Lou Holtz once said, “Things have a way of working themselves out if we just remain positive.” However, some people mistake positive thinking for unrealistic thinking.

But again, if people followed the journey to success of some of the most successful people in business and sports closely, they will realize these people committed their minds to positive thinking.

Why do they focus so much on positive thinking? Because they realized and have seen the positive impacts it comes with in terms of success, mental and physical health.

Optimistic people have a way of squeezing through hard times to come out successful and deal with their problems amicably. Generally, positive thinking helps us respond to the obstacles that we encounter from time to in the best way possible.

Below is a list of tips I have composed and used in my journey of developing positive thinking.

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  1. Always concentrate on good things

We don’t have control over how challenges and obstacles come to us. They are part of life. But we have control over how we feel about them. Every bad thing or situation has some good side to them. 

We should focus on identifying the good thing in that ugly situation and focus on those good things regardless of how insignificant they are. Sometimes we get our appointments cancelled, and what do we do? We cry and throw laments. The result is that we make life stressful and difficult for ourselves.

What about we start thinking it this way- the cancellation has created me free time That I can use to do other important activities or watch my favourite TV show?

2. Practice gratitude

Practicing gratitude plays a significant role in improving our self-esteem, reducing stress, and strengthening our resilience, especially during difficult situations. Instead of clinging to thoughts that make us sad, let us try to think about things, people, or moments that bring a positive influence, make us feel happy and bring comfort.

We need to be thankful, however insignificant the help is. It makes us fulfilled as well as makes the other person happy. For instance, thanking a family member for cleaning the house brings with it some level of joy and fulfillment.

3. Spend time with positive-minded people

I’m one kind of person who gets attracted to people with a positive mind. We just don’t know how spending time with people influences our thinking and character. Have you ever come across or heard this phrase, “Show me your friends, and I will tell you who you are”? Why is this so? It is because of the impact others have on our thinking and behaviour.

Spending most time with positive-minded people has been shown to improve one’s self-esteem and chances of reaching their goals. These kinds of people tend to lift our spirits and help us see the bright side of a difficult situation.

4. Practice positive self-talk

We tend to criticize ourselves more than how other people criticize us, making it hard for ourselves. The result is that we end up having negative opinions about ourselves, in that it becomes hard to shake it off. We need to be mindful of how we think about ourselves and the kind of opinions we form about ourselves through positive self-talk.

Use phrases like “I can do it,” “I can go through this,” and so on instead of “I really messed that up.”

A research study showed how much influence a small shift in how we talk and think about ourselves has over our ability to control our thoughts, feelings, and behaviour.

5. Start each day on a positive note

How we start our day every day has either positive or negative impacts. We should make it a routine that every day we wake up and start the day with something positive and uplifting.

 For instance, create that affirmation that the day will be great, listen to a positive and uplifting song or a song that you love listening to, compliment or do something nice to someone.

The bottom line

Developing a positive mindset is the best way to live a happy life, less of struggles and full of happiness. Thinking positively has improved our physical and mental health, as shown in a study that contacted over 70,000 women from 2004 to 2012.

From the tips I have covered above, we can develop a positive mindset and make our lives better if we chose to. It only needs our initiative.