Once, a professor at the University of Kentucky, Susan Segerstrom, tested the level of optimism of her students and rated it on a 5-point scale. After 10 years, she inquired about the income level of graduates. It turned out that each point translated into a $35,000 difference in their annual earnings. Not bad, right? We figured out why this happened and selected exercises on how to develop positive thinking.
What are positive and negative thinking and how do they differ?
Thinking positively does not mean eradicating negative emotions from your life completely, as esoteric teachings often advise. Troubles still happen, and it’s impossible to stop reacting to them and even harmful to the psyche. But it is quite possible to find advantages, lessons and opportunities in the situation. Take an example from American inventor Thomas Edison, who said, “I didn’t fail. I just learned 10,000 ways that don't work."
The essence of positive thinking is the ability to find a reason for joy at any moment in life and perceive failures rationally, analyzing the reasons and accepting them as a valuable experience.
Dan Kennedy, American business trainer and coach, author of the bestseller “How to Succeed in Business by Breaking All the Rules”:
- Forming positive thinking is really useful and desirable. But blind, stubborn optimism from scratch is stupidity.
The power of positive thinking is undeniable. Optimists are productive and earn more (Journal of Career Assessment, 2008). People with a positive outlook on life are less likely to get sick- this was discovered more than 30 years ago by psychologists Lawrence Scheier and Charles Carver (Health Psychology, 1985).
A positive way of thinking makes not only the person himself, but also his subordinates more successful. In the book Profit from the Positive, Margaret Greenberg and Senia Maymin report on a study conducted on a group of 53 managers. When their leaders were in a good mood, the teams worked more efficiently and showed higher sales.
There are many more benefits of positive thinking: you can enjoy life, be interested in new things, be healthy, cheerful and confident, look good and achieve success.
Negative thinking- This is the lowest level of development of thinking. The stronger it is, the more problems there are in a person’s life. Unlike positive thinking, negative thinking has dangerous consequences. Reluctance to learn new things and unwillingness to change, dissatisfaction with the present, nostalgia for the past, expectation of the worst, greed, judgment of others. A negatively thinking person never knows what exactly he wants - he is always not satisfied with everything.
Which path do you choose? The answer seems obvious, but how can you learn not to notice the negative? Are there any methods for developing positive thinking?
10 Effective Techniques for Positive Thinking
So, it pays to be an optimist. But what if you are prone to pessimism? In this case, psychologists have come up with special exercises to develop positive thinking. They really work. This was confirmed by professors at the University of North Carolina (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 2008). We have compiled a selection of 10 simple exercises for every day.
Use reframing
Reframing is interpreting negative situations in a positive way. For example, a decline in employment at work provided an opportunity to relax or engage in self-education. The positive sides may be less significant and even absurd - the main thing is to find them at all. A detailed description of this technique is given in the book “Kiss the Frog! Learn to turn problems into opportunities" Brian Tracy, world expert on personal development.
Write down positive events that happened during the day.
It doesn’t matter how significant they are or in what area of life they occurred. The more there are, the better, but you should start with at least 3-5. Then indicate what actions led to these events. For example, an acquaintance with a useful business partner took place thanks to an accepted invitation from friends to go out into nature with them.
What is positive thinking? In fact, this very capacious expression contains a huge number of various aspects. These are thoughts about something kind and good, and a positive attitude towards the world around us, and the ability to see in other people and in oneself much more poles and positive qualities than shortcomings. This is the desire to bring joy to the world, give your love and smile sincerely. This is the desire to live in the present moment and search for happiness in it. And how good it is when you see people nearby who have truly positive thinking! But those who are used to thinking negatively, unfortunately, are many times more numerous. This is neither good nor bad, it's just reality.
In the endless stream of affairs and the bustle of modern life, a person becomes so immersed in them that he forgets that it is no less important to take care of himself and the purity of his thoughts, and to cultivate a healthy outlook on life. A person simply plunges into the stream of his thoughts, to which he has long been accustomed, and he is carried away by them. As a result, it turns out that chronic fatigue, dissatisfaction, irritability and other similar negative states begin to take hold of him. It’s a pity, but such things as positive thinking and the ability to observe oneself, as well as control one’s thoughts and emotions, are not taught in schools and institutes. But despite this, there are still methods that allow you to get rid of negative thinking and start thinking in a positive way. Moreover, these methods are quite simple.
