4 Ways To Change Your Thoughts From Negative To Positive 

When faced with the unexpected we can’t always predict how our thoughts will behave. Even people who are natural-born optimists sometimes have negative thoughts. When things don’t go as planned, it’s natural for some people to automatically begin to question their abilities instead of approaching the challenge they face with a positive outlook. 

Oftentimes the way we think can be very discouraging, including hindering our willpower to succeed within our purpose in life. Negative thinking can even cause us to miss a lot of great opportunities that could have changed our life for the better. 

Indeed, our thoughts and beliefs are another stepping stone to how we choose to live our life.  Although it’s normal to have negative thoughts – which can sometimes be beneficial in some situations – constantly having a mindset that is driven by negativity means making negative thinking a habit. It can contribute to problems such as low-self esteem, stress, social anxiety, and even depression. Unless we change that, we may never grow to reach our potential in life. 

Changing deeply rooted bad habits, like negative thinking, isn’t an easy undertaken. However, as difficult as it may be, there are some small steps you can take towards reprogramming the way you think so you can give your life a new and better direction.    

Acknowledge you’re a negative thinker

To solve any problem we must first admit that it exists. Everyday you wake up pay attention to your thoughts.  Do you find yourself excited and having positive expectations for the day? If the answer is no, then try to steer your thinking toward a more positive direction. Keep an open mind and see your reality for what it truly is. Most importantly pay attention to what you tell yourself when faced with a challenge. Ask yourself:  “Are things as bad as I perceive them?” Most of the time our obstacles are only big in our mind. 

Cultivate a can-do attitude 

For example thoughts like “I don’t think I can do this” should be replaced with “I’ve got this.” Keep telling yourself you don’t have the knowledge or skills to achieve something does nothing except holding you back. Focus on what you can do rather than what you cannot do. Don’t compare yourself to other people either.  Stay within your means. Make the best of your abilities and watch how things will slowly start shifting around you. 

Highlight the good and be grateful for it

Instead of pointing out all the things that are wrong with your life, try and focus your thoughts on the things that are going well for you. Be thankful for what you have. Get in the habit of writing down three things that you are grateful for every day when you wake up. Positive thinking does not necessarily mean ignoring the bad facets of life. In the contrary, it’s about doing all we can to find a silver lining in bad situations.

Give yourself credit 

Sometimes it’s good to take the time to reflect on past obstacles, to remind yourself of all the progress you’ve made and how far you’ve come on your life journey. There’s a big chance you’ll realize you’ve faced and overcome even bigger challenges in your past.  You should be proud of that. Not only will this simple recollection boost your positive attitude, it’s also a great way to gain more courage to face whatever it is you’re going through. Who knows, you might even find exciting new opportunities in what you thought was your downfall. 

There will always be situations in life where we can’t always keep a positive attitude. What truly matters however, is how we allow those instances to carry over to our mindset. Remember you always have a choice.  And you can choose to see the positive side to everything.