September 13th is Positive Thinking Day, which is a pretty substantial unusual holiday that I think should get a little more attention! Positive thinking is a skill, not something based in naivety. It’s very easy to see the glass as half empty, it’s very easy to complain about the things that bother us. It’s much more difficult to experience something seemingly negative, or at least inconvenient, and search for the sparkly lining. It’s not easy to list the things that are actually beneficial to you sitting in this traffic jam or your lunch date canceling after you were already at the restaurant. It’s hard to figure out what could possibly be good about a new diagnosis or your car breaking down. The thing is that it’s possible to do. It just takes practice, dedication, and skill.
20 Ways To Promote Positive Thinking
1. Write, say, and post positive affirmations.
2. Think of the ways a situation could be worse.
3. Take a break from watching the news.
4. Take time to make note of pleasant, joyful things in the area of all five of your senses.
5. Surround yourself with positive people, and feel free to delete negative ones from your social media.
6. Keep a Happy Journal where you can create a tangible log of the great things in your life.
7. Let go of the idea of perfection; it’s unattainable and a waste of time.
8. Spend time visualizing/manifesting the outcome(s) you desire.
9. Make a plan of how to get those outcomes come to fruition, it will make you feel better to have a tangible plan and schedule for achieving your dreams.
10. Make a list of negative words to avoid using in daily conversation, and even self-talk.
11. Help other people; it will help get your mind of your own issues and it will definitely boost your mood to do something nice for someone else.
12. Forgive yourself for current and past mistakes. Holding onto grudges, especially with yourself, does no one any good.
13. Make a list of reasons life is good (try to get at least to 100).
14. Share the good things in your life with someone else, and have conversations about them.
15. Make a list of things you love about the people closest to you, and give them the lists.
16. Read an inspiring book or watch an inspiring movie to boost your spirits.
17. Allow yourself to get excited, even if it’s over something “small”.
18. Establish your ideal “happy place”, and spend time meditating in that space in your mind.
19. Know most things are temporary, and even if a situation seems bleak right now (despite the sparkly linings you were able to find!), it will likely end eventually.
20. Be altruistic; believe in your heart that people are good in nature and the world can be a beautiful place.
What are some other tips you have for thinking positively?
