Positive Thinking: 6 Ways to Shift Your Mindset
Positive thinking is when you can believe in something you can't see. It is also a great way to shift your mindset for the better.
Self-improvement starts with you and once you work toward being positive on a daily basis, you start to feel better. The power of a mindset shift includes living a happier, more productive life that you are proud of.
When good things start happening to us, we have to let go of the scarcity mindset that will inevitably hinder our progress. Once we stop being scared of doing the work need to become the best version of ourselves, the world we live in starts to look brighter.
This post is in collaboration with Rebekah Gamble, who has her own blog centered on teaching young adults how to gain financial literacy while practicing self-care. She wholeheartedly believes financial literacy is something everyone can learn.
Keep reading to discover strategies that we both use to create and keep a positive attitude despite the challenges that life has to offer.
Does positive thinking work?
Shifting your mindset can be life changing
Yes. Being positive begins with having positive thoughts and recognizing that it’s impossible to plan for everything.
Positive thinking also works because no matter what our circumstances are, and what we are facing in the moment, our mindset is something that can not be taken. It’s the reason why two people can be fired from a job and one feels as if they will never recover and the other is able to see it as a stepping stool.
No one can take your joy.
It’s like when you have a bad day at work and when your shift is over you decide to leave what happened at the door. When you allow one bad interaction to not ruin your entire day, that is where you begin to see having a positive attitude in action.
Being positive can also mean that you look for spirituality when nothing else makes sense.
It means you pray, speak to the universe, call on the stars, have growth mindset conversations with yourself in the mirror and believe with all of your heart that you can get through this.
Remember when you were younger and life wasn’t going how you planned?
How you likely cursed, cried, yelled, stood speechless, crumbled temporarily, and wondered what was happening.
Reflect and remember that the person you are today made it through that rough patch and will make it to brighter days this time too.
Can positive thinking lead to a more fulfilled life?
Yes, because the key to wholehearted living is to believe that you can and will have the life you desire.
When we seek a peaceful mindset, indulge in self-improvement, practice self care, and allow ourselves room to grow without judgement, your mindset shift becomes the most riveting aspect of your life.
Positive thinking and a growth mindset can cause you to look at your financial situation and find strength to set financial goals.
It can also give you the strength to leave behind a lifestyle that no longer suits who you want to become.
Becoming your own positive thinking cheerleader can mean that you save yourself in the midst of feeling anxiety.
When a bad day at work or an argument with a supervisor goes from “Everyone always does X.” to “That conversation with my boss was stressful. I handled it as best I could.” This is a powerful example of a mindset shift.
How you see a hard day is something you can appreciate when it comes to a mindset shift.
It's the magic of your life in action.
What should I do to think more positively?
Begin your day with gratitude
Start your day by being positive.
When we wake up cursing the new morning air because we have to go to work or college or any other form of schooling, it sets the tone for our day. It’s easier to complain and feed our souls with misery than it is to make a change.
When we allow the first 5 minutes to be filled with morning gratitude in the form of prayer, affirmations or even acknowledgement that we woke up, we gain more control over our day.
Begin your day with purpose
Set intentions for the day.
Think about what’s on your agenda for the day and set intentions to face the people, tasks and projects with positivity.
I find waking up and saying I will try my best today before getting out of bed does the trick.
Surround yourself with positive people
Your inner circle and environment can have a huge impact on your mood.
Being around people who care about your feelings, validate your thoughts, and help you through tough times, can make life seem better in the midst of any situation.
You may have to set boundaries with family, friends and co-workers that protect your peaceful mindset and positive attitude.
You can also do this by engaging in conversations and interactions that support a positive mindset. Misery loves company and the negative energy of other people can feel so familiar that you can’t resist leaning into it.
But when you have people around you with goals, who feel compassion and are capable of being vulnerable, life starts to look a lot more optimistic.
Related post on: 7 ways to recognize you lack boundaries and how to set them
Limit Social Media Usage
In high school I began to feel drained from checking Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and dabbling in Twitter, so much so, that any screen time away from these apps rejuvenated my mind.