The human brain is designed in such a way that it is in a state of constant activity, i.e. operates 24 hours a day, even when a person is sleeping. The brain spends the same amount of energy to generate thoughts of any direction (positive or negative). The only difference is that negativity has the ability to “cling” to a person, exerting a significantly greater influence on him than positivity, and also spreads at a much greater speed and in larger volumes. But while negativity makes a person suffer, become depleted of energy and destroy his life, positivity, on the contrary, adds strength, activates hidden personality reserves and creativity, improves mood and vitality, and also has a healing effect on the human body.
To learn to think positively, you need to learn to track all your thoughts and emotions and replace negative ones with positive ones. For those who are accustomed to negative thinking, this will be a rather painstaking process, but the result is worth it. It is also important to understand that when working on your thinking, you do not need to strive for any specific milestone - you will not get there. Controlling your thinking is a lifelong journey. There is no perfection in it, but there is constant progress, the task of which is to achieve a more harmonious state in general, both inside oneself - in thoughts, emotions and feelings, and outside - in everyday life. Therefore, be prepared that along with the changes within you, your life will begin to change. And the more you work on yourself, the more things that are still worth working on will appear.
So, what do you need to do to develop positive thinking?
Methods for developing positive thinking
Make a list of positive and motivating phrases for yourself. Read them every morning and before bed, without missing a single day. This kind of brainstorming will increasingly influence your thinking, gradually transforming it.
Read affirmations - phrases and expressions formed in a positive way to develop the qualities you need. For example, if you know that you are used to being irritated and “negative” about every occasion, write the phrase: “I am always calm and balanced. I accept any situation easily and with dignity.” There can be any number of such phrases, and they can relate to any facet of your personality.
Accept the fact that only you are responsible for your thoughts. How you react to external stimuli (events, situations, people) and how you think depends only on you. Learn to keep all your manifestations under control. If you become the true master of your thinking, nothing can upset you.
Remember that positive thoughts are equivalent to positive words. Strive to remove from your vocabulary such phrases as “It’s impossible,” “It won’t work,” “I can’t,” as well as any verbal manifestations of aggression and negativity. Words are an extension of thoughts. Think about them and do not allow yourself to speak unconsciously.
Try to exclude from your environment people who constantly express negative emotions or complain about something all the time. People with negative energy always “infect” those around them with it, and also “suck” the energy out of them. In such an environment, it is almost impossible to switch to positive thinking. On the contrary, positive people have a great influence on others and contribute to the development of positive thinking. Draw your own conclusions.
Express your gratitude daily. It doesn’t matter to whom and it doesn’t matter why. It could be gratitude to the taxi driver, the cashier at the store, the trainer at the gym, the Lord in your heart; gratitude for the new day, for waking up, for having a loved one, for today being a good day, etc. The main thing is the very manifestation of gratitude, because... This activates positive energy, improves mood and naturally has a positive effect on thinking.
Practice meditation. Meditation helps you get rid of unnecessary thoughts, calm down, normalize your emotional state, get to know yourself more deeply, and also promotes self-control, the ability to see the essence of things and think exclusively in a positive way. Even 20 minutes of meditation a day will already have a tangible effect.
Read more positive and educational literature: interesting novels, novellas and short stories, funny stories. Learn positive thinking techniques and various ways to develop yourself. Immersion in thematic literature, of which, by the way, there is a lot today, is the best way to change thinking and direct it in a new direction. In addition, you will constantly learn new information, you will know more, you will become a more interesting interlocutor and a diversified person.
Play sports. Even scientists have long proven that regular active physical activity has a positive effect not only on the physical, but also on the emotional and psychological state of a person. Sign up for a gym, a swimming pool, or at least start jogging. After just a few sessions, you will notice that your thinking will begin to change.
Before you do anything, take a few minutes to imagine yourself successfully completing what you started. Visualize the result, imagine it in every detail and believe in achieving the goal. The energy thus released will have an impact on the process in which you are involved and on yourself.
