Easy ways to cultivate a positive outlook
“Cultivate an optimistic mind, use your imagination, always consider alternatives, and dare to believe that you can make possible what others think is impossible.”
– Rodolfo Costa
Now I don’t know about you, but the older I’ve become the more I’ve found myself falling prey to negativity. Everyday stressors of adult life coupled with anxiety-fuelling news reports and unhealthy social media content can make the world feel heavy at times. And, if you don’t keep your thoughts in check, it is all too easy to spiral into negative thought patterns that can affect everything from your mood to your overall outlook on life and mental health.
In my early to mid-twenties I became increasingly aware of just how much external negativity was eating away at my generally upbeat and happy-go-lucky (pun intended!) personality.
Since then I have been working on regaining control with regards to how I work through negativity to ensure I maintain as positive of outlook on life as possible, regardless of the situation I am faced with.
Here are some of my own top tips to help inspire you to stay more positive:
1. Have faith
I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen a crappy situation turn out totally fine through my sheer stubbornness and determination to make it so. It’s very easy to think negatively when things don’t go your way. But what if there is a better way than ‘your way’?
My thought process around this is making the absolute best of anything that happens. So it rains on the day you had plans to go out, go out anyway. So an event you’ve been looking forward to gets cancelled, make something of the night anyway. Through actively pursuing positive thoughts despite negative occurrences you will begin to train your brain to respond in an optimistic fashion in any given situation.
2. Lessons not problems
I’ve never met a brilliant, resilient and memorable person who hasn’t been through something hard in their life. Through talking to people who have been through hell and back and still maintain a positive outlook, I have taken away that it’s crucial that we begin to see life’s hurdles as lessons for us to learn and grow from, rather than problems that we can use as excuses to hold us back.
Every situation we encounter can transform us or break us – we get to choose which route we want to take.
3. Seek nature
This one is quite easy – get yourself outside as often as possible when you feel negative thoughts taking hold. Walks, hikes, beach visits – get outside of your head and into nature. Similarly, why not bring nature to you? I’ve found that placing plants around your home can really enhance the ambience in any living space.
Studies have shown that having plants in the home can boost mood, creativity, concentration and more. And at the very least it will add life and colour to your abode which can only make a grey British day brighter and lighter!
4. Practice gratitude
Regularly practicing gratitude allows our critical minds to take some time to reflect on things we are thankful for. This in turn allows you to take more notice of the positives in your day-to-day life and fixate less on the negatives. Writing down what you are grateful for each day can help to bring about positive emotions, aid in more restful sleep and promote compassion and kindness towards ourselves and others!
I have a blog post about beginning a gratitude journal here, so be sure to check it out if you’re new to the practice.
5. Create a positive space
For me, this is a big one, especially if you are just starting out in becoming more positive. It’s very easy to kick-start living a positive life once your living space is clean, organised and inviting. You can take this to whatever degree you wish – a total clear out of old/broken belongings, refreshing your wardrobe to keeping only things that you love to wear, making your bed each morning etc.
Consider that if you have a clean space overall, you have less things cluttering up your mind and there is less to think about doing e.g cleaning. Less to worry means less beating yourself up for a growing to do list and more time to do what you enjoy!
6. Surround yourself with things you love
From photo albums of family and friends to mementos of holidays to cuddly toys from your childhood – these are all things that serve as reminders of all the good things that life has to offer. Keeping these are the forefront of your daily life will serve as reminders to stay positive on down days.
7. Surround yourself with positive people
Easier said than done, I hear you say! But truly, limiting the amount of time and energy you give to people to make it a habit to complain, judge, moan and speak ill of other people could make all the difference to your happiness in the long-term.
The key with this one is curating a life that brings you joy. We are all entitled to let off steam and have a moan after a bad day, but if the people you surround yourself with do this more often than not and you find yourself falling into the same patterns of conversation, perhaps it’s time to reconsider what sort of energy you want to be surrounded by.
8. Stay present
Reminiscing vs ruminating about the past are two very different things. It’s perfectly healthy to look back at your past life experiences, but just don’t let yourself get bogged down with ‘what ifs’. What’s done cannot be undone. Living in the present moment or even looking ahead at the endless possibilities of what is to come rather than constantly living in the past is a much more beneficial way to bring more positive energy and thoughts into your life.
9. Forgive people and don’t hold grudges
It’s true that forgiving others is less about how that benefits those who have wronged you but rather how it brings peace to you. It’s easy to think negatively when you are faced with people who treat you unkindly, but it’s important to release the anger and resentment on your end to continue to nourish positive existing relationships and grow new, healthy ones.
10. Speak positively of others
It goes without saying that the less negativity you spread the better. Become aware of the judgements you make about people and whether you express them out loud/ who you are around when you vent. You’ve heard the saying that goes: What Susie says of Sally says more of Susie that of Sally? Wise words!
11. Speak positively of yourself
Mastering the art of speaking positively about others goes hand in hand with how you speak about yourself – both in your internal dialogue as well as outwardly in conversations. If you don’t speak kindly to yourself and build up a strong core of self-esteem, then you are far more susceptible to taking personally any comments people make about you. Been there and done that. You should be your own greatest cheerleader, remember that.
12. It’s not about you
Are you always questioning if you’ve said the wrong thing or worried that someone took your actions the wrong way? STOP IT NOW. Rather than questioning what people’s intentions are, accept them. And better still, move on.
You have no idea whether the cashier that was rude to you had a bad morning/day/week. But you do know that you were compassionate enough to wish them a good day anyway.
13. Channel your energy into something creative
Doing things that you enjoy purely for the fun of it is not only a great way to build self-confidence, but it will also serve as a great ‘distraction’ and mood-lifter when you’re feeling low. For example, I find myself relaxing and zone out when I cook or do yoga.
Finding the key to unlocking what brings your mind away from negative thoughts and feelings is so important to living a more positive life.
I’m sure it goes without saying that none of the tips I’ve listed above offer a quick-fix solution to everlasting and total happiness. We are all only human! However, I have found that practicing maintaining a positive mindset over time can really help you transform your outlook on life significantly.
I’m sure it goes without saying that none of the tips I’ve listed above offer a quick-fix solution to everlasting and total happiness. We are all only human! However, I have found that practicing maintaining a positive mindset over time can really help you transform your outlook on life significantly.
In the long-term, these tips/practices have transformed my life and have enabled me to approach my life in a much more optimistic and pragmatic way. Bad things will happen, sure, but how you see and deal with them should change and improve with practice.
The only thing you can control in life is your reaction.
Until next time,
Lica xoxo
