How To Be More Positive: 7 Ways To Increase Positive Thinking

Being more positive is one of those life skills that can go a long way. This can be especially true in difficult times where the ability to keep a positive outlook can make the difference between a downward spiraling mood and resilient spirit.

While positivity is great, we also need to make sure that it works for us rather than against. People need to be able to balance being positive and maintaining an optimistic outlook with thinking logically and finding happiness when bad things happen.

Ways to be more positive

Here are some ways to think more positively.

Remember to use these in moderation to assure your positive outlook doesn’t become maladaptive.

1. Don’t ignore positives in life

The first step is to avoid ignoring the positives in life. A lot of people make this mistake and then proceed to wonder why they can’t think positively. How can someone think positively if they ignore the positives or (worse) fixate on negatives?

There’s a good chance you have something in your life to be thankful for – something going for you. Take a moment to think of what’s uplifting in your life. You might have a lot of successes in a month and then you have one bad day and forget the other great ones. Get out of any habit you might have of picking and choosing only the negatives and start looking at the bigger picture.

Remember that good things can happen to you in the future, too. When people worry about what could happen, it’s often because they’re overlooking the good things that can happen. These people are often stuck concentrating on worst-case scenarios. Whether it’s the past, present or future, remember not to overlook the positive in favor of the negative. Remember not to compromise optimism for pessimism.

2. Understand that bad things can happen but so can good ones

The annoying reality in life is bad things can happen. This applies to anyone, not just you. However, bad things don’t always happen and it’s important to remember that.

You cannot live your life with the plaguing thought in mind that something bad happened, is happening or will happen. This is an unnecessary burden to take on. Always remind yourself of this. Life is not about living trouble free, it is about living free even in the face of trouble.

Once you understand and genuinely accept the fact that life can always have its ups and downs, it is important to remember that it’s not all bad. Bad things can happen but good things can happen to. Getting it your way is a possibility just like things not going your way is. Balance out your negative thoughts with positive ones.

3. Change direction if you catch yourself thinking negatively

If you find yourself stuck in a negative thinking cycle, a simple trick you can employ is just changing your thoughts. If you become aware of negative thinking, immediately stop yourself. Scream “stop” in your head and change your thoughts right away. Immediately switch to more positive thinking. This doesn’t have to be your only strategy, but it’s a great way to use your willpower to help yourself think more positively if you tend to lean towards negative thinking.

4. Think logically

Positive thinking is often the more logical way of thinking. This might be surprising, but it’s true. This doesn’t mean bad things can’t happen, but logical thinking can reveal the whole picture more effectively. For example, say you have a strong fear that you’ll be interrupted during a big speech by someone yelling at you. Technically this could happen in the same way many other unlikely things can happen. But, more realistically, this is unlikely to happen. In this situation, the fear is more illogical (although not impossible) then the positive outcome.

Many negative thoughts are often unreasonable. Illogical negative thoughts can be particularly annoying because you might convince yourself that you’re right about something that has a minimal chance of actually occurring. When faced with a fear or when stuck in a state of minimal positivity, ask yourself how logical you are being by thinking these things. Do some deep reflection to put your thoughts to the test and challenge their legitimacy.

5. Don’t make negatives big deals

If you have a tendency to give negatives more value than they deserve, you could be ruining your ability to think positively. Making mountains out of molehills when it comes to unfavorable situations is a disappointingly effective way to destroy positive thoughts.

This doesn’t mean not being affected by things. It’s normal to feel bad about something for a little while every so often. What this does mean is minimizing the emotional impact that the downs of life might have on you. Remember, it usually isn’t a big deal, and even if it is you’ll most likely get over it eventually.

6. Practice being positive (but not too much; avoid toxic positivity)

Being positive is a skill of sorts. By practicing positivity it is very possible that you will eventually make a habit of engaging in positive thinking. Even if it seems hard, make an effort to push through and find at least something to be upbeat about.

This tip does come with a disclaimer, though. It’s important to be positive, yes, but there is a such thing as toxic positivity. Getting stuck in toxic positivity can make you more disconnected from reality because it’s like viewing the world through rose-tinted glasses. In the event the world does not meet your overly positive standard (which is possible), you may find yourself devastated.

Positivity must be maintained in a healthy moderation. It must be enough to keep you in a good mood while also keeping you grounded.

7. Own your own happiness

Your happiness belongs to you. Some situations may not be anything to party about, but remaining content in the face of challenges can accomplish a lot. As long as you are happy, you’re more likely to think positively. As long as you are positive, you are more likely to be happy. This correlation should offer more than enough incentive to keep your happiness under your control.

Do not give any person the right to change your mood. Don’t allow any situation to destroy your joy. Willfully take control over your positive thinking (remember not to overdo it though).