In addition to the above, there are, of course, other ways to develop positive thinking: watching and listening to video and audio materials (motivating feature films and documentaries, courses, seminars, etc.); refusal to watch news and meaningless TV shows and series; concentration only on the positive aspects of your life; attending various trainings and thematic events. If you wish, you can find dozens more methods. But the most important thing to understand is that there is no panacea that gets rid of negative thinking. It all depends only on your mood, as well as the regularity and systematicity of practice, and any methods should be used in conjunction with each other. There is only one way to influence your thinking - set a goal to learn to think positively and persistently pursue it, despite the troubles, failures and obstacles along the way. This process may seem quite complicated at first, but with practice it will become easier and positive thinking will become an integral part of your nature.
Think positively! Start doing this right now: strive for progress, believe in success and often remember one good saying that was used long ago by knights in medieval France: “Do what you must - and be what will be!”
In everyday life, we often hear statements related to the filling of our thoughts: “what is inside is also outside,” “thought is material,” “negative thoughts attract similar events,” etc. It seems that there is an internal world and an external one, each exists on its own and is independent of each other. However, this is not true.
Negative thinking helps to “attract” negative events, due to the fact that we simply do not notice the positive, but focus on the negative. Our life follows the scenario that our consciousness has formed. Psychology teaches that our thinking operates on the principle of a sieve, that is, the sieve is the principle of thinking, and it preserves what is closer to it. A high level of negativity provokes the inability to find a way out of a difficult situation, the creation of difficult relationships with others, and even many illnesses.
The answer to the question of how to learn to think positively will give you the opportunity to change your life. Psychology notes that people who think positively are more successful, happy and healthy. Troubles happen to them less often and they are less susceptible to stress.
Our inner world is a reflection of the outer world, taking into account upbringing, temperament, nationality, attitudes, etc., while the outer world is so multifaceted that it gives us events and experiences similar to our content.
Characteristics
Positive thinking does not mean completely ignoring failures, negative events or experiences - after all, this is our experience, which will allow us not to make mistakes in the future.
Positive thinking means seeing problems in terms of opportunities, not obstacles.
If trouble happens to a negatively-minded person, he may give up and perceive the event as a pattern - “it’s always like this with me,” “I’m a loser,” etc. and abandon further struggle and search for a way out, he believes that success is an accident in his life. A person who thinks positively will also be upset, but will quickly come to his senses, perceive the event as an experience and move on. He knows that success does not come without failure. Such people are most often distinguished by friendliness, smiling, quick-wittedness and curiosity.
Positive thinking eliminates life in black and white. The basis of peace of mind is the understanding that today may be bad, but tomorrow everything will change for the better. Living in a “catastrophic” mode is fraught with illness and a shortened life span. Thinking positively means understanding that you should not take responsibility for all the events happening around you. It is important to force yourself to let go of a situation if its solution is not within your capabilities.
10 main rules
How to come to positive thinking and change your vision of the situation if initially you tend to see a lot of negative things? Don't give up on yourself. Our consciousness is able to form a new picture of life over time if you follow a few rules:
- Conscious attitude towards positivity
Always tune yourself to positive emotions and thinking, do not allow negative thoughts to remain in your mind for a long time, if they arise, find time for internal dialogue, try to turn a minus into a plus. If you have something to praise yourself for, be sure to do it. Remember, thinking negatively means attracting such events.
- Ban disappointments
If you encounter obstacles and failures along the way, take them as life experience, an opportunity to develop your weaknesses and think in terms of finding workarounds.
Your task is to achieve balance, to form a positive picture of the world, no matter what the cost, but disappointments will pull you back and prevent you from living happily.
- Hang out with positive people
People just like you will help you answer the question “how to learn to think positively.” Try to surround yourself with those who try to see the positives in everything and don’t get caught up in failures. People who hold grudges, are vindictive, or don’t like life at all take a lot of energy and mental strength from you.
- Believe in your personality
Under any circumstances, maintain faith in yourself and your capabilities.
Psychology recommends introducing something new into your life every day - for example, getting to work by a different route, or having lunch in a new place, etc. Study more the lives of those people who know what success is, its price, who went towards their goal despite obstacles, and learn from them.
- Be purposeful
Success comes to those who clearly see their goals and are ready to move towards achieving them. Always make plans to achieve your goals and stick to them. Consider even small achievements - your mind will remember positive experiences, which will ultimately contribute to your confidence and positivity.
