Life can be remarkably challenging at times, and it’s not a cakewalk even on a good day. As a result, it may seem impossible to keep a positive attitude at times.
However, you are the only one who has control over your feelings. It is on you to decide whether you want to let life kick you in the rear and have you down in the dumps or if you’re going to get back up and keep swinging.
Everyone is different, and two different people could have very different emotional responses to the same thing. For example, one person might feel stressed out and annoyed at a loud, bustling city, while others find it calming and homey.
How you choose to perceive things will make a huge impact on your attitude, and knowing yourself and what you do or don’t like is key to deciding to stay positive.
It is possible to change your mind, opinions, and perception of things. If you don’t like something now, that’s not to say that six months from now, you may feel differently. So, take it upon yourself to make that moment be now.
Positive People Are Successful
Staying positive is vital when it comes to the bigger picture. We would not have half of our technological advancements of today if the creators had been pessimistic and given up and the first failure.
A positive attitude stems largely from self-confidence, and having confidence in yourself can play a huge part in the success of anything you put your mind to. Whether it is a job opportunity, a new sport, or approaching the opposite sex—having confidence makes your entire demeanor much more charming, approachable, and likable.
People want to be around people who make them feel good, and having a positive attitude can do just that. Likewise, sharing your sunny disposition with others makes them feel inclined to do the same.
You can choose to look at the bright side of things. It will make life more enjoyable and increase positivity. It’s an excellent leadership tactic and will get you far. Think about it—do you get more done if you’re feeling happy, light, and motivated? Or when you are down, upset, and unhappy? I think we all know the answer.
Keeping a positive attitude helps you and the people around you. Cheerfulness is contagious, and watching other people’s moods brighten will brighten yours even more, and the cycle continues.
There’s no point in dwelling on the negatives in life. All you will do is be miserable and make others around you miserable too. You won’t get anything done, and nobody will be around you. So, if you’re determined to keep a positive attitude no matter what life throws at you, here are a few key steps.
Build A Connection
If you have pessimistic feelings about certain areas in your life, the best way to start having a positive attitude is to build a connection.
Building a connection is when you purposefully make a connection in your mind between your pessimistic thoughts and the optimistic ones that are your goal.
For instance, if you get a compliment on something you have done well, that should be your chance to build up your positive thoughts, telling yourself you’re doing well, and you’ll be successful.
What a pessimist would say, is it doesn’t matter how many compliments you get; you’re still not as good as someone else. You may also be tempted to think that you’ll never reach your goal no matter what you do.
With a positive attitude, you’d congratulate yourself on the compliment and use it as fuel to continue doing good work and get better. Even if you’re not exactly where you want to be yet, you will be soon. So use the time to continue improving until you eventually succeed. You can also ask for advice from the people who compliment you or even those who criticize you. How can you do better? What should you change?
Building a connection allows you to keep your positive attitude, and inspires you to go after what you want with even more enthusiasm than before. You become confident in your ability, and after a while, it becomes a natural train of thought. This is when you will begin to see real change.
Reinforce What You Know
There are many ways to reinforce what you already know, such as self-help books, motivational videos or talk shows, Radio, podcasts, and classes. But, don’t just talk the talk; you have to also walk the walk and take action to practice having a positive attitude every single day. Your life will be so much better for it!
Some people will write themself notes and leave them around the house, in the car, or at work. Keeping your environment positive is a huge part of maintaining a positive attitude, so find the way that works best for you and keep up with it.
Here are some excellent motivational quotes to try memorizing or posting around your home to help maintain a positive attitude throughout the day.
“We cannot solve problems with the kind of thinking we employed when we came up with them.” — Albert Einstein
“When you give joy to other people, you get more joy in return. You should give a good thought to happiness that you can give out.”— Eleanor Roosevelt
“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill
“Don’t settle for average. Bring your best to the moment. Then, whether it fails or succeeds, at least you know you gave all you had.” —Angela Bassett
“My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful, and optimistic. And we’ll change the world.” —Jack Layton
“When I was 5 years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
—John Lennon
You can also work on surrounding yourself with successful people, or at least positive people. The people around you largely impact your attitude just as much as you do theirs.
