Remember that childhood ditty: “When you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands.” It continues on and finally says, “When you’re happy and you know, your face will surely show it.” Think about it. This is so true. Quite often, you will see people walking around with a scowl on their face. Immediately, you think that person must be unhappy. I read somewhere that it takes more muscles in your face to scowl than to smile.
Developing an optimistic outlook can be good for both your physical and mental health. However, as Karen Wolff, author of Get Out of the Land of Negativity says, “It is a never ending cycle. Our outlook improves and we are hopeful and then something small happens to send us to the negative side again. The good news is there are some things we can do to help transition from the land of negativity to a much more positive place.”
Below you will find some tips on how to help you become a positive thinker. It will take some work but then it will become a habit.
Spend Time With Positive People
Get rid of those “Debbie Downers” in your life. If you surround yourself with constant complainers, their negativity is likely to rub off on you. Spend time with positive friends and family members. It’s hard to be negative when everyone around you is so positive. Talk to people who will help you put things into perspective and won’t feed your negative thinking.
Take Responsibility For Your Behavior
When you encounter problems, acknowledge your role in the situation and take responsibility for your behavior. Don’t consider yourself stuck. There is always a way out. You can make that choice for the better.
Help Someone
By helping someone, you are taking the focus away from yourself and concentrating on someone else. It can be something small or something on a bigger scale in the community. An example is Ray Rangwala of Esteem Cleaners in Pasadena. He travels to an orphanage in Baja California in Mexico four times a year. Each trip he brings food and supplies and spends the weekend with the children there. When you hear him describe the trips, there is a glow about him. He has had many trying times, but you would never know it. He rises above that negativity.
Read Positive And Inspirational Material
You don’t have to read the Bible, but if that works for you, do it. I like the idea of reading positive quotes. There are so many websites that offer positive quotes. There are so many books that offer many positive, inspirational stories. Take that moment to step out of yourself and use these materials to better yourself.
Offer Compliments To Others
Always look for reasons to compliment others. In your business and personal life, you can put a smile on other faces just by a few words. This also helps you see the good in other people. I can still remember compliments I received years ago that were so special to me.
Recognize And Replace Negative Thoughts
You need to learn to replace overly negative thoughts. Take always and never out of your vocabulary. These are not truthful words! Substitute the word sometimes instead. We all make mistakes so acknowledge it. You need to make your thoughts realistic. Create a list of the ways negative thinking impacts your life. It will influence your behavior, relationships and feelings. Then create a list of ways positive thinking can be beneficial to you.
Create A Daily Gratitude List
What are you thankful for? Make this list every morning. It does not have to be long, but by creating this list, it will help you focus on your gratitude for the good things in your life. This is help you appreciate what you already have.
Take Care Of Yourself
If you are getting the right amount of sleep, the proper diet and exercise, you will be better equipped to think positively. This is a critical part – managing your physical and mental health
Lastly, smile and sing! Get in front of the mirror and force yourself to smile! Look at yourself. It really does change your mood. And bring that smile with you all day. And singing. So what if you can’t sing. When we sing, we show our feelings and this provides an amazing stress relief.
So keep smiling and singing and we will see you at the Fabricare Show in Long Beach, CA. I want to see oceans of smiles at the show!
