How to Think Positively

Having a positive outlook is a choice. You can choose to think that puts you in a good mood, take a more constructive look at difficult situations, and decorate your day with a brighter and more hopeful approach to work. By looking at life in a positive light, you begin to change your negative mood and see life as full of solutions and prospects instead of worries and obstacles. If you want to learn how to think more positively, follow these guidelines.

Table of Contents

Rate My Thoughts

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Be responsible for your own attitude. You are completely responsible for your thoughts and how you see life is up to you. ^{[1] X Research Source} If you tend to think negatively, that’s the way you choose. With practice, you can choose to look more positive. ^{[2] X Research Source}

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Understand the benefits of being a positive thinker. Choosing positive thinking not only puts you in control of your life and makes every day enjoyable, but it’s also good for your physical and mental health and your ability to adapt to change. Being aware of those benefits can help you proactively think more positively on a regular basis. ^{[3] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to the source} Here are some benefits of thinking optimistically:

Lifespan increased
Reduce rates of depression and distress
Increase resistance to common cold
Better physical and mental health
Increase problem-solving skills when stressed
Develop a natural ability to build rapport and bond

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Keep a journal to record your thoughts. Thought journaling can help you review and evaluate your thought patterns. Write down your feelings and try to spot the factors that lead to positive and negative thoughts. Taking the last 20 minutes of the day to monitor your thinking patterns can be a great way to identify negative thoughts and plan to change them to positive ones.

Your diary can be written in any form you like. If you don’t want to write long paragraphs, just list five typical positive and negative thoughts of the day.
Be sure to take the time and opportunity to evaluate and review the information in the log. If you keep a daily journal, you should review it at the end of the week.

Dealing with Negative Thoughts

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Identify unconscious negative thoughts. To avoid negative thinking from affecting your positive outlook, you need to be more alert to “unconscious negative thoughts”. When you spot them, you have to be in a position to respond and give orders to get those thoughts out of your head immediately. ^{[4] X Research Sources}^{[5] X Research Sources}

An example of unconscious negative thinking is when you know you’re going to take an exam, you think, “I’m going to fail the exam.” This thought is unconscious because it is your initial reaction when you hear about the test.

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Deal with negative thinking. Even if you spend most of your life thinking negatively, you don’t have to. Anytime a negative thought occurs, especially unconsciously, stop and evaluate ^{[6] X Source of research} whether the thought is true or correct. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

One way to deal with negative thinking is to be optimistic. Write down a negative thought and see how you would react if someone else told it to you. It’s like giving positive evidence to refute someone else’s negative thinking, even though you find it difficult to do so yourself. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
For example, you might think negatively: “I often fail my exams.” If you often fail exams like that, you will not be able to continue studying in school. Review your resume or transcript and look for average scores on exams; They will help you fight negative thinking. You can even find 7 and 8 test scores that confirm your negative thinking is outrageous.

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Replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Once you feel confident that you can detect and deal with negative thoughts, you are ready to actively choose to replace negative thoughts with positive ones. ^{[9] X Research Source} This doesn’t mean everything in your life is always optimistic; It’s normal to have different emotions. However, you can take action to replace unhelpful everyday thinking with thoughts that help you grow.

For example, if you think, “Maybe I’m going to fail the exam,” stop. You have just discovered a negative thought and assessed its accuracy. Now try to replace it with positive thinking. It doesn’t have to be blind optimism, such as: “I’m sure I’ll get a 10, even though I haven’t studied at all.” Simply, “I will spend my time studying and preparing for the exam to the best of my ability.”
Use the power of questions. When you ask yourself a question, your brain will find the answer. If you ask yourself, “Why is life so miserable?” Your brain will try to answer that question. The same thing happens when you ask yourself, “Why am I so lucky?”. Ask yourself questions that focus on positive thinking.

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Minimize negative external influences. You may find that certain types of violent music or video games or movies affect your overall attitude. ^{[10] X Research Resources} Try to reduce your risk of being affected by violent or stressful stimuli and spend more time listening to soothing music and reading. Music is good for the mind and books about positive thoughts can give you great tips for becoming a happier person.

