Have you ever wondered how certain people can remain positive, no matter what life throws their way? As it turns out, positivity is a skill that anyone can cultivate by simply changing their habits.
If you could improve your life, mental health & overall perspective towards your own potential, would you? If your answer was yes, keep reading.
These 14 habits will help you to find peace and positivity in a world filled with toxic negativity.
1. Practice being in the moment.
As a spiritual life coach, I speak with people throughout my day who want to know how they can better handle their relationships, improve in their careers, and find peace amidst the chaos of life. My biggest tip is to practice mindfulness. What do I mean by this? Rather than getting muddled down in the big picture, or everything on your plate, try focusing on the task at hand. Pay attention to the moment you are in and get out of your mind! Overthinking can be your biggest enemy when trying to find peace, and your major counter-action is going to be refocusing and bringing yourself out of your negative thoughts and back into the moment.
Try this exercise the next time you get stressed out: practice awareness of your surroundings, your feelings, your thoughts, and the present moment, without judgment. What is going on and how can you handle it in reality (not inside of your mind.) If you are really feeling stressed, name five things you can see, five things you can hear or touch, and try wiggling your five fingers or moving 5 body parts. Once you are at the moment- then proceed to handle it.
2. Surround yourself with positive people.
There is a quote that is something along the lines of “You’re a product of your environment. Surround yourself with people who push you to be your best self.” You can’t expect to rid your life of toxic negativity if you are around a group of negative Nancys (no offense to anyone named Nancy.) Instead, surround yourself with people who want to be better, who want to grow, and who hold you accountable for reaching your goals and being a better version of yourself.
3. Use positive language.
The language you use is powerful. If you are constantly saying, “I am depressed,” you will be. Instead, change the way you word things and shift “I am depressed,” to “I feel depressed.” This puts the power back in your hands and allows you to shift from feeling depressed and work towards a different outcome or mindset. If you tell yourself that you are something, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and by owning that label you remove your ability to shift into a better frame of mind.
4. Get moving!
Many people view exercise as just a weight-loss tool or something that will just benefit your figure and physical body. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Exercise is a powerful self-care tool that gives you confidence, boosts endorphins, reduces stress, reduces anxiety, and improves your mental health in a myriad of ways. I’m not saying it will solve all of your problems, but it will 100% without a shadow of a doubt improve your life and help you shift your perspective!
5. Start your day off right.
Have you ever noticed that when you start your day with a negative mindset, the rest of the day seems to be a self-fulfilling prophecy of doom? Instead of telling yourself how much you dread the day to come, speak a better day into existence. Embrace your day, do a quick workout, turn on some fun music, and fist pump in the mirror. Tell yourself, “Today is going to rock!” I promise it will make a HUGE difference.
6. Make sure you get enough sleep!!!!
I cannot stress this enough. Without enough sleep, your mental and physical health will suffer. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that adults between the age of 26-64 should get between seven and nine hours of sleep each day. If you are letting your sleep fall to the backburner, this simple adjustment could make all the difference in the world.
7. Listen to uplifting music for productivity and positivity.
Music has the power to lift your spirits or drag them down. Research from the University of Missouri that was published in the Journal of Positive Psychology discovered that fun and upbeat music can have an extremely powerful effect on our overall well-being. And what do you have to lose? Type in feel-good hits on your Spotify account and let the good times roll!
8. Eat a balanced diet.
I am NOT telling you to starve yourself, to restrict yourself, or anything along those lines. Instead, develop a healthy attitude towards food by balancing the amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates you eat and ensuring that you are eating the best foods possible for your mind, body, and soul. Food is fuel for your lifestyle.
9. Motivate yourself with positive content.
Find a podcast, Youtuber, or motivational speaker that helps you to feel motivated and positive, and listen to them daily. Read books about cultivating positivity and truly put an effort towards reframing your perspective towards positivity. You would be surprised at how much this tip will help!
10. Be a person of value in other people’s lives.
Start being more present for others. Listen to your friends, family, and lovers with compassion. Be there for the ones you love when they need you. Smile at strangers. Hold doors open for others. The smallest kind gesture can change that person’s day, and it will also help you to realize the power of positivity, not just within, but also outside of yourself.
11. Posture yourself for positivity.
Watch how you carry yourself. Hold yourself high, pull your shoulders back, stand up straight and hold your chin up high. Research has found that confident people have higher levels of testosterone and lower levels of cortisol. And your body language makes a huge difference in your confidence. Simply holding yourself differently and more postured can trick your brain to believe you are confident!
12. Give yourself a break!
Ridding yourself of toxic negativity does not mean that you will be a positive Polly 24/7. And it’s impossible to have a positive mindset if you are burned out. When you are starting to feel like you need to rest and rejuvenate- take measures of self-care. I am not saying to take a week off work and disappear to a desert island. Instead, take a few minutes to yourself and meditate. Sleep in an hour. Lay down and relax and watch a movie. Even small measures can help so much!
13. Find a new hobby.
It’s easy to get lost in the hustle-bustle of daily life tasks. Between work, chores, parenting, and trying to maintain our health, we can forget about the things we enjoy most. Learning is fun and helps us to grow from within. Continue to be a student of life, and take up new hobbies to learn and enjoy. Hobbies don’t have to be expensive or difficult. Simple things like gardening, drawing, journaling, exploring, and finding new music are all inexpensive and fun hobbies that can benefit you in a myriad of ways.
14. Pay homage to gratitude.
What are you grateful for in life? What are your biggest blessings? I don’t care how bad you think your life is- there is SOMETHING to be grateful for in your life. Take a moment to sit down, and list them out. You can list something as simple as being able to breathe fresh air, or being thankful for the warmth from the sun in the sky. Start refocusing on what’s good in life instead of everything that’s bad, and watch your mental health do a complete 180!