When you stop mindlessly scrolling down social media, you’ll be surprised how fast you can become bored and begin to clean up your room, plan your next shopping trip, pick up a new hobby, or realize you haven’t prioritized your needs in awhile.
This change in routine can be just what you need to switch things up and do more activities that make you happy.
If you can’t think of something right now that would make you feel better, having more free time can give you breathing room to discover what it is.
Clean up your social media feed
Unfollow anyone who does not add to your positive energy.
This means the people from high school whom you no longer talk to, any Instagram influencers who cause you to feel any sort of negative feelings toward yourself, and even gossip related blogs.
When you surround yourself (even online) with people who are influential in a positive way, motivate you to live a better life, or inspire you to do great things your time is being spent in a more impactful way.
A year ago I would have thought it was impossible to attend graduate school without taking out massive loans and the last thing on my mind would be finding free ways to indulge in free self-care but thanks to the people I follow on social media, I see a world of opportunity in front of me.
Interrupt and examine your thoughts
Our thoughts are powerful. They become beliefs and then become actions.
That’s why it is important to interrupt negative thoughts and examine them. Make it a practice to refrain from avoiding your thoughts and learn from them instead.
Question your negative thoughts and find out the impetus for their existence and then deal with that.
Is fear, pain or disappointment at the root of your pessimistic thinking? If so, you have the power to transform the trajectory of your thoughts into positive ones that will benefit you.
Stop thinking a positive mindset will stop negative thoughts
The negative thoughts won’t stop, but you don’t have to give them power.
It’s perfectly normal for your inner critic to show up with thoughts of doubt, fear, and uncertainty.
It’s also perfectly normal for you to challenge that inner critic with positive self-talk, reassurance, and the belief that no matter what happens, you will be all right.
It’s also important to give yourself grace as you shift to a more positive mindset. Toxic positivity is real, and the truth is things will not always turn out how we want and that’s okay.
It’s okay to have a positive attitude and still acknowledge and deal with disappointment, heartache and pain.
We are aiming for healthy positivity.
What is toxic positivity?
So, how do you aim for healthy positivity?
You accept the fact that everything in life will not always be positive and that it is important for you to feel and work through all emotions that come up, even the unpleasant and downright horrible ones.
Things will not always go your way, no matter how hard you try or how positive your mindset is.
In other words, you stay far away from “toxic positivity” or the belief that if you stay positive about whatever life throws your way and suppress any other feelings that come, you’ll be good.
You won’t be good. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice by avoiding negative emotions instead of allowing them to flow through you. All of our emotions serve a purpose. So, let them out. Let them teach you and let them grow you.
Make plans for the future
When it came to dealing with my own anxious thoughts, my therapist once recommended that I stay in the present moment.
This especially became true when the pandemic shifted every career and social plan I made for the year.
I couldn’t tell you exactly how certain events in my life would play out anymore but I did know that I wanted to have:
A job that I loved
A family to come home to
And lots and lots of peace and quiet
Learning how to make productive plans for the future is essential to feeling hopeful in the present moment. One thing that we can easily do to create a peaceful mindset while working toward being positive is to figure out what we want in life.
Be kind to yourself: Show yourself compassion
This journey will not be easy at all times and that is okay. Acknowledging that it's hard to develop new habits even if it does result in a positive attitude is part of the work.
It takes just as much energy to call yourself a loser as it does to say you are trying your best.
Be your own friend, lean on others when you need to, and take life as it comes. A mindset shift might feel instant, but to make it stick, you practice it a little bit each day through your thoughts and actions.
Conclusion
It’s important that we navigate life as best as we can and make the most of the opportunities present.
Having a positive mindset is about believing you have the power to create the life you want, because you do.
Creating that life starts in your mind. So be brave. Be bold. And most of all, be positive. You got this!
Rebekah Gamble, thanks for reaching out to me for this collaboration, through it we’ve connected and helped each other beyond this blog. Rebekah will help you keep your wallet blissful and your self-care practice on point.
Let us know in the comments how you plan to shift your mindset and start being positive!