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Avoid “opposite thinking”. With this kind of thinking, commonly known as “polarization,” what you encounter will be either right or wrong ; no other shades. This can lead people to think that what they do is either perfect or meaningless. ^{[11] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

To avoid this way of thinking, embrace the nuances of life. Instead of thinking about two outcomes (positive and negative), list all the outcomes in between to see that things aren’t as terrible as you think.
For example, if you have an exam coming up and you don’t feel comfortable with the test content, you may not want to take the test or study at all. So, if you fail the exam, it’s because you didn’t try. However, you have overlooked the fact that you can do better if you take the time to prepare before the test.
- You should also avoid thinking that your test results are only good or bad. There are many points in between the good and the bad.

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Avoid “personalization”. Personalization is always assuming you’re the one to blame whenever something bad happens. If you think too much, you can become paranoid and think that no one likes you or wants to be friends with you, and your every little act will also disappoint others. ^{[12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

People who have a personalization mindset may think: “This morning, Van didn’t smile at me. I must have done something to make her sad”. However, it’s more likely that Van is having a bad day and her mood has nothing to do with you.

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Avoid “thought filtering”. This happens when you choose to only hear the negative side of the situation. Most situations have elements that are both good and bad, and you can recognize them. If you think in a negative way, you won’t see the positive side of the situation at all. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

For example, if you take an exam and get a 5 along with a teacher’s critique, you’ll have a much better test result than the last time. Filtering your thoughts will make you only think negatively about the 5 point, forgetting the fact that you have improved.

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Avoid “aggravating the problem”. This arises when you always assume the worst will happen. ^{[14] X Research Source} Exacerbation has always been associated with concerns about poor performance. You can deal with this situation by thinking realistically about the expected outcome.

For example, you may think that you will fail the exam despite studying. People who aggravate the problem will further deduce that you will fail the exam, have to drop out of school, and then be unemployed and have to live hard. If you think realistically about the negative results, you will find that failing a test once does not necessarily mean you failed the entire course, and will have to drop out of school.

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Go to a quiet place. A private place will come in handy when you want to boost your mood. Many people find that spending a little time wandering helps to improve their mood. ^{[15] X Harvard Medical Schop Trusted Source Go to Source}

If your workplace has an outdoor area with benches and picnic tables, take some time out each day to refresh yourself.
If you can’t get to a quiet place, try meditating and focusing your mind on a pleasant place with nice weather. ^{[16] X Research Source}

Optimistic

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Give yourself time to change. Developing a positive outlook is developing a skill. Like other skills, it takes time to hone, requires intense practice with gentle reminders to stop thinking negatively. ^{[17] X Research Source}

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Physically positive. If you change your physical habits or your body, your mind will change too. To feel happier, approach your body in a positive way. Get in shape, stand up straight, keep your shoulders down and open back. ^{[18] X Research Source} Frustration will make you feel more negative. Laugh often. Don’t wait for people to smile at you, your smile will show your body is happier. ^{[19] X Research Source}^{[20] X Research Source}

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Practice interest. Paying more attention to your actions and your life will make you happier. When you do everything in life like a machine, you forget to find joy in your daily work. Paying attention to your surroundings, choices and daily activities, you will have better control over your life and happiness. ^{[21] X Research Source}

Consider meditation as a way to maximize concentration and focus. By meditating for 10 to 20 minutes a day at times that are convenient, you will increase your awareness of yourself and the present, helping you to zone out negative thoughts with greater self-control. ^{[22] X Research Source}
Join a yoga class. Yoga can also help you become more aware of the world when you practice breathing. ^{[23] X Research Sources}
Even stopping to take a deep breath and relax your mind for a moment can make you happier. ^{[24] X Research Source}

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Discover the creative side of you. If you haven’t had a chance to explore your creativity yet, now is the time to do so. Spending time in art with your hands or exploring your earliest thoughts can work wonders, giving you the power to think creatively and thereby think more positively. ^{[25] X Research Source} Even if you don’t think you have a creative gift, there are ways for you to express yourself to be more positive. ^{[26] X Research Sources}

