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pos·i·tiv·i·ty
noun
The presence rather than absence of a certain substance, condition, or feature.

A simple word, a clear definition, but many times a difficult act. Especially when times get tough! And while some people are better at it than others, it’s a mental muscle we can all afford to strengthen. Why? Because when you train your mind to be more positive you carry a lighter load. Worry, stress and fear are replaced with hope, peace and happiness. And who doesn’t want to more of all that good stuff?

Before I get into my list of 10 ways to be more positive, I just want to say that there’s nothing wrong with where you stand on the positivity spectrum. Whether you’re a super optimistic person or straight up struggle with it, that’s okay. We’re all different, and we all have our moments. But I can say from experience that the mental benefits to practicing positivity (Keyword: practicing) are abundant. So if you’re looking for brighter days, keep on reading.

10 Ways to Be More Positive

1. When you’re having a bad day, for whatever reason, remind yourself that all pain is temporary. Nothing is permanent, not even life itself! It’s much easier to move past struggles when you focus on the fact that, more than likely, they’re not even here to stay.
2. When you’re feeling “meh”, turn on some music. Blast a playlist that brings you back to a memorable event. Or turn on a discovery channel that features your favorite genre. Music has a way of lifting spirits, and we all have that tone/type that makes us feel DAMN GOOD!
3. In general, be forgiving of yourself. We all experience negative feelings, but holding onto them is so unhealthy. Bad things will happen, and you’re going to make mistakes. You can either sulk and feel bad for yourself or be forgiving and move forward. Which one do you think is more productive? 😉
4. Hang out with positive people. The exchange of positive energy, motivation, knowledge, etc. shared between a group of like-minded people is invaluable. Having positive influences to interact with and feed off of truly elevates so many areas of life – work, home, relationships, etc.
5.  When you have a negative thought, challenge it with a positive thought. Don’t just let the negativity linger, find a positive take away – a lesson learned or even an opportunity gained! Life’s all about perspective, and every cloud has a silver lining. But YOU have to CHOOSE to see it.
6. Create a space that inspires you. Your environment should excite you, inspire you and provide you with positive energy. If the places you spend your time make you feel anything but good vibes, it’s time to rethink them!
7. Get a 5 Minute Journal. I did an entire post on it which you can read right here. I promise you, it’s a game changer. It really helped me get my heads straight when I was in a super tough spot. A solid way to spend $23 in my opinion! If you want to know more, or just want to buy it, click here.
8. Three words: Be self aware. Admit when you’re wrong, when you’re playing victim, when you’re overreacting, etc. When you are aware of your negative emotions/reactions, you can identify and overcome them faster. Then you can move on to bigger, better, happier things! 🙂
9. Focus on the present. I know it is SO much easier said than done. But worrying about the future does nothing but steal the joy of the present. So live in the moment, and don’t make false assumptions about what might happen because you truly DO NOT KNOW. What’s meant to be, will be.
10. Chances are there’s something you’re passionate about outside of  your work, whether you’re a full time mom or a full time employee. So pursue it! Find a hobby (or a bunch of hobbies) that allow you to put your passions into practice. Hobbies give you something to look forward to. They also provide a sense of purpose and pleasure – two things we all deserve to feel.

I hope you all took away something special from this post! If you did, and/or if you have other tips, please share in the comments! And by all means, feel free to bookmark or screenshot this post so you can reference it when your mind needs a little reset.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading! I hope to see you again soon.

XX,

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