Happiness is one of the most talked-about – and seemingly most elusive– subjects today. Fortunately, it turns out that introducing positivity to your life is actually a matter of observing and changing your thought patterns. Here’s how you can brighten your perspective in just five simple steps.
The thoughts that we think are incredibly powerful—they largely determine how we feel. With negative thoughts popping up in our heads uninvited, it’s easy to fall into negative thought patterns that taint our view of the world and leave us with a bad feeling. These negative thought cycles may seem difficult to silence, but there are some simple things you can do to brighten your perspective and to create a more positive mindset. Here are 5 steps that will lead to positive thinking.
1. Write down your negative thoughts
Becoming aware of your inner critic is the first step towards letting go of it. You might not even realise just how often that inner voice is saying, “I’m such a loser” or “I’m never going to get somewhere in life”. Whenever a thought like that pops into your mind, write it down. This will help you become more aware of the comments and put-downs you give yourself.
2. Think a positive thought for each negative one
After writing down all your negative thoughts, it’s time to root out the negative by embracing the positive. For each negative thought you wrote down, try to replace it with a positive one. Tell yourself that you’re not a loser—you’re simply tender-hearted. And while you may not yet be right where you want to be in life, remind yourself that your ambitions will eventually take you there.
3. Put positive notes on your mirror
It may seem silly, but putting sticky notes with positive self-love messages on your mirror really works. Starting your day by reading positive affirmations will leave you with an overall good feeling. It will help you overcome that negative inner voice all day long.
4. Talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend
Would you tell a friend that he or she looks like a fat pig and will never find love, or that the tiny mistake they made was a catastrophic embarrassment? Exactly. So why would you tell yourself those things? Treat yourself with kindness and without judgement. Don’t strive for perfection, and remember that we all make mistakes that we grow and learn from.
5. Practice, practice, practice
Following these steps might feel unnatural at first. Perhaps you have difficulty believing in the positive thoughts you think, or you find it hard to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. If you practice positive thinking every day, you’ll see it gets easier and easier. It can also be helpful to ask a friend to join you and to start practicing positive thinking techniques together. That way, you can help each other see the good and positive qualities you both have and overturn negative thoughts. Lastly, remember that you don’t always have the power to change a situation, but you can change what you think about it—and by changing your thoughts, you change your feelings.
Want to read more? Marc and Angel Chernoff, the authors behind the popular blog Marc & Angel Hack Life, wrote a book to help you change your reality by changing your mindset: Getting Back to Happy. They call it the book they wish they’d had when they were going through difficult times. The book not only delves into thought patterns, it also explores mindfulness, selfcare and daily habits that help you become the best version of yourself.
Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith
