity in your attitude, you become more conscious of your internal thoughts, and therefore you can begin to challenge this behaviour.

#3 Record negative thoughts. Make a record of any negative comments you make throughout the day. Can you see a pattern in your thoughts? Is it related to work, other people, your health? How can you begin to challenge this behaviour?

#4 Appreciate what you do have. What are you thankful for? Appreciation can turn anger, and frustration into something more positive. Focus on your strengths, or what’s good about your life. We all have weaknesses, but focusing on our strengths prevents them getting the better of us.

#5 Create a gratitude journal. At the end of each day try writing down five things that made you happy, or thankful. Are you grateful for your health? Having food to eat? Or, having children or a partner who you love?

#6 Focus on your motives. What motivates you? Maybe it’s your family, your job, your love of music, or your religion. Whatever it is, focus on that when you get discouraged.

#7 Accept that you fail sometimes. Remember, there’s no shame in making mistakes - accept them, learn from them, and move on! Michael Jordan said, “I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

#8 Avoid limiting beliefs. These are statements, such as “I can’t do this!” Instead try saying “How can I do this?” or “How is this possible?” This way you become more open to new possibilities and solutions. In difficult circumstances try to see opportunities to learn, grow, and experience.

#9 Focus on what you can change, rather than what you can’t. Often circumstances arise that are completely out of our control. We can’t change them, so stop worrying! If you feel your life really sucks, what can you do to change it? Try setting one or two goals now!

#10 Be educated. Read motivational books, listen to podcasts, and ask others what they did to improve their skills.

#11 Befriend positive people. There’s no doubt about it, being with naturally happy people elevates our mood. Allow their positivity to rub off on you, and learn how they react to stressful circumstances in their own life.

#12 Laugh often. Laughing has a wonderful way of reducing stressful feelings, connecting us with others, and generally making us feel better. Try to bring laughter into your life whenever possible!

#13 Help those in need. Giving your time to help others helps refocus the mind on what really matters. Do you have an elderly neighbour who could use some help? Maybe you could prepare a meal for them once each week, or offer to take them shopping. What about community volunteer work?

#14 Learn from negative experiences. Make it a your new goal to learn something from each negative life experience. This way you turn a negative occurrence into something positive.

#15 Remember, most things pass with time. There will be a tomorrow, and circumstances may change much sooner than you expect.

What I’m suggesting isn’t intended to be mindless positive thinking where you pretend everything’s okay, when clearly it isn’t. It’s more about making the choice to be positive, and learning something good from every situation.

“I am not afraid of tomorrow, for I have seen yesterday and I love today.” -William Allen White

What are your tips for staying positive?

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