Stay away from the negative, down-in-the-dumps type of personalities, as they will only bring you down. Hopefully, seeing you be so positive all the time can help bring them out of whatever slump they are in but until then, focus on yourself.
Be Flexible
We can plan and plan until we’re exhausted, but that will never stop the obstacles from popping up and ruining our day.
Reaching our goal is never a straight shot with no bumps in the road; there will almost always be a struggle along the way, which causes a lot of people to give up.
People wrote down the plan as a straight line, when in fact, it’s more of a heart-beat-style zig-zag of a path. People will often come to regret not trying again when they look back and realize how close they were.
You must be prepared to adapt to change in life, and not assume the road will always be easy. There will be detours, potholes, and mountains to climb on your journey, but you have to believe that you will get where you are going.
Being flexible in your planning allows you to expect the unexpected and jump the hurdles life throws at you, all while keeping a positive attitude.
Have confidence in your abilities, and don’t back down at the first bump in the road, or even the second, or third. Instead of looking at this and thinking, it’s too hard, look at it and say This is a challenge I will overcome, and be better for it.
It’s normal to have setbacks, in fact, it’s more strange to not have any. So be extraordinary, be strong, and keep moving forward no matter what hurdles you must pass.
With determination, you can achieve amazing things in your life. Whether you face a minor setback or a major obstacle, keeping your eyes on the prize and being confident in your ability to get the job done will ensure you are successful in whatever you set your mind to.
Get Enough Sleep
Ask any college student, truck driver, or parent of a newborn—being sleep-deprived sucks. You don’t perform as well, your body can ache, and you’re generally just all around cranky.
Once in a while, it may be okay to unwind, go to a party, or stay out late with friends. However, if you’re consistently going to bed too late and getting up too early, especially if it’s due to a TV, computer, or another type of screen, this is an excellent way to set yourself up for failure.
Getting a good amount of sleep does amazing things for your body and has tons of benefits. Experts say that you must sleep at least 6-8 hours each night if you want your neurotransmitters to be at their peak performance. There is no such thing as “making up lost sleep,” so don’t try to trick your body by trying that.
Sleep deprivation affects not only our ability to think and solve problems, but it can also create serious psychological and neurological problems. On top of this, it also puts a much greater strain on all of our other organs like the heart, liver, and kidneys.
Not only is the quantity of sleep you get important for a positive attitude, but so is the quality. If you haven’t been sleeping well, try getting a new pillow, mattress, or bed set. You can also try white noise, or a fan to help with air circulation while you sleep.
Move Your Body
Many of us put off exercise with the excuse that we don’t have the time, the energy, or the money. But, let’s face it—we all know that’s not true.
Exercising gets your heart rate up and blood pumping, which actually gives you more energy than you had to begin with. It is not moving that makes us tired and depressed. Instead, exercise releases naturally mood-elevating endorphins, helping you stay positive and feel good about yourself.
Just 15 minutes a day can make a dramatic impact on your life. You don’t need any fancy equipment; all you need is your legs. Walking or running is an excellent form of basic cardio that will get your blood pumping. If you’d rather exercise indoors, look up some 15-minute yoga videos on the web or just grab a pair of weights and get to work.
You Are What You Eat
Everything you put into your body affects your mood and your abilities. If you live off greasy, fattening, processed food, you’ll feel greasy and fat.
Your body needs specific kinds of food for it to work its best. Likewise, for it to produce the much-needed endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin, your brain needs to be running on nutritious foods.
Fruit, veggies, protein, and complex carbs are all crucial for getting your mind and your body to work at their peak. Skipping meals consistently is not a healthy option and can be just as bad for you as eating the wrong kinds of food. However, watching how much sugar you put in your body, creating healthier habits, and eating rounded meals is an excellent start.
Self-Praise
If you have a goal, you’re set on reaching and nobody to note your achievements, by all means, do it yourself.
Being proud of yourself without being arrogant is a perfectly normal part of being a healthy human. You even are allowed to brag. It’s okay to take pride in your success. However, you can also encourage yourself and push yourself to do even better.
With this image you have in your mind of what you want to be, you can get there. So, determine what you want, and then go after it passionately. Keep your head up and be confident in yourself, and pat yourself on the back when you do well.
