Today we will continue on from our previous post about Mindset. Today I wanted to give you some ways in which to create a positive mindset which is what is required to make positive changes to our way of life.
If we take a step back and look at our lives, you will see that our life is a reflection of our attitude. When we are continuously exposed to tragedy and injustice in the media, and as we experience our own heartache and distress, without even noticing it we can easily become negative and cynical towards the world.
Not only can a negative attitude prevent you from fully enjoying your life, it can also have a significant impact on your environment. The energy a person brings with them is contagious. One of the best things you can offer your family, organization or community is your positive attitude.
We are creatures of habit, so by making small adjustments to your daily life and mindset, positive habits can be formed to make yourself and everyone you interact with happier. Here is a list of 10 habits that can turn a negative or gloomy outlook into an flowing and optimistic attitude.
- Breathe
The way we breathe is directly connected to our emotions. Have you noticed that sometimes we hold our breath when we are concentrating on something? Or have you noticed that your breathing changes when you are angry or anxious? Our breath changes depending on how we feel. But there is good news! The connection between breathing and emotions goes the other way too. We can also change how we feel by using our breath! Control your breathing and you control your emotions.
- Embrace Challenges
Although we might try, there are very few things in life that we have complete control over. We should not worry about the things we cannot control. What we can control is the effort that we put in and when we give our full effort, there is no point in letting it affect our emotions…we did our best! Try to have fun with challenges, embrace them as adventures instead of attempting to resist an experience for growth. “Sometimes you win and sometimes you learn.” – Robert Kiyosaki
- Replace “HAVE” with “GET”
Do you ever notice how many times we say that we “have” to do something? I “have” to go to work, or I “have” to go grocery shopping, or I “have” to do my chores. A simple but very effective exercise can have a powerful effect on your mindset is by changing one little word. Now change this word to “get” and you will be surprised at the results. I “get” to go to work. I “get” to go grocery shopping, and even, I “get” to do my chores. Your attitude quickly changes from needing to fulfill obligations to being thankful and grateful for the things that we become accustomed to having: a job to support you and your family, food on the table, and a roof over your head. Try to make this change when you are thinking to yourself and you may feel and appear happier and less stressed.
- Keep a Thankful and Gratitude Journal
Science has found that being thankful and grateful can significantly increase your happiness, and protect you from stress, negativity, anxiety and depression. Often just one single event such as an unpleasant interaction, or experience, can ruin an entire day and can overshadow the enjoyable parts of our day. Our mind can sometimes cling to the negative so it’s important to intentionally focus on the good parts of our day to offset this imbalance. Try writing down 5 things that you feel thankful and grateful for every day and see how your attitude changes.
- Have positive solutions when pointing out problems
Being positive doesn’t mean that you have to ignore the problems. Positive people have constructive criticisms to help improve the situations. If you are going to point out problems in people or situations, try to place just as much effort into suggesting solutions. Instead of pointing out all of the things that are wrong, offer ways to make it better.
- Learn to embrace “Rejection”
Learning to deal with rejection is a skill. Every time you have a broken heart or a failed job interview, put it down as practice, because no one gets to slide through life without being rejected. Don’t let it harden you and don’t expect the worse. If you wait for bad things to happen, chances are it will, or you will tend to focus in on the bad and you may end up missing the good things that come along the way. Remember, when there are cracks in your heart, they let the sunshine in.
- Use Positive words to describe your life
The words that we use have a lot more power than we think. How you talk about your life is how your life will be. Your mind hears what you say. If you describe your life as boring, busy, crazy, chaotic, that is how you will perceive your life to be and you will feel the effects in your body and mind. If you change the how you describe your life and use the words simple, involved, familiar or lively, you will see your life in a whole different light and find more enjoyment in the way you chose to shape your life.
- Don’t become involved in other people’s complaints
Have you ever noticed that your day was going quite well, and then you get to work and your co-worker can’t stop complaining about the cold weather. You didn’t really think about it before he/she brought it up, but now you find yourself agreeing and joining in on the complaint-fest of how you are sick of this cold weather. In a month or so you’ll be pulled into complaints about how it’s too hot. Don’t fall into that trap. A study done at the Warsaw School of Social Psychology shows that complaining leads to lower moods and negative emotions, decreased life satisfaction and optimism, and emotional and motivational deficits. You might find that your co-worker will complain less without the validation of someone else having the same complaint.
- Look for “Positives” from negative situations
It’s hard to have hope and stay positive when hate and violence is all over the media. What we don’t see as much is that in every instance of natural disasters, war, traumatic experience, you will find people rising up, reaching out to each other and showing raw compassion and love. Hold onto the stories of modern-day heroes and selflessness in the times of fear and devastation.
- Make someone else smile
Who do you think about most of the time? If we answered honestly, most of us would say themselves. It’s good to hold ourselves accountable, take responsibility for our life roles, hygiene, food, etc. but set a goal for each day to make someone else smile. Think about someone else’s happiness and it will help us to realize our immense impact that our attitude and expression has on the people around us.
I hope you enjoyed this information and I look forward to your feedback as to how these 10 habits have changed your mindset.
Mike
