7 Ways to Cultivate Positive Thoughts

Your mind is like a magnet that attracts whatever you think about. If you constantly think of good things, you will attract good and nice things into your life. Then again, if all you think about are difficulties and setbacks, you will attract more problems into your life than ever before.

Be careful of your thoughts. You will have whatever it is that dominates your mind. If your dominant thoughts are always positive, you will feel empowered to achieve anything you fix your mind on. On the other hand, if your leading thoughts are always negative, negativity will taint everything you do. You will feel powerless and unable to achieve your goals.

Always cultivate positive thoughts regardless of the situation you find yourself. Don’t let anything make you act in a negative way. Stay positive at all times.

Here are seven (7) ways to cultivate positive thoughts;

1. Focus on the good things.

Life is not a bed of roses. Difficult situations and setbacks are part of life. Whenever you find yourself in a difficult situation that seems out of your control, don’t get overwhelmed by the challenges you face, but focus on the good things.

Focusing on the good things does not deny the fact that you are going through a rough time, however it will make you not go crazy about the circumstance you find yourself. Focus on the good things, regardless of how small they are, for they are your silver lining. As you focus on the good things, it will help you cultivate positive thoughts.

2. Practice gratitude.

Gratitude should be a lifestyle. Practicing gratitude helps reduce stress, improve self-esteem, and cultivate strength in challenging times. Practice gratitude everyday by showing appreciation for your friends and family you love, a roof over your head and food on the table. Express gratitude for everything that brings you peace and happiness.

You can start by simply calling a colleague of yours to thank them for assisting you with a tasking job, or a family member for helping you with home chores, or your pet for the unconditional love they always show you.

3. Keep a gratitude journal.

In order to cultivate positive thoughts, you should learn to jot down the things you are most grateful for. You can begin by writing them down in a gratitude journal, or jotting down a list of things you are grateful for in times you experience difficulties. This will give you a sense of gratitude for everything in your life

4. Open yourself up to humor.

Laughter is the best medicine. Laughter reduces stress, anxiety, and depression. It as well improves your ability to handle situations, improves your mood and self-esteem.

Always be open to humor in any situation you find yourself, most particularly in difficult situations. This helps alleviates your mood and makes things appear a little less severe than before. Even when you don’t feel like laughing, do a fake laugh; faking your laugh can as well improve your mood and lower stress.

5. Spend more time with positive people.

Positivity and negativity are contagious. You are just like the people you spend most of your time with. Always think about the kind of people you spend time with. In case you haven’t noticed, someone who is in a really bad mood can also make you feel moody. Conversely, a positive person who is so full of life can make you feel empowered.

Surrounding yourself with positive people can improve your self-esteem and increase your chances of attaining your goals. Spend time with people who bring out the best in you.

6. Practice positive self-talk.

Sometimes, we tend to be harsh on ourselves and can be our own worst enemy. This can make one build a negative attitude about themselves that can be hard to recover from. In order to break free from this negative pattern, you need to be conscious of your negative self-talk and respond with positive self-talk.

The things you say to yourself on a daily basis can either build you up or break you down. Avoid saying negative things to yourself that you do not want to come to pass. Be conscious of your self-talk. Positive self-talk can impact your ability to control your feelings, thoughts, and behavior under stress.

Take for instance; Instead of thinking “I am a failure, I will never make it,” try “I am a work in progress and I am doing the best I can.”

See: Ways to Overcome Negative Self-Talk

7. Start Your day with a positive mindset.

How you start your day sets the tone for the whole day. Always start your day with a positive mindset. Create a morning routine that allows you start your day with something positive and inspiring.

Here are some positive affirmations to start your day with:

Thanks for reading.

See also: How to Maintain a Positive Mindset