Discover how to think yourself happier!
Positive thinking: it’s got a lot more benefits than you might think. Studies have discovered that there is a strong link between positivity and health. Positive thinking can improve your mood, your outlook and even your stress levels. Other benefits are:
- Lowers your risk of depression
- Increased life span (yay!)
- Less likely to catch the common cold
On the flip side, here’s how negative thinking can affect you:
- Stress
- Anger
- Frustration
- Headaches
- Body aches
- Difficulty sleeping
No-one wants that, right? So, are you ready to dial up your happiness levels and enjoy a better quality of life? Then give positive thinking a try and see if it makes a difference! It won’t magically eradicate all of your problems – and it’s not an overnight fix – but it will make you feel more able to cope with the ups and downs of life. Positive thinking is all about changing the way you react in a difficult situation to help you deal with the issue more productively and positively.
How Do You Think Positive Thoughts?
It takes practice to get into the habit of positive thinking, especially if you’re usually a pessimistic person. Not sure if you’re a pessimist, optimist or realist? Take our quiz!
Getting into the habit of positive thinking means challenging those pesky negative thoughts. It might take some time to get the hang of it but you’ll soon find positive thoughts enter your brain more often than negative ones. To help you on your way, try these top tips to train your brain to think differently:
- Talk Yourself Up, Not Down!
How often have you criticised your own appearance or abilities in your head? Stop. Negative self-talk affects your self-esteem and can make you feel anxious, sad and unworthy. You are worth so much more.
Notice your negative self-talk and take a second to pause. Banish the negative and replace it with a positive thought about yourself. Tell yourself you like how your hair looks today. Give yourself a round of mental applause for that test you aced. In other words, be your own cheerleader!
- Start Every Day The Right Way
Aim to start your day on a positive note. Listen to your favourite soundtrack while you get ready, have a yummy breakfast, sing loudly in the shower or do whatever you want to make sure you’re getting the very best start to the day. Positive affirmations can help get to get your morning off to a good start – repeat a positive mantra in your head or tell yourself that today is going to be the best day ever!
- Look For The Laughs
Try to look for humour in your day-to-day life and the situations that come your way. Laughter and comedy can help to lighten the mood and lighten the load, reducing stress and anxiety.
- Positive Pals
Surround yourself with positive, upbeat people. It’s so much easier to think positively when you’re around people who do the same. Think of positivity as being as contagious as a yawn! Negativity is also catching so keep negative people at arm’s length whenever you can to avoid them bringing you down.
- Practice Gratitude
What are you grateful for? Is it the sunshine through your window? Your partner? The loving and oh-so-cute family dog? Whatever it is, write it down in a journal. Whenever you find yourself feeling down or spiralling into a negative pit, dig out your gratitude journal and remind yourself of all the positive things you’ve got going on in your life. While you’re at it, add a couple more things you’re grateful for to your journal – this helps to refocus your mind more positively. You can use any notebook or pick up a dedicated gratitude journal.
Get more tips on how to think positive thoughts here!
Think Positive Like A Pro!
Learning how to think positively takes time but, with practice, you’ll soon master it! Before you know it, you’ll be approaching life with a more positive outlook and a spring in your step. Don’t beat yourself up if you have slip-ups along the way… we all do. Just get back on that positivity horse and try again!
When To Get More Help
Positive thinking can be challenging during very difficult times, such as dealing with death or a break-up. Don’t bury your negative thoughts – talk them over with a friend and make sure you get the support you need. Find more help on dealing with a loss here. If you ever feel as if negative thoughts are taking over your life, please reach out for help. Make an appointment with your doctor who can evaluate and treat you for any signs of depression or anxiety. For more help and advice on depression, click here.
