Staying positive when life goes right is easy. If things are going your way, it doesn’t take much effort to be positive. However, when life gives you obstacles, it is easy to view challenges negatively. Some examples of challenges are: your spouses aren’t responding the way you want them to, you feel stuck in your job, or you fall behind in paying bills. Your brain is almost hardwired for negative thinking when things don’t go your way. Historically, thinking negatively (mainly driven by fear), has kept our ancestors safe from everyday threats. But in today’s world, you no longer have the same fears our ancestors do, yet you still react by entering fight or flight mode.

 

You must stay active in your efforts towards staying positive. Treat it like a muscle that needs to be trained and developed. People born into the world at the mercy of your caretakers and your genetics, but as you develop, you have the you to change your way of thinking. Here are a few habits you can begin to incorporate into your life for a more positive life experience:

1. Awareness:

Once you name it, you can tame it. Meaning, once you are aware of an issue, you can begin to tackle it with solutions tailored for that issue. Without judgement, begin to notice how often your automatic thoughts are geared towards a negative view. When you become aware of your negative thoughts, you will be able to recognize how often you think negatively.

 

2. Start Journaling:

Upon recognizing your negative thoughts, begin journaling. If you are not accustomed to journaling, you may find this awkward or uncomfortable at first. Don’t let this stop you from putting your thoughts down. When journaling, mimic talking to a best friend. Start writing down what you think is going wrong in your life. Then, begin to respond to those thoughts, in a way a best friend would respond to those thoughts. This way, you can practice being more kind to yourself.

 

3. Big Picture Thinking:

Think about what you want to experience in your life, and what goals you want to accomplish. What person do you want to become? Then break down the big picture into small and manageable pieces. Work at these small bits at your own pace. When you begin to see the small fruits of your labor, you will begin to see the endless possibilities of your potential!

 

Keep in mind that staying positive is much more of a challenge than being negative. Often, the people you are around affect you as well. Surround yourself with positive friends and share your struggles and your goals. It’s important to remember that staying positive is a struggle most of us have and you will only become stronger by practicing positive thinking.