I have a picture on my living room wall that says, “One small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day”. I absolutely love that quote! You might love and agree with that quote as much as I do but imagine if we actually put that into practice. Imagine if before we even got out of bed we started thinking positively. What a difference that would make!
If the quote “life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it” from Charles Swindoll is true, which I believe it is, then how important is it to have a positive attitude. Think about this: What good does it do you to have a negative attitude when something bad happens? None! It doesn’t do you any good. I think most of us logically know this, but when something bad actually happens to us do we stop for a moment and consciously choose our attitude, or do we just let the emotions flow? I know it’s easier said than done but with practice you can master your attitude! And if having a positive attitude today can change today in a positive way, then having a positive attitude every day can change your life in a positive way!
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m definitely not perfect at having a positive attitude, just ask my husband. But I do strive to get better at it every day because I know how important it is. I want to share with you my tips on how to train your brain to think positively!
1.Be thankful.
That may sound cliche to you, but let me ask you this, do you actually practice being thankful? Do you take time out of your day to practice gratitude? Being thankful or grateful is extremely powerful. Every morning you wake up you should be grateful to be alive! Being grateful when your life isn’t going as planned can seem difficult, but I encourage you to stop and think of things that you do have to be grateful for. Maybe it’s that you have family that loves you. Maybe it’s that you live in Canada, and you have the freedom to live how you want. Whatever it is, being grateful can help shape the way you think. That negative situation in your life will still be there but with a grateful, positive mindset, your brain is better ready to face that situation. On the other hand, being grateful when your life is amazing may seem easy to do. But if your life is going amazing you have to remember to stop and take the time to be grateful. Take the time to reflect on how wonderful your life is. Being thankful can change your life!
2. Positive input is gold!
What you feed your brain is just as important as what you feed your body. When you wake up do you go check out what’s going on in the Facebook world or do you pick up a personal growth book or the Bible? Do you have friends and family that speak positive into your life or are they complaining and gossiping? I challenge you to really answer these questions and reflect on the type of input you want to put into your brain.
3. Check in on your attitude.
Starting your day off with positive thoughts and a positive attitude is a must, but don’t forget to keep your attitude in check throughout the day. When you notice yourