How to Be More Positive

The Power of Positivity

Victoria Taylor
Life Torch
4 min readJan 24, 2023

--

Photo by Sam Manns on Unsplash

Positivity entails keeping a positive view of everything. It involves remaining upbeat and optimistic despite obstacles. Positive people appreciate their possessions and seek the positive in every circumstance. They tend to see the glass as half-full instead of half-empty.

Being optimistic doesn’t imply that you never experience bad feelings or gloomy battle ideas. Everybody has gloomy or discouraged days. The distinction is that those who think positively don’t allow their destructive emotions to rule them.

How to Improve Your Optimism

  • Practice Gratitude

List the things for which you are thankful. Jot down a few things that make you joyful or appreciative in a gratitude diary. These don’t have to be novel or ground-breaking observations; they may be as straightforward as a lovely, bright day or your cat nuzzling up to your hand as you’re trying to get things done.

  • Enjoy the Waiting

Every day, find something to look forward to. According to research, having something enjoyable to anticipate elevates happiness and lowers stress.

Find something to look forward to every day, whether going to your favorite store, having coffee with your friends, going for a stroll in the park in the evening, or reading your favorite book. Even when things don’t go your way, this will help you maintain your cheerful attitude.

  • Practice Mindfulness

Entirely concentrating on the current moment, including your thoughts, sensations, and surroundings, is the practice of mindfulness. It might enhance your awareness of your thoughts and feelings, among other advantages.

Take a few slow, deep breaths if you’re feeling anxious or overburdened, and try to stay in the present. Pay attention to your body’s sensations and the sounds you may hear. Once you develop the ability to recognize your thoughts, you may actively try to replace unfavorable ones with more favorable ones.

  • Use Positive Self-Talk

The words you say to yourself affect how you perceive both yourself and the outside world, and self-criticism is sure to impair your capacity for optimism. According to research, changing from negative to positive self-talk can enhance moods and lessen stress.

  • Smile

Faking a grin will likely improve your mood even if you’re not in a good mood. Your brain releases feel-good and calming hormones when you smile.

Researchers have shown that smiling promotes happy sentiments and shifts people’s perspectives to a more optimistic one. Therefore, the next time you’re having a bad day, try smiling to see if it makes you feel better.

Qualities of Positive Individuals:

  • Optimistic.
  • Grateful.
  • Finds solutions.
  • Helpful.
  • Compassionate.
  • Happy.
  • Upbeat.
  • Humorous.

While the qualities of negative people:

  • Pessimistic.
  • Ungrateful.
  • Meditates on the problems.
  • Apathetic.
  • Unhappy.
  • Cynical.
  • Serious.

Benefits of a Positive Attitude

— Improved mental health. Positive people often have higher mental health overall. They have a lower likelihood of developing anxiety or depression. In the face of life’s difficulties, they are also more robust. Being more upbeat can assist in forming a buffer against the damaging effects of stress during challenging times.

— Improved physical health. According to research, having a more optimistic outlook is linked to having better physical health. People who are optimistic tend to live longer than those who are pessimistic and have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease.

A rise in happiness. Greater subjective well-being and happiness are also associated with positivity. Optimistic people may enjoy life regularly and are less susceptible to stress or bad feelings.

Stronger connections. Conflict is less common, and interpersonal relationships are better and more enjoyable for positive individuals.

Can You Be Too Positive?

It may be a sign that you are overly optimistic if your need always to be happy causes you to overlook or reject unpleasant feelings. This tendency, known as toxic optimism, makes individuals feel ashamed and unsupported when dealing with challenging or darker emotions.

Increased happiness, healthier relationships, and better success in life are just a few advantages of having a positive outlook on life. Spend time with positive people, engage in activities that make you happy, stay away from negative ideas and feelings, express gratitude for what you have, and look for the positive in every circumstance if you want to be more positive.

This article was co-written with a therapist from Sensera — a self-help app that provides daily CBT audio sessions and exercises. The app helps people deal with a variety of mental issues (anxiety, low self-esteem, and relationship problems). Download now to become happier!

--

--

Victoria Taylor
Life Torch

I'm working to manage my low self-esteem and ongoing anxiety. Wanna assist others. My self-therapy app: https://sensera.app