Ready to jump on the positivity bus? Climb aboard!
Why Is Positive Thinking Good For You?
Where to start?! Positive thinking improves your mood, your stress levels and your whole outlook on life. It can help you cope more positively with difficult situations and face each day with a determination to make today the BEST. DAY. EVER. It can also help lower your risk of depression, make you less likely to catch a cold (yes, really) and increase your life span. Find out more about the benefits of positive thinking here.
Try these top tips to reset and refocus your brain to a more positive mindset!
- It’s Nice To Be Nice
Pay someone a compliment. Making someone else feel good makes YOU feel good.
- Find The Joy
Focus on the good things, no matter how small. Seek out a positive in every situation to help you focus your mind on good things, not bad things. Bus running late? Well, that just gives you more time to listen to your favourite songs on Spotify! Ordering takeaway and your favourite food has been removed from the menu? Look at this as an opportunity to try something new!
- Say Cheese!
Stuck in a trail of negative thoughts? Smile – even when you don’t really feel like it. Think back to something that made you chuckle to help you lighten your mood and bring some joy to your day. Smiling helps to reduce stress, too.
- Learn Your Lessons
Move on from failures. We all make mistakes – what’s important is to learn from them and move forward. Ask yourself what you may have done differently and use this to form a plan for future situations. Now you’re armed with a positive plan!
- Find Positive People
Surround yourself with positive family members, workmates, school friends and mates to soak up those positive vibes. You’ll find it much easier to think positive thoughts when you’re with optimistic people.
- Filter Your Feeds
Negative news stories and depressing content on social media can start to make you feel down. Take a break from social media, uninstall certain apps or unfollow anything that makes you feel distressed to filter out the negativity.
- Your Best Possible Self
Take a few minutes every day to imagine your best self. This helps you focus on the best aspects of yourself and set yourself positive goals. Maybe you want to get great grades or become a more confident speaker? Have a think about the steps you need to take to reach your goal and go get it. You’ve got this!
- Mindfulness Matters
Try to practice mindfulness – this means living in the moment and focusing on the present. Savour the taste of your lunch, enjoy the feel of the sun on your skin or the view from a window. Being mindful and alert to the here and now helps you to appreciate the little things in life that bring you joy.
- Practice Gratitude
Focus on the things you are grateful for. Write them down in a journal and read them whenever you feel particularly negative. Your gratitude journal is a handy reminder of all the positive things you’ve got going on in your life.
- Celebrate Yourself!
Every success, no matter how small, should be celebrated. Whether you’ve worked particularly hard or managed to overcome an obstacle, you should be proud. Try not to minimise your successes by saying things like, “It’s not really a big deal” or “Anyone could’ve done it”. Instead, learn to say things like, “Thanks, I tried really hard so I’m proud of myself”. Own your success. Be proud of it. Value the effort and work you put in to make it happen.
