Despite all our efforts to succeed, we often feel that everything seems to be against us. Sometimes we’re hit by situations that leave us in a state of deep despondency. When this happens, many of us take refuge in complaining and doubting. Yet staying positive is the best attitude to have in the face of adversity. It’s one of the keys to happiness and a good life.

Positivity also has a number of benefits for other aspects of our daily lives. Cultivating a positive outlook, taking a step back, focusing on the positive, adopting an optimistic vocabulary or thinking well of others… There are many tips for working on your positive thoughts.

Why think positive?

A positive person is one who constantly sees the bright side of things and adopts a positive frame of mind. But staying positive isn’t always easy for everyone. In any case, positivity is a quality that everyone should cultivate. After all, you have a lot to gain from being positive.

BETTER HEALTH THROUGH POSITIVE THINKING
Positive or negative, our thoughts affect our bodies and our general well-being. So when you replace your negative thoughts with self-confidence, peace, calm, joy…, it impacts your whole being. Positivity then helps you above all to be serene and to let go of your worries. Sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, muscular tension… it’s easy to free yourself!

Staying positive also protects you from the harmful effects of stress. Adopting a positive frame of mind promotes self-awareness and has a strong mental impact. In particular, optimism boosts our self-esteem. Better still, it enhances our motivation and pushes us forward despite life’s difficulties. As a driving force for progress, it gives us a healthy dose of inspiration to meet challenges. It makes you more productive and helps you achieve your goals.

LONGEVITY, ANOTHER BENEFIT OF POSITIVITY
Staying positive is one of the most common tips for living longer. In the 1930s, a study was carried out by psychologists at the University of Kentucky on optimistic people. It was helpful in understanding that optimists enjoy better health and longer life.

Recent work by researchers at Boston University supports this idea. In fact, according to their research published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on August 26, 2019, the higher the subjects’ level of optimism, the better they were able to achieve longevity.

STAYING POSITIVE FOR BETTER RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE AROUND YOU
Putting positive thoughts at the center of life helps maintain mental clarity and perspective. They enable us to broaden our outlook in one way or another. In turn, we are able to establish more enriching links with those around us. Indeed, we generally seek out people who contribute to our good mood. Being in a good frame of mind therefore helps to establish links with members of our community and our work environment. Surrounding yourself well and having good vibes around you also helps you stay positive.

A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE
Whether on a personal or professional level, a positive attitude can influence the way you lead your life. Indeed, by thinking positively, you see situations differently. Optimists see constraints as opportunities and adversity as a temporary state. Above all, they see it as an excellent opportunity to progress.

What’s more, people who exude joie de vivre are less affected by setbacks and trials. What’s more, staying positive means adopting a better attitude to life’s difficulties. Less stressed, optimists are in better shape and feel a more favorable psychological well-being. They also focus their attention on pleasant, stimulating things, which makes them more inspiring. As a result, they are more open to change and more inclined to experiment with new ways of living that are more conducive to well-being.

Optimism, one of the keys to happiness

Good for morale and good for health, positive thinking also makes people happier. In fact, staying positive makes you happier in your everyday life. This is because thinking more positively leads to the secretion of several beneficial hormones. These include dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Once released into your body, these hormones help to increase your feelings of joy, pleasure and euphoria. This helps you achieve a state of well-being and balance. Perfect for combating ruminations, positivity also enables you to gain in benevolence while learning to put things into perspective.

What can you do to stay positive? 5 tips to apply

To stop complaining and stay optimistic, it’s important to follow a few tips to the letter. Here are 05 of the most important.

FOCUS ON THE POSITIVE
To develop serenity, it’s important not to focus on the negative. Whatever the nature of the situation you’re going through, pay more attention to the positive. To do this, you need to start your day optimistically. To set the tone for the rest of your day and be in the right frame of mind, then learn to stay positive. You may notice the bad in events. Something bad may even happen to you. But don’t dwell on it. Instead, look for the positive and give it your full attention. For example, you can think of pleasant things that will motivate you.

In practical terms, before going to bed at night, for example, update your gratitude journal. Get into the habit of taking stock of all the good things you’ve experienced during the day. Better still, making a positive projection for the next day helps you stay positive. Think of it as a day that promises good things rather than bad. Also, clear your mind and your surroundings before going to bed. Never forget that you are the architect of your life and have full control over the situation.

THINK WELL OF OTHERS
Try to find qualities in everyone you come into contact with. This is not an easy thing to do, especially when we deplore absurd behavior in one of these people. Nevertheless, in everything, try to cultivate kindness and friendliness. This helps you to stay positive, while developing your optimism. It’s even an essential condition for not letting yourself be negatively influenced by the temperament of others.

What’s more, since positive attracts positive, talk to and spend more time with optimistic people. They’ll be able to lift your spirits and help you stay in the right frame of mind. Indeed, by choosing your relationships carefully, you can avoid the negativity of certain toxic people. In any case, be kind to all your relationships. No matter what they say or do, learn to keep things in perspective.

STEP BACK TO STAY POSITIVE
When a horrible situation arises, don’t be too quick to blame yourself. At the same time, avoid being too quick to blame those around you. Instead, try to look at the situation from another point of view and tell yourself that every situation has a positive outcome. They say everything happens for a reason. So think about that and work to make the positive shine through. In fact, by taking a step back, you take the time to question yourself and visualize things as a whole. This allows you to calmly make the right decision without rushing.

To stay positive, it’s also essential to gain new perspectives. For example, if you’re going through a difficult period, don’t hesitate to talk about it with another person. They’ll be able to give you a different point of view. This gives you another perspective on which to meditate, so you can refocus on what’s important. To take a step back from your worries, you can also – depending on the situation – detox from social networks, let go of your worries and stop dwelling on them…

DEVELOP AN OPTIMISTIC VOCABULARY
To stay positive, it’s important to master your use of words. How you use them is up to you. Did you know that words have power? That’s right! Never underestimate the power of words. Every word, whether positive or negative, has a real impact on our lives.

Know that words emanate from you and reflect the state of your being. They are the first indication of optimism or pessimism. In other words, if you use negative expressions, you won’t be able to stay positive. You’ll only have negativity in your life. The same rule applies to positive expressions or language of the same lexical field. In concrete terms, if you use more positive words, you’ll be in a better frame of mind. What’s more, you’ll be able to put yourself and your actions in a better light.

Achieving your goals becomes easier when you also learn to see things in a positive light. So learn to use your words to encourage rather than discourage, to console rather than hurt, and so on.

CULTIVATE A POSITIVE OUTLOOK – IT’S THE KEY TO STAYING POSITIVE
To live in a good frame of mind, it’s important to opt for positive visualization. Indeed, it’s an essential aspect of developing greater self-confidence and competence. It really teaches you to wipe the slate clean of all the negativity around you and focus on the positive. In projects, in positions of important responsibility, in family management, this attitude will be of invaluable help to you. It predisposes you not to give up or despair. It helps you to ward off negativity and stay positive, whatever the situation.

Those with a positive outlook don’t complain about the storm that must pass before the good weather returns. Instead of staying focused on problems, he faces them and thinks about solutions. This means :

Cutting off access to negative thoughts
Moving forward
Not focusing on blockages
Setting a goal with a concrete outcome

Positivity can be learned and nurtured without rushing. It obviously requires patience and reflection.

It’s up to you…

Staying optimistic in all circumstances is easier said than done, but it has to be. What attitude do you adopt when overwhelmed by pessimism?