- Remember that thought is material
Your understanding of the materiality of thoughts will help you develop the habit of thinking positively. Negativity can poison your existence and contribute to bad events in your life. Every day, think about what else you can do to get better at thinking positively.
- Seeing the positive in the negative
- Enjoy the simple
You should not tie your feeling of happiness and contentment with life to global things: for example, I will only be happy if I am rich, or if I become a star. Learn to enjoy something simple: good weather, a pleasant companion, a good movie, etc. Developing this habit is not difficult - remember how many people are deprived of what you have in abundance.
- Constantly develop
Working on yourself brings a lot of positivity. Every day you will notice that you have become smarter, more successful, and therefore happier. Investing money and effort in your development is a guarantee of your self-confidence, which will allow you to fight negativity and change your life for the better.
- Strive to live life to the fullest.
This means finding time, energy and money for as many areas of life as possible - family, personal life, friends, work, leisure, hobbies, travel - all this should be present in your life.
Make these rules the principles by which you will live from now on. Thanks to them, you can change and live in harmony.
Creating a favorable environment for positive thoughts
When looking for an answer to the question of how to start thinking positively, psychology recommends regularly using several techniques that aim to create “favorable soil” for positive thinking:
- keep a diary in which you will note your achievements;
- meditate;
- visualize the desired results;
- take care of your health;
- track your bodily reactions: posture, facial expressions, gestures;
- smile more often.
How will your thinking change?
To summarize, we summarize - positive thinking focuses the attention of the individual:
- Not on problems, but on tasks and goals;
- Not on what is missing, but on what you want;
- Not on obstacles, but on opportunities;
- Not on the minuses, but on the pluses;
- Not on failures, but on successes.
This kind of thinking will allow you to make your life bright and happy, success accessible, yourself healthier, and your relationships with loved ones full of love. Even if you are just thinking about how to learn to think positively, then you are already halfway to success.
A big and warm hello to everyone! One of the best, in my opinion, human character traits is optimism. Maybe someone will disagree with me, but I sincerely believe that our lives depend on how we see the world, how we think. In previous articles, I wrote about visualization. In them, I told a little about how the power of positive thought works, how it can attract goodness and good luck. And today I would like to talk to you about how to change your thinking in a positive direction, how to learn to see the good instead of the bad.
At the moment I am trying to instill this habit in myself. I’ll tell you honestly, it won’t work out the first time, but gather your will and continue to change yourself. Soon you will notice that those things that annoyed you will not be so bad. There are several techniques to help you learn to think positively.
Optimism, as a character trait, can be instilled and made an integral part of your life. It will not only give inner peace, but will also affect a person’s overall lifestyle. Agree, it is always more pleasant to communicate with cheerful, satisfied people who see and notice more good moments. It is to them that one subconsciously reaches out, tries to make friends, relies on their opinion. It’s nice to communicate with them and find a common language. Positive thinking is very beneficial not only for you, but also for those around you.
Aggressiveness and pessimism, on the contrary, destroy and humiliate dignity. Even if a person is talented, smart, handsome, but is a pessimist by nature, then despite his positive qualities, he will remain an unhappy, lonely person, dissatisfied with life.
A huge number of studies have been and are still being conducted around the world that confirm that people who think positively complain less about their health and have a longer life expectancy than pessimists. In addition, the risk of cardiovascular disease and hypertension is reduced. This cannot be said about those people who see more bad than good. Scientists have found that their mortality rate is 16 percent higher. And this is not a small amount. So if you want to live long, get sick less and feel happy, you need to not only lead a healthy lifestyle, but also be an optimist.
As I have already said in previous articles, thought has a power that attracts similar energy to itself. That is, if you think about good, then you attract good, if you are tuned in to negativity, then you attract negativity. This phenomenon is clearly visible in people during the treatment of any disease. There were cases that seemed hopeless. But in some incredible way they extricated themselves from very difficult situations, while believing that recovery would come.
There are a number of other positive trends that scientists have observed. An optimist is less prone to stress. He quickly finds a way out of difficult situations. Manic anxiety and worry go away. They are more successful in career and love because they often take conscious risks, believing in the best and in themselves. Pessimists, on the contrary, are more closed people, dejected by life, afraid to take risks, try something new, develop, because they are afraid to lose, knowingly setting themselves up for failure.
