Is your glass half full? Or half empty?
Sometimes it’s really hard to see the positive in things. A negative mindset can really hold you back in life and in your career.
Truth be told, people really don’t like to be around others who bring the energy around them down. If you’re constantly waiting for “bad things” to happen, this will hold you back and make life a lot more stressful!
Let’s talk about some of the best techniques we’ve found to help boost our positivity.
I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, take what you need and leave the rest. It’s about what works for YOU individually, but hopefully inspiration will come from these 10 simple ideas!
#1 Find a passion.
When you do something that makes you happy, you can look forward to more meaning and excitement to your life. You will become happier and more positive in the long run.
What other passions do you pursue? Do you take part in any other meaningful activities that boost your happiness? What do you have in your life other than work?
Life’s too short to hate your job!
I highly recommend looking for a new job or attempting to improve things at your current one, if you are really not happy or stressed in this job. Staying in a job that really brings you negativity makes it a challenge to maintain a positive outlook on life.
#2 Surround yourself with positive people.
This one seems like a no-brainer, but we often forget this one.
It’s nearly impossible to get rid of negative people 100%. It’s important though to remove those people who bring you down all the time. It’s important for you to ask yourself if you really want and/or this person in your life. This can be a really tough decision if it’s a close friend or family member.
Work issue? The choices are not simple. You can jump on their bandwagon, ignore it (try to not let their negativity affect you), speak to someone (see if you can resolve the issue with your boss/colleagues), and think about finding a new job (especially if things are really bad).
#3 Stop worrying about other people.
Can you relate to the following scenario? This is a biggie.
You are really excited to share some news, but then the person you were going to share it with is in a slump, so you don’t celebrate it.
Or you are super excited about something, but then think someone else’s success is so much bigger than yours.
(For most of us) there will ALWAYS be someone better off, more successful and supposedly, more accomplished. We need to not compare ourselves with others so that we can live a less hard and stressful life, filled with disappointment.
Focus on what makes YOU happy – and when you reach those personal goals, celebrate them, big or small, no matter what the other guy has or has achieved.
Live your life for you, not other people.
#4 Look forward, not back.
Are you one of those people who constantly look back at all those embarrassing moments that make you cringe, even if they happened years ago?
When you constantly re-live these shameful moments, does it change anything? Nope. You need to enjoy your present life. It’s important to look forward to the future. There are a lot of positive things still to come.
Going back to my early parenting years, I remember a program called “Nobody’s Perfect” and this so applies to our everyday life. We can’t change the past, but we can use those lessons to change what we can. We all have bad moments in our lives, but they also come with the good.
These are lessons learned.
#5 Think happy thoughts.
What are you grateful for? What makes you happy? What’s good about you?
Push away those negative thoughts. Sometimes that’s easier said than done, so start making a list. Create your very own bank of “happy thoughts”. Use the notes section in your phone (most of us carry our phone around with us most of the time).
This might seem a little bit weird right now, but when it feels like the “whole world” is against you, that list can definitely give you that boost up.
#6 Make a Change.
Change is the hardest thing to do, yet it’s the most crucial.
If you’re not happy about something in your life, make a change. Not happy at your job? Don’t stick around for years complaining – look for a new one. If you want to learn some new skills and improve yourself and have different career choices – just do it. Seize the moment! Make changes! This will help to give you a positivity boost and be overall happier.
#7 Do something altruistic.
Do something for someone less fortunate than you. It will help you gain perspective.
It will likely remind you how lucky you really are. It will help you feel more positive and feel like you are really making a difference in the world. It’s great for the person that you are helping. It’s a win-win situation for everyone. Remember though, it’s about a balance and it can’t be at your own detriment. That would defeat the purpose.
#8 Smile and MEAN IT.
My friend, Amilie, shared this tip at our Women’s Conference. Some people got it, while others didn’t. And that’s okay. The concept behind this is that smiling could actually trick you into being more happy, more positive by simply smiling.
So next time you’re feeling a little bit low, force a smile, crack a joke, watch a funny show, find a video of a kid belly laughing (that does it for me), whatever works for you – that grin will immediately boost your mood.
#9 Act positive.
Even when you are feeling low, don’t bring everyone else down with your own negativity.
The Law of Attraction says that what you put out you get back. It doesn’t mean bad things don’t happen, but when positively react to the situations in our lives, it turns inward changing our mood and mindset.
It’s like one big circle of positivity!
#10 Be realistic.
I’m not saying, don’t walk around with rose-coloured glasses, but find the positives in everything you can!
We can’t “pretend” like nothing is wrong. There are bad things in this world. Be realistic without becoming cynical, negative and pessimistic.
Are you feeling more positive? It’s important to remember there are no “be-all and end-all” answers to giving yourself a positivity boast.
“Being positive” is a state of mind. You can change what you can. Our circumstances dictate what happens, but our attitude dictates how we will respond.
I hope that you can implement some of these tips in your everyday life and give yourself a boost of positivity!