We all have our ups and downs, but some of us have more of a roller coaster ride through life than others. While there is little you can do to influence events that happen outside of you, there are many ways you can shift how you feel and create a more positive life.
Here are some of my favorites:
Take the Long Term View – Instead of focusing on how bad something is and marinating in those feelings indefinitely, get perspective by looking forward.
- Will it still matter a month from now? A year from now?
- Is it possible that there is a hidden blessing or lesson?
- Could you be better off long term because of it?
- How much of your time and life energy are you willing to spend on it?
Step Away from Negative Influences – News, social media, books, movies and people can keep you stuck in a slump of negativity. Instead, choose people and input that will uplift you and keep you smiling. Yes, it can be important to stay informed about what is going on in your world, but you can also limit the amount of time you spend on it.
Practice Kindness – Giving freely can be a joyful experience and volunteering to serve others who are in worse situations than you can help you keep things in perspective.
Treat Yourself Well – Taking care of your health and well being can support a more positive life. When you feel good you are more likely to think good. So, be gentle with yourself instead of putting yourself down, nurture your body, and feed your soul.
Stay Connected to God – When there is distance between you and the higher power you believe in, no matter what you call it, you can lose trust that things will be okay and feel alone and unsupported. This makes you more susceptible to negative influences and can make even a positive life feel barren.
Focus on Daily Gratitude and Magical Moments – Every day has it’s miracles even if they are small. Focusing on these can rewire your brain to be more positive and lead you to more happiness. It takes repetition and I suggest making a commitment to journaling these daily for at least 30 days. You will be glad you did.
By creating a more positive life for yourself you will be influencing others to do the same. And, if enough of us focus on surrounding ourselves in positivity, we just might change the world.
Related Posts:
Hi Linda, thatÄs such a lovely post. Really inspiring. Focusing on daily gratitude is by far my favorite!! When I was little we had a jar in our home and every time when something happened to one of my family members we could write it down and put the note in the jar and each Christmas we would go through them and appreciate all the good things that happen through the year 🙂 Allways be thankful and happy for the little things 🙂 xx
I love gratitude jars too. I think they work especially well for couples and families. Thank you for sharing your love of gratitude.
Thank you for this post. For me, staying positive is a huge challenge so I appreciate the suggestions for small ways to focus on the positive.
Thank you for this post. For me, staying positive is a huge challenge so I appreciate the suggestions for small ways to focus on the positive.
The famous, “this too shall pass”, concept. That covers both good times and bad times…
Yes. I use that even to the level of finding solace in the idea that if I am at a low, better times must be right around the corner.
Good and true advice. Staying connected to God and limiting negative influence are huge. Thanks!
I agree. Thanks for reading…
This is such a wonderful post. As someone who has suffered from severe mental health issues in the past, I managed to develop an attitude of gratitude after my last breakdown (which was 4 years ago) and I’ve been happy after reading a lot of self-help and discovering mindfulness! It’s so important to cultivate a positive attitude, what I didn’t really realise was how crap it is to be around negative people, who just seem to suck the joy out of the air!
Claire: I am so happy for you that you (like me) moved beyond past issues and took control of your own life. Many people still don’t know that we can heal our lives through love, gratitude, and being positive. I wish you the best as you continue this journey of living your best life.