If it seems like too big of a project to shift your thinking and perception, we have some good news for you: thinking positive is achievable. There are realistic ways to implement positive thinking into your daily life and start seeing the effects of optimism in your overall mental and physical health. Let’s go through 7 easy ways to add some optimism to your life!
1. Morning Routines- Begin your day with positivity. Get out of bed on the right side by thinking about the things you want to accomplish for the day and setting realistic expectations for what might take place throughout the day. Visualize how your day might look at the end when you have achieved your daily goals and worked toward your long-term goals.
2. Positive Affirmations- Pick an affirmation to fire you up and keep you motivated! Whenever you find yourself lacking energy or feeling discouraged, repeat your affirmation until you start to feel inspired. Eventually, you will believe it each and every day.
3. Uplifting Notes- Leave yourself a positive note on the bathroom mirror, on your steering wheel, in your lunch bag; anywhere you will look throughout the day so you can have a little pick-me-up as you go through the day.
4. Evening Look Back – At the end of the day, take a step back to reflect. Make sure you acknowledge the negative but focus primarily on the positive. If you pretend everything went perfect, you will eventually feel disengaged and fake. By acknowledging what didn’t go as planned, you can let it go and get back to focusing on the positive. By clearing out the day, you make space for intention for tomorrow!
5. Acknowledge Control- No matter how prepared you are, you definitely can’t control everything. In order to practice true optimism, it is important to acknowledge what you can and can’t control so that you can set realistic expectations and set attainable goals.
6. Practice Gratitude- Whether you use a journal or simply reflect at the end of the day, being grateful can help you gain appreciation for the present and feel fulfilled in the day to day! While striving toward long-term goals, it is important to celebrate daily progress and be grateful for the journey along the way.
7. Optimism Buddies- Take a look at who surrounds you. Optimism is infectious, so finding positive people to spend time with and even recruiting an optimism buddy can help you stay on track and build an environment of positivity in your life.
Where will your optimism journey begin? Whether you start small or jump in head first, beginning the journey to positive thinking will change your life for the better!