January is the start of a brand new year, brand new goals, brand new start, and a lot of people struggle to stay consistent. One way to stay consistent is to be positive about all the new things coming into your life. Having a positive outlook on life will not only make your life easier and more manageable, but it will actually increase your lifespan and decrease depression.
According to the Mayo Clinic, positive thinking can lead to an increased lifespan and decrease depression as well as increase resistance to colds, all of which are possibly due to better responses to stress, which can be very harmful to the body.
Being more positive starts with acceptance. Accept that you may not be the most positive person, and that’s okay. Accept that there will be a lot of things outside of your control. Accept that you want to change and become a more positive person. Now, you can begin to understand what it takes to be a more positive person.
Realize when you are being negative and replace it with something positive in that situation. If you get into a car crash, instead of thinking about how much money it will cost you or that you will be late for your 9 a.m. meeting, think about the positive fact that no one was hurt and you will be okay. Recognizing the negative aspects of your thinking and focusing on the positive will make sure that stressful situations, like a car crash, can be turned into positive situations in order to become less stressful.
One of the best feelings is helping someone in need. Becoming more positive is much easier to do when you regularly do kind things for others. Being generous and helping those in need will make you realize all the positive aspects of your life and how much you take for granted. If you ever feel negative or down, just help one person achieve something, and it will instantly lift your spirits and show you that there is much more to life than being negative.
Another great feeling is laughing. It can cure many things, including a negative mindset. Surround yourself with funny and positive people, and you will also pick up this habit. When you are feeling down, try to find something humorous about the situation. This will perk your mood right up.
“Fake it until you make it” applies to almost everything in life, including being more positive. Are you feeling sad and can’t stop thinking negative thoughts? Smile! Having bad thoughts about your body? Stand up tall and try to only think about your favorite parts. Your posture and smile have a huge psychological impact on how you feel, so even if you aren’t feeling great, pretend you are, and you will feel better. It takes time and patience, but with practice and consistency, you will form the habit of being positive.