Take a class on things you’ve never done before: pottery, painting, composite art, poetry, or carpentry. ^{[27] X Research Source}
Try learning crafts like knitting, sewing, or crocheting. Online craft stores and tutorials are great resources for beginners who don’t want to go to class.
Daily drawing practice. Review old drawings and get creative to turn them into new ones.
Become a creative poet. Try writing poetry, short stories, or even novels. You can also read poetry in the open night.
Try acting, dress up like a character on your favorite TV or joke, or try getting into the community theater. ^{[28] X Research Sources}

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Live among optimists. We are often influenced by the people around us. If you find people around you tend to be negative, find someone who is more positive. ^{[29] X Research Source} This will foster positivity in you. If you have a close family member or significant other with a negative lifestyle, encourage them to join you on your journey towards positivity.

Stay away from people who reduce your enthusiasm and motivation. If you can’t avoid it, or don’t want to, learn how to make it impossible for them to upset you and limit your communication with them. ^{[30] X Research Source}
Avoid dating people who have a negative outlook. If you are prone to negative thinking, you will fall into a trap. If you are starting a relationship with someone who is struggling to think positively, the best option is to find a counselor together for help.

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Set meaningful goals. Whatever your goal is, you need to work to achieve it and believe in the reason for doing it. Once you have achieved the first goal, you will be motivated to continue with the remaining goals, as well as set new goals in life. With each goal achieved, no matter how small, you will gain more confidence and self-esteem, creating positivity in your life. ^{[31] X Research Source}

Working towards a goal, even if it’s just small steps, can make you happier. ^{[32] X Research Source}

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Don’t forget to spend time having fun. People who allow themselves to have fun in life often tend to be happier and more optimistic because life isn’t all about work and endless boredom. Humor will reduce work fatigue and challenges. Remember that fun is different for everyone, so you need to take the time to find an activity that you enjoy. ^{[33] X Research Sources}

Always take the time to laugh. Hang out with people who make you laugh, go to a comedy club, or watch a funny movie. It’s hard to think negatively when you’re happy.

Advice

“Positive attracts positive” is the same as “negative attracts negative”. If you are kind, likable, and always helping people, you can expect to be treated the same way. On the contrary, if you are rude, behave inappropriately and unkindly, people will not respect you, will avoid you because of your unpleasant and belittling attitude towards others.
You can’t always control situations in your life, but you can control how you think and feel about them. You can choose to see things positively or vice versa. You are the one to decide .
Live healthy and eat healthy. Those are important foundations for a positive outlook on life, it can be difficult to feel positive if you’re not physically and mentally healthy.
Laugh often. Laughing and the positive emotions that come from comedy, entertainment, pranks and fun activities is an important part of keeping spirits up. It’s okay if you laugh when you’re at your worst, sometimes humor is just what you need to start solving problems.
If you feel like your day is not going well, think about the good things that happened during the day, think about how the bad things could have been worse. You’d be surprised how much fun your day was when you look back that way.
Having a sense of control over your life is an important part of thinking about a positive outlook.
Acknowledge how easy it is to look at things more positively.

Warning

Sometimes worrying about the past or the future limits positive thinking. If you are haunted by the past, let bad or sad memories of the past guide you into your present experiences, learning to acknowledge what happened without letting them affect your thoughts and outlook. Present. If your complete focus on the future is negatively affecting the present, try to worry less about what is to come and live more in the present.
If you are contemplating suicide, seek help immediately. Not only is life worth living, you deserve to live it to the fullest. There are many people ready to help you through difficulties and despair.
Anxiety and depression are two states that really need care. They are not the same as typical negative thoughts, although such thoughts can be part of a perpetuating/building up of anxiety and depression. Get immediate treatment for these mental illnesses, the sooner you get help, the quicker you can return to a normal and healthy life.

Steps

Rate My Thoughts

Dealing with Negative Thoughts

Optimistic

Advice

Warning

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