I think that each of us wants to live a happy life. To do this, you need to look at the world a little with different eyes. There are several ways to practice positive thinking. But this does not mean that you, like a fool, should take situations lightly and unrealistically and not pay attention to problems.
How to learn to think positively
- First, you need to start changing your attitude towards yourself. We often treat ourselves very strictly and demandingly. Reproaching for every failure or mistake. Moreover, we tend to exaggerate, to inflate the problem to enormous proportions. This is fundamentally wrong. Everyone makes mistakes; negative emotions towards oneself are the first sign of a pessimist. Make it a rule to minimize self-criticism. Respect yourself and accept yourself for who you are. Surely, you have many positive qualities, focus on them, do not torment yourself, do not engage in self-flagellation. This will not lead to good.
If you notice that you are thinking negatively, stop yourself, point yourself in the opposite direction, see the good. Never tell others bad things about yourself, don’t show or tell negative qualities to people, love yourself, be kind.
- Use settings. Using attitudes can fundamentally change your thinking, directing it in a positive direction. They are able to develop positive thinking. At the same time, negative thoughts will have no place in your mind. At every opportunity, if you feel overwhelmed by bad thoughts, drive them away with the help of attitudes. Program your brain in a positive way. Write on a piece of paper several versions of positive statements that help you achieve a feeling of calm and tranquility, for example, “I can...”, “I will do...”, “I will learn, it’s not difficult at all,” “I can handle it,” “ I am a happy person”, “I will achieve success” and so on.
- Learn to see the positive aspects in any situation. Even if an unpleasant event happened to you, be able to find something funny and cheerful. It is better to perceive every failure as an experience, and it, in turn, is priceless. Try to smile and laugh more often. It is a talent to see the positive in the negative. This incredible ability will exalt you and make you more resistant to depression. Be less sad, and you will have more strength for new achievements.
- Learn to take care of yourself, your health and beauty. Confidence will come by itself. Internal contradictions will disappear, giving more space for positive thinking. Create a habit, exercise, develop, read books, study.
- One of the main rules of positive thinking is the rejection of external suppressive factors. Communicate only with kind people who make you happy and do not annoy you. A healthy friendship with a cheerful person will reflect on you. Break off all contact with those who spoil your mood. Minimize the negativity that comes from outside. Surround yourself only with reliable partners, true friends, faithful, positive ones.
- Be grateful. Take some time each day to remind yourself of all the good things in your life. Give thanks to yourself and others. If you are unhappy with something all the time, you will begin to make a negative impression, and people will turn away from you. And a grateful attitude will attract people and positive energy to you.
- Don't waste time on empty worries. You are not God and you cannot control everything in the world. Rid yourself of the anxiety that comes from an uncontrollable situation. It is impossible to change the world, some circumstances, and this is quite normal. Thus, stop wasting your precious energy. Such circumstances are not worth being overwhelmed by negative energy.
- Keep a notebook where you write down your successes and victories. Review your posts regularly and praise yourself for your success and achievements. This, firstly, is a very powerful motivation, and secondly, self-esteem rises, and, consequently, positive thinking occurs more and more often.
- Throw away in front of the unknown, this of course applies to the delivered ones. Many never achieve them, worrying, experiencing fear, which does not allow them to develop. You will succeed, believe in yourself.
- Use creative visualization. I wrote about her too. Be sure to read the articles.
Now you know how to learn to think positively and in the right direction. You change, your life will change. Change can also affect loved ones. Tell them about your secrets of happiness, perhaps they need it now. What methods do you use to become an optimist? I wish you good luck and prosperity!
Routine work, stress from communicating with a large number of people, hidden stress from winter, traffic jams and colds + the eternal confrontation between those whose “glass is half empty” and those for whom not only their glasses are always full, but also other aspects of life - all this can become a reason for turning you into a complete pessimist. If you look closely, there are plenty of reasons for pessimism and even depression: just look at our economy and the state of the labor market (but let’s not go into this topic, otherwise we risk moving from life hacks to politics and economics). However, there are several ways to tune yourself not only to “filtering” negativity, but also to a positive perception of reality (even such a difficult one as ours).
