We all know that having a positive outlook is a choice….but how often do we choose the right way or remember that we are in control?
You can choose to think thoughts that elevate your mood, which in turn make you feel better when bad things happen or during bouts of illness or depression. You can turn everything around with one simple word. Awareness.
Being consciously aware and in the moment is how you become a more enlightened person certainly, but it also strengthens our moods and gives us confidence that we are in control again.
Although you’re surrounded by negative messages daily you don’t have to soak it up. Through choosing to take a positive outlook on life, you can begin to shift out of a negative frame of mind and begin to see life as filled with possibilities and solutions instead of worries and hopelessness.
How do we do this?
I have created a list of steps to guide you.
1. Make a decision to think for yourself and to take responsibility for your own attitude. No one can make you feel anything you don’t invite in.
2. Think of what you can do this morning that is good for you and others. Start off fresh, positive and constructive. Decide how you will react in ways that will make a difference to your life instead of allowing people and situations to dictate what you feel.
3. Don’t believe that all others know something you don’t about your own well being or life. People often make things seem more important or worrisome than they are, so by not allowing yourself to be swept away by crowd generated anxiety and instead taking time to think it over and get an answer that works for you, you’ll feel less pressured to conform. This will help you to stay positive because you will feel a greater sense of control over your life and your own choices.
4. Become aware of your “automatic negative thoughts”, because when you are aware of them you can change them!
5. Avoid thinking in black and white only. Eerything you encounter is not yes or no, there or not; there ARE actually shades of gray.
6. Keep a diary recording your daily thoughts and you can start to see a pattern develop right before a string of positive or negative thoughts. Write down thoughts and feelings as they come into play and try to spot the triggers that have resulted in either positive or negative thoughts. Especially do this when stressed. Stress is something that can be managed only when you recognize how you’re reacting to stressful events. By noting your triggers and reactions during stressful periods, you’ll have something concrete to work with.
7. Try new things. Experiencing a wide variety of things will do wonders. Stepping out of your comfort zone can take you by surprise and get rid of those negative generalizations and black and white thoughts. So, visit a new town or country and see how other people view things. Read more and try to actively learn a new skill!
Lastly, consider taking up meditation as a way to center yourself and learn excellent focus. By meditating every day for 10 to 20 minutes, at a time that’s convenient for you, you can increase your awareness of self and the present, helping you to corral the stinking thinking with greater consciousness. Stay physically fit and eat healthily, remember your body is a temple just like your mind. Get rid of anything negative. Do things that spark creativity, not always pleasure or just doing things for the sake of doing or being routine driven. You can’t always control everything that happens in your life, so don’t try…but you can control what you choose to think and feel about them, so DO TRY changing your thought system.
