How to Practice Positive Thinking
/One of the biggest problems in the world today is pessimism. Pessimism is when you have a negative outlook towards almost everything in life. This can cause more stress, and negatively affect your mental health. Turning pessimism into positive thinking can be a hard transition, but it comes with many benefits. Positive thinking can increase your life-span and lower your chances of developing depression. In this article, I am going to give some tips on how to think positively.
Identify Where The Negative Thinking Is Coming From
The first thing you need to do when you are trying to think positively is assess your life and find the source of the negativity. Is it coming from a situation in your life? Is it coming from negative thoughts about yourself? Once you find where the negative thoughts are stimming from, then it is time to slowly transition those thoughts into positive ones. Take small steps into thinking about the negative things in your life positively. It can be hard, but putting a positive spin on the bad things in your life can help your mental health tremendously.
Spend Time With Positive People
One thing that can trigger a pessimistic mindset is being around others with a pessimistic mindset. We humans tend to copy the behavior of the people around us. By surrounding yourself with people who are positive, it can encourage you to be positive, as well. Putting yourself around positive people can give you encouragement, help you reach more goals, and boost your self-esteem. Try looking for people who encourage you instead of people who put you down.
In conclusion, having a positive mindset is great for your mental health. While a negative mindset can lead you to feeling fatigued and stressed, a positive mindset uplifts your energy and gives you a better quality of life. If you are struggling with developing a positive mindset, visit a mental health professional and voice your concerns.
Resources
Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. (2022, February 3). How to stop negative self-talk. Mayo Clinic. Retrieved August 6, 2022, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950
Santos-Longhurst, A. (2019, February 21). How to think positive and have an optimistic outlook: 8 tips. Healthline. Retrieved August 6, 2022, from https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-think-positive#overview
Think positive: 16 simple ways to start thinking positive. The Berkeley Well-Being Institute. (n.d.). Retrieved August 6, 2022, from https://www.berkeleywellbeing.com/think-positive-16-ways-positive-thinking.html
Kylee Roberts, MH Virtual Assistant
Co-written by Amber Madden, LPCC-S