What is the real source of optimism?
Each person has his own set of rules and patterns for interpreting certain events that concern him. It is much easier for pessimists to find reasons to be sad, and for optimists to find reasons to be happy; and there is nothing strange about it.
It's all about the initial attitude, which we apply even to the most seemingly elementary things. It is clear that wars, illnesses or death not only upset, but also frighten people, forcing them to experience not only physical, but also moral suffering. However, for some reason, most of the people around us prefer to make a tragedy out of the fact that they are stuck in a traffic jam on the way to work, or to rejoice only when, in the distant, uncertain future, they save up money for a new car. As a result, a chronic feeling of being “unhappy” takes up most of the time of a pessimistic person.
Optimists create “little rules” for themselves, thanks to which they perceive the same situations differently: “any day that you are on the ground, and not under it, is already a reason for a great mood” (as in the saying).
Create for yourself “little rules of optimism”
To set yourself up for a positive perception of reality, there is no need to resort to sedatives, neurostimulants, or focus on finding the positive in everything that happens to you. A few small rules of behavior and perception in relation to a particular situation in your life are enough (it’s like training, you need to accustom yourself to them at first, but then it will become easier):
1. Sit down and write a list of your rules.
Take a pen and a piece of paper (no computers or monitors) and write down your own “little rules” in the format of the following statements, divided into 2 types:
- “I feel unhappy when the following happens: ... (and list in a column)”
- “I feel happy when: ... (and again the list in a column)”
There is no need to make very large lists. The accuracy and completeness of the list is less important here than the sensations and emotions themselves that are conveyed through these “little rules”: what is important is what first comes to your mind when forming the concepts of “negative emotion” and “positive emotion”.
2. Pay attention to the results obtained
Have you made lists? Now sit down and re-read the results as if it were written not by you, but by a stranger. What feeling does it feel? Was this written by a pessimist or an optimist? Is it easy for such a person to be happy or is it easier to feel unhappy?
The proof that this kind of self-analysis works is the fact that you have reached this stage. If you didn’t feel somewhere deep down in your soul that something didn’t suit you in your attitude towards life, you wouldn’t have gotten so far in doing this exercise.
Most often, it turns out that part (or even a significant part) of your expectations from life is significantly underestimated, because you are already subconsciously prepared for the fact that nothing will work out, and in order not to be upset again, you simply do not take any steps towards that what upsets you.
3. Rework your rules to improve them
Now it's time to get a little creative. Take a second piece of paper, take a deep breath and ask yourself again:
- What everyday events can make you feel happy?
- What unusual events might make you feel unhappy?
Formulating answers to these questions is an important task. Consider all the possibilities and give answers to what you would like to see in your life. The first question is to list as many things, events and phenomena as possible. And make the second list shorter: include only the most serious and truly sad events.
When you finish making your lists, rewrite your “rules of optimism” in the following format:
- “I am happy when... [event]”
- “I am only unhappy if... [event]”
Formulation plays an important role here. As a result, you will end up with 2 sheets of paper: on one there are “pessimist rules” by which you live now, on the other there are “optimist rules” by which you would like to live and in which you want to believe in the future.
4. Now burn the old rules
It sounds a little strange and childish, but the simple “ritual of burning” rules that are no longer needed works, and here’s why.
Over the past more than 125 thousand years of human history, one of the distinctive skills of man has been the ability to control fire. Fire became part of rituals, religions and ceremonies - from native idols to Catholic churches. The importance of fire in human life is laid down on a subconscious level in generations of people, and burning is a way to transform something materialized (like words on paper) into something intangible (to make everything “go away and not return”). Burn your past attitude towards life - a small ritual that will serve as a kind of emotional release.
5. Place new rules so that they catch your eye every day
New rules must take the place of old rules. Place the sheet with the new rules next to your desk, near your computer monitor, or near your bathroom mirror. Make sure that each of your days begins with an involuntary reading of these rules, so that you yourself pronounce/read the rule written by hand every day, tuning your brain to perceive in reality primarily its positive rather than negative aspects.
The key to optimism, a healthier lifestyle, new opportunities in life and work is in your hands, just try it!
