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You know you need to be more positive and improve your mindset, but what exactly
does that mean? Having a positive mindset is when you have a positive mental attitude.
Your mindset is simply your collection of beliefs and thoughts about the world around
you, and yourself. It is often built up over time through your experiences and also some
limiting beliefs.

A positive mindset is one where you try to be more optimistic and put a positive spin on
life’s events, both good and bad. It is not forcing yourself to be positive all the time, but
simply be more mindful and optimistic about how you view the moments you
experience.

What a Positive Mindset Looks like

Aside from the general definition of what it means to think positively, it can be hard to
really understand what this would mean in your thought processes and in your life. So,
here is a glance at what having a positive mindset might look like in your life:

Being more mindful – Mindfulness is a big part of having a positive mindset, because
instead of getting caught in a stress spiral about a negative moment in your life, you are
able to just sit with it and accept that is only what is happening in that moment.
Mindfulness gets easier the more you practice.

Having optimism – Being optimistic is one of the best aspects of having a positive
mindset. When you think positively, you tend to be optimistic, where you see the bright
side of things, no matter what the worst case scenario could be.

Expressing gratitude – On a day-to-day basis, someone with a positive mindset
expresses gratitude regularly.

Handling challenges with patience – Resilience is another big part of a positive
mindset, so you will notice that you are able to handle unexpected events and various
obstacles in your life much more effortlessly.

Helping others see the bright side – Finally, you might notice that you also help other
people to be more positive. You have a better understanding of what it is like to have a
positive mindset, so when someone goes through something difficult, you know how to
help them be more optimistic about the situation.

How Having a Positive Mindset Can Benefit You

Why should you work on developing a positive mindset? There are actually many
benefits to positive thinking and changing how you view the different experiences you
go through in your life. Some of the top benefits to having a more positive mindset
include:

• Being resilient
• Challenging your own limiting beliefs
• Increasing your self-esteem and confidence
• Excelling at work
• Improved relationships with friends and loved ones
• A more fulfilling life

When you have a positive mindset, it is not that you avoid all negative thoughts and
situations. That would be impossible. But you are optimistic, you see that the glass is
half full, and you understand that it always gets better no matter what.

Your Positive Thinking Helps Stop Stress Spirals in Their Tracks

Another thing to consider about having a positive mindset is that you can actually stop
those stress and anxiety thought spirals before they get out of hand.

You know the ones; when something bad happens, you have one negative thought, and
suddenly you are caught up in a whirlwind of bad thoughts that seem to get out of
control. But the thing about these thought patterns is that you are in control. You are
allowing that single negative thought to change how you view the entire experience.

When you start working on your positive mindset, you will still have negative thoughts
and stressful situations in your life. But these spirals don’t happen as often because you
are more mindful and in control.

Having a positive mindset allows you to be happy during every phase of your life, the
good and the bad. You learn how to accept challenging circumstances for what they are
and find a way to look on the bright side, even when everything feels so dim and dark in
your life. The amazing way it transforms your life into something beautiful is what makes
it worth it.

What Can Affect Your Mindset (And How to Avoid it)

As you continue on your journey to building a more positive mindset and focusing on
positive thinking, you will notice that certain times in your life are a lot more challenging
than others. There are certain people and situations that tend to affect your mindset
more drastically, and make it harder to maintain the positive mindset you crave.

Here are some situations that might be affecting your mindset, and some tips for
resolving them.

Extreme Levels of Stress

One of the biggest impacts to your positive mindset is dealing with an extremely high
level of stress. While stress is normal and not something you can avoid, when it feels
heavy and intense, it can do a number on your mindset.

Stress has a way to impact about every aspect of your life, including your work, your
personal relationships, your habits and lifestyle, and definitely your mindset.

The best thing you can do if you have stress is start working on stress relief methods.
Habits such as meditation, journaling, affirmations, exercise, and socializing can help
tremendously when you have a lot of stress in your life.

Lack of Healthy Habits

Another impact to your mindset might be the lack of healthy habits you have in your life.
People often view habits and lifestyle as optional, and only needed to live a certain kind
of life or achieve a specific goal. But these habits you choose to add to your daily life
can be what keeps you from transforming your mindset, or encourages you to improve
it.

If you keep things just as they are, never growing or changing, and never focusing on
healthy habits, your mind will also stay in the same place. You need to find things to add
to your daily routine that not only help your physical state, but your emotional and
mental state as well. These are what will help encourage you to be more positive.

The Way You Talk to Yourself

Now is also a great time to consider how you talk to yourself, as your internal dialogue
is extremely impactful on your state of mind. If you tend to have a more negative outlook
about yourself, whether it is how you look, your successes or failures, or how you have
been living your life, then you are only setting yourself up for a negative mindset.

You need to start being kinder to yourself. Use positive affirmations to start shifting your
subconscious thoughts, use only positive words when thinking about yourself or talking
to yourself, don’t put yourself down when you feel you could have handled a situation
differently.

The Way Others Talk to You

It is equally important to consider how other people around you talk to you or treat you.
Even if they don’t intend to make you feel bad, sometimes the tone of people or just
someone who doesn’t support you the way they should, can have a negative impact on
your mindset.

If you have a perpetually negative thought process, then it probably started at a time in
your life when others convinced you of these limiting beliefs. These beliefs sit in your
subconscious mind, where you are not aware of them except when situations arise that
create that negative mindset.

