Positive Thinking Techniques and Tips

Positive Thinking Techniques and Tips

I’m mostly an optimistic person. Yes, I have times when the gremlins get a grip and send me down a rabbit hole of worry, self-criticism and doubt, but, for the most part, these periods are sporadic and don’t last long.

But, I don’t take this positive attitude for granted. Instead I actively work on my mindset and practice positive thinking techniques to help keep me going in the direction I want, rather than the way my negative thoughts would have me go.

Like a lot of mindset activities, it’s not rocket science, but that doesn’t mean it’s simple to maintain on an ongoing basis.

Today I’ve picked out five positive thinking techniques (or mindsets) which you can use to help guide your negative thoughts towards more positive and ultimately more fruitful thoughts. In doing this, you will feel more contented and happier with your life and circumstances.

Choose one or more of the techniques that you feel drawn to and apply it as often as you can throughout your day. The more often you practice positive thinking techniques, the easier it will become, but never become complacent as getting going from a cold start requires much more effort.

Find The Positive Perspective

You’re going to go through tough times – that’s life. But I say, ‘Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.’ See the positive in negative events.
Joel Osteen

Bad things happen to good people as they say. Whether that’s you or me or the lady next door, you know this to be true, even if you don’t know what those bad things are.

But, holding on to the idea that the ‘bad thing’ is an event that has happened for you, or, at the very least, didn’t deliberately happen to make you unhappy can be empowering, and eventually, a way past the pain you’re feeling.

Refusing to be defined by the circumstance, but instead, offering forgiveness, both to the perpetrator (if there is one) and yourself, sows the seeds for learning and personal growth.

I’m not for a moment going to say that taking this viewpoint is easy, but, if adopted, it is the way back to contentment and happiness.

Take Some Action

Successful people maintain a positive focus in life no matter what is going on around them. They stay focused on their past successes rather than their past failures, and on the next action steps they need to take to get them closer to the fulfillment of their goals rather than all the other distractions that life presents to them.
Jack Canfield

How do you feel about a good old wallow? You’ve made a mistake or someone has criticised your work unfairly or maybe someone stole your idea and now you’re feeling angry and want to give up.

Does it feel any better to just sit there and stagnate in your own sense of unfairness and frustration?

Whatever your life goals, you’re going to run into problems. Some of those problems will, if you let them, derail your efforts. But, what exactly is the point of giving up?

Instead, take some action. Be proactive. Find something you can do that separates your mind from the frustration you’re feeling. Move yourself towards your goal via a different route and then enjoy that feeling of progress. Minimise the feelings of frustration by enlarging the feelings of progress.

Looking Back on Successes

You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.
Ralph Marston

I’ve noticed a meme moving around social media that basically says you’ve survived 100% of the troubles that have come your way, so you know you can do it again. That’s a powerful idea, but, if, like me, you don’t necessarily want to do those bad times again, then use the intended sentiment to mine your memories for the positives instead.

It’s not in my nature to dwell on past regrets, but that’s not to say that I don’t use the lessons learned to push forward towards a better outcome. I know from experience that staying with the negative feelings brought on by undesirable events will only take me further down. Whereas, using the experience as either a means to better learning or a catalyst of energy that pushes me forward leads to a much better outcome.

So, find the possibilities that the negative circumstance has afforded you and use them to your advantage.

Make Sure To Affirm The Positives

The more you are positive and say, ‘I want to have a good life,’ the more you build that reality for yourself by creating the life that you want.
Chris Pine

So how is your negative self-talk working out for you? Not good, I’m sure. So why not try something else?

If you read this blog regularly, then you already know that I use of affirmations as part of my daily routine. And there’s good reason for that. Without regular reminders to my brain, I easily drift back into old patterns of thinking and/or behaviour.

I don’t have the luxury of a young, sharp brain any longer 😉 so using affirmations to help my personal development along is beneficial.

Of all the techniques on this post, affirmations are probably the easiest and most workable to employ, so why not give it a try?

Read How I’m Using Affirmations to Become The Real Me for how to set up workable affirmations for yourself.

Avoiding the Easy Path

Being positive is like going up a mountain. Being negative is like sliding down a hill. A lot of times, people want to take the easy way out, because it’s basically what they’ve understood throughout their lives.
Chuck D

As painful as it is, being negative is the easy route. It’s hard to maintain a happy, optimistic outlook at all times, or even for most of the time. Life keeps throwing challenges our way, from the guy in the car park who “steals” our spot to fall outs with friends and nasty bosses, there always seems to be something to deal with.

In each of these situations, it’s easy to share the pain with others, opening up to anyone who will listen and commiserate. But how much harder is it to choose understanding and compassion, both for the other person and for ourselves?

Every time you choose to bring the (your) mood down by revisiting the hurt, you perpetuate and even grow the misery. And why would you choose to do that? Because that is the easy slide down the hill, compared to the climb up the mountain of keeping your equanimity. Some would even say dignity.

Final Words on Positive Thinking Techniques

We are surrounded by negativity and negative attitudes every day.

Some of those attitudes would have you believe that you should wallow in self-pity and never get back up again. In fact, shame on you for turning the other cheek!  However, if you want to live a more positive life, then it’s important to work against the accepted ‘norm’ of outward negativity, criticism and lack of compassion.

Be prepared instead to ignore the general consensus of always seeing the negative, wallowing in self-pity and inactivity, holding on to regrets and grudges, accepting your negative self-talk as the truth and constantly revisiting old grievances.

Up your game and start working on your inner sense of self to become a person who practices positive thinking techniques and in time they will help you get to the happier place you want to be.