By: Julie-Anne
So many people believe that we are limited in life because we do not have control over how other people think or act; but actually we are capable of moving past those limitations. It’s true, that we can’t control others, but we can certainly control how we choose to respond to their thoughts or actions. At any given moment we have the power to choose which mindset we want to view the world with, as our lives are a direct reflection of our beliefs and our attitudes and perception creates reality.
Many people are living life negatively, where they allow themselves to get stuck in a habitual, negative mindset full of worries and frustrations and then blame their negative feelings on what is happening on the outside. This creates a “victim mentality” and that is when we start to suffer from the negative aspects of stress. If we are quick to complain and choose to see the world through a negative lens then the life we create will be negative.
The healthiest way is to choose to live our lives with positivity and understand that our internal thinking environment is what actually causes those heavy negative feelings and emotions that bring us down. So we start to look at life from the cause versus the effect. With this awareness we can reframe our thoughts and change our internal environment to positive. Good thoughts magnetize good things and a positive energy allows people to feel happy and satisfied in life.
Here are 9 ways to focus on developing a positive mindset:
Begin Your Day In a Positive Way:
Starting your day on a positive note will set the tone for the rest of the day. For example, when you wake up late and allow yourself to get frustrated and stressed, there’s a good chance that due to the law of attraction a lot more will go wrong throughout the day. Develop a solid morning routine that refreshes and energizes you, such as yoga, meditation, positive self-affirmations and gratitude. And if you do wake up late then work on reframing your mindset and focus on the positive versus stressing out about something that has already happened.
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining:
Develop a way of searching for the good in everything that happens. It can even become some sort of a game: For example, you get lost trying to find a new location and may have driven around for an extra half hour. Tell yourself that everything happens for a reason and enjoy listening to your favorite music. You can’t turn back the clock; you are already late, so rather than dwelling on it and beating yourself up, search for the positive. It will make you feel a lot better and stop you carrying around self-judgment and negativity.
Look At Mistakes As Learning:
Everyone will make mistakes at some point but that does not mean that we need to focus on every mistake as a failure. On the contrary, there is always something to learn. Find the lesson within the mistake and you will quickly see that instead of viewing it as a failure you are actually able to grow and learn from it.
Celebrate Your Successes:
How often do you catch yourself trying to minimize your successes? Or downplaying something you did well? Rather than reducing your efforts and hard work, start to celebrate your efforts and rejoice in every success. Take pride in the things you do well and embrace your unique strengths. And remember to appreciate yourself. Be your own best friend instead of your own worst enemy.
Acts Of Kindness:
Give someone a compliment and watch how he or she lights up with a genuine smile and how lovely that allows you to feel. Set a positive tone for the day by sending out vibes of kindness towards others. That positive energy will definitely come back to you.
Remember to Breathe:
How we breathe is inherently connected to how we feel, as it is an integral part of our being. Think about when you’re anxious or angry. Do you hold your breath? Does it below shallow or ragged? Help to change negative emotions to positive by choosing to take deep, calming breaths. Research how breathing is key to a positive life.
Name It To Tame It:
Emotions are energy in motion and do not remain static. A good way to handle negative emotions is to name how you feel. For example: I feel sad, I feel bad. When you process negative emotions, they will eventually calm down and come back to a positive state.
Notice Your Internal Dialogue:
How we speak about our feelings, our lives, and ourselves is a powerful reflection of who we are on the inside and what kind of lives we’re living. For example, if you describe your life as boring, your mind will perceive your life as boring and you will begin to accept your life as humdrum and unexciting. However, if you change your internal dialogue to words like lively, exciting, spirited or invigorating, your mind will perceive your life as all these words and it will change how you see your own life.
Experiment With Different Mindsets:
If you are one of those people who need “proof of action” to get convinced then choose a day and start it ON PURPOSE with a negative thought. Decide that it is going to be a miserable day and see how quickly everything starts spiraling downwards and attracting more negative.
On another day, choose to start ON PURPOSE with a positive thought. Decide that this is going to be a most positive day full of positive events and people and see how wonderfully it goes.
Remember, this is only a suggestion for personal development and you’ll take full responsibility for what happens during your days, as the choice is up to you.
Use the nine tips above to grow a positive mindset so that your life can be a refection of this positivity and you can enjoy life and handle stress with resilience.