This is a good time to consider the types of people you surround yourself with. To have
a positive mindset, you need to have positive people around you. Even if someone isn’t
directly hurtful, if their words or actions make you feel bad about yourself in any way, it
is a toxic relationship and one that you should reconsider keeping in your life.

Having No Outlet For Your Thoughts and Feelings

Finally, if you don’t have a positive outlet for those negative thoughts and feelings you
might be experiencing, it could have a big impact on your mindset. Even if you are trying
to reframe your negative thoughts and work on your mindset, they can still creep in and
make it more challenging if you don’t have an outlet for them.

A healthy way to process your thoughts and feelings is with a journal. Just write down
how you are feeling, what you are going through, anything that comes into your mind.
Make this a daily habit and soon you will notice it is easier to maintain your positive
mindset.

Adapting a more positive mindset is less about the big changes you make in your life,
and more about the small shifts in your lifestyle. There are a variety of daily habits that
can help you start living a more positive, happier, and fulfilling life just by changing your
mindset.

Develop a Positive Mindset

Here are 7 daily habits that can help you develop a positive mindset and start living your
life in a happier, more optimistic way.

1. Choose a Morning Habit That Makes You Feel Positive

Instead of stressing yourself out by trying to transform your entire morning routine with
habits you don’t have much interest in, just pick one. Choose one single habit that you
feel would put you in a good mood and make you feel good about yourself.

You may eventually add other habits to your morning routine to boost your positive
mindset, but for now, pick just one. Here are some ideas for positive habits you can add
to your morning routine:

• Writing in your journal every morning
• Going for a walk when the sun comes up
• Doing yoga or stretching
• Sitting on your patio or balcony with your morning cup of coffee or tea
• Meditation or visualization

2. Move Your Body in a Joyful Way

An excellent habit to add to your daily routine is to move your body in the form of
exercise. The key here is not to choose a fitness routine that is too rigid or try to punish
yourself for what you eat. Instead, you want to look at it as a joyful way to move your
body and treat your body with kindness.

Any form of exercise you enjoy can be included, such as:

• Walking your dog
• Going on a nature hike
• Strolling down the beach
• Doing yoga
• Early morning stretching
• Tai chi
• Swimming
• Dancing

3. Find Your Preferred Way to Practice Gratitude

Gratitude is essential when it comes to improving your mindset, but there isn’t just one
way to do it. You actually have a few different options for expressing gratitude on a daily
basis. This might include:

• Writing down what you are grateful for in a journal
• Writing down your gratitude list in your daily planner
• Keeping a gratitude jar, where you write something to be grateful for every day
  on a piece of paper, fold it up and put it in the jar
• Thinking to yourself how grateful you are every time something good happens or
  you feel appreciation for something

4. Use Positive Affirmations Every Day

To think more positively and change your mindset, you need to practice it every day.
One of the best ways to do this is with affirmations. Affirmations are positive words of
encouragement that you repeat every day in order to start changing your subconscious
mind, and eventually, your conscious mindset.

One thing to note is that in the beginning, affirmations won’t feel like they are making a
difference, but be patient. Choose affirmations that speak to you and invoke a positive
emotion, then write them down or say them out loud every day.

5. Think it, Then Write it Down

Writing your thoughts in a journal might not be your favorite thing to do, but it is really
impactful when you are trying to have a more positive mindset. You have so many
thoughts and feelings going through your mind that it can become overwhelming. It is
hard to be optimistic and happy and positive when you keep replaying stressful events
in your life.

Start a habit of doing regular brain dumps, where you write down everything on your
mind. It doesn’t have to take a long time or have any sort of structure to it. Just get your
thoughts out of your head and onto paper. Do this every day if you can, for at least a
few minutes a day.

6. Say Something Kind to Yourself

Now is the time to improve your self-talk. If you tend to think more negatively about
yourself, such as how you act, how you look, how others see you, your abilities and
talents, your mistakes, this is what is keeping you from having a positive outlook on life.

If you want a positive mindset, it starts with you and how you talk to yourself. You need
to be kind and talk to yourself like you would a best friend. That internal dialogue you
have and those feelings you have about yourself matter, even if they are never said out
loud.

Every time you think something negative about yourself, you are affirming it. Start
affirming something different. Start focusing on the good things about yourself, your
talents, your natural beauty, your kindness, all the things you are proud of.

If you find it difficult, just make a daily habit of writing down 3-5 things you love about
yourself. They can be the same every day, or change based on how you feel.

7. Visualize a Positive, Happy Life

Visualization is an amazing and simple tool that can start transforming your mindset into
one filled with positivity and hope. All you have to do is spend a few quiet moments
every day, either when you wake up and before you get out of bed, or at night before
going to sleep, and visualize your dream life.

It works best when you are in a restful state and you have no outside distractions, which
is why doing it in bed is so helpful. However, any time you are in a calm state during the
day can be useful.

It is similar to daydreaming, but you are focusing on something more specific, and
putting that positive scene on repeat. Chose a short scene to visualize that represents
something you want in your life, that also creates a positive, euphoric feeling.

It can be anything from playing with your kids or spending time in nature, to your
wedding day or achieving the success and abundance you are trying to attract into your
life. The only thing that matters is that it makes you happy and feel hopeful.

When you add these simply habits to your daily routine, you will notice that it is much
easier to maintain your positive mindset.