September 13th is positive thinking day, but keeping a positive mindset should be practiced daily. Here are 7 tips for staying positive year round.
Americans are some of the most negative people in the entire world. In fact, 55% of Americans experience stress in their daily life, 45% worry a lot, and 22% feel angry often.
When you constantly have negative thoughts swarming in your mind, your relationships, outlook on life, and physical health can suffer. Positive thinking, on the other hand, can help you have a more fulfilling and enjoyable life.
So, don’t wait for National Positive Thinking Day to turn your attitude around. Instead, make an effort to have a positive mindset each and every day.
Do you want to know how? Keep reading to discover our top tips for getting and staying positive.
1. Start Off the Morning Right
Do you seem to wake up on the wrong side of the bed every morning? When you start your day off in a bad mood, it can be hard to turn things around. So, the best thing you can do is learn how to start your morning off right.
Set up a bedtime and morning routine. Make sure you fall asleep early enough so you can get a solid 8 hours of sleep. Take a melatonin supplement, buy a white noise machine, put your phone down, and focus on getting those much-needed z’s.
In the morning, make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get ready. Nothing ruins a mood faster than rushing around or having your boss yell at you because you were late.
In fact, give yourself extra time to do something you enjoy, like reading the paper with a cup of coffee or taking your pup on a morning walk. When you make time for these types of things, you’ll find that your mornings are calmer, and it’ll be easier to have a good day.
2. Learn to Identify Negative Thoughts
Even the most positive people experience negative thoughts. The key is to not dwell on them.
When something bad happens, you may feel the urge to constantly think about it. This can put you in a bad mood and even lead to more negative things happening throughout the day.
Let’s say you had to deal with a disgruntled customer at work. If you keep thinking about what went wrong and how they talked to you, you’ll likely get in a bad mood.
You may then let your negative mindset affect how you talk to other customers or coworkers. This could lead to more customer complaints and can start to chip away at your relationship with your coworkers.
That’s why it’s important to identify negative thoughts when they happen. Instead of dwelling on them, force yourself to think of something more positive.
3. Replace the Negativity with Positivity
Positivity breeds even more positivity. In fact, your brain releases dopamine, the happy hormone, when you think positively, making it even easier to stay happy.
After you identify a negative thought, look for the silver lining. Maybe you had to deal with an annoying customer, but you got a nice commission from it. Maybe you forgot to de-thaw something for dinner, but that means you can treat yourself to your favorite restaurant.
If you can’t find a silver lining, try to shift your thoughts completely. List five things your thankful for, five things you love about your job, or five things you’re looking forward to.
4. Surround Yourself with Positive People
You can be the most positive person around, but if you surround yourself with negativity, you’re sure to get dragged down.
So, take a moment to think about the people you spend the most time with. Do they complain a lot? Do they start drama over the smallest things?
If so, you may want to consider getting a new group of friends. Once you surround yourself with positive people, you’ll notice that they rub off on you, and it’ll be easier than ever to stay positive.
5. Be Thankful for the Small Things
It’s all too easy to overlook the wonderful things going on in your life. However, when you don’t appreciate what you already have, you’ll likely focus on what you don’t. If your loved ones have these things, you may become jealous or even resentful, which can be damaging to your relationship.
Take some time every day to list what you’re thankful for. You may even want to start a gratuity journal, so you can look back on it during hard days to remain positive.
6. Give Yourself a Break
Are you feeling overwhelmed? Have you been stressed for the past few days? If so, the best thing you can do is give yourself a mental break.
First, find some time when you can be alone. This may mean asking your parents to babysit or taking a sick day at work.
Then, indulge in a little self-care. Draw yourself a relaxing bubble bath, bring your laptop into the bathroom, and watch your favorite show to help you unwind.
You may also want to spend this time catching up with an old friend, partaking in your hobbies, or taking a much-needed nap. The important thing is that you’re giving yourself a chance to relax and let the stress melt away. Once you do this, you’ll feel refreshed, and it’ll be easier to go start tomorrow with a positive attitude.
7. Spend Time Outside
Spending time in the sun can actually improve your mood! So, make sure you get outside for at least a few minutes every day.
Buy patio furniture, so you can have family dinners outside. Volunteer to take your dog for its daily walk, opt to jog through your local park instead of on a treadmill, or just sit on the porch reading a book after work. You’ll feel more relaxed and connected to nature when you do.
Celebrate Positive Thinking Day Every Day
While National Positive Thinking Day is September 13th, you should make an effort to be positive every day. From starting your morning off right to spending time outside, there are many different ways you can become a happier and more positive person.
Are you looking for more ways to reduce stress?
Then check out these reasons why you should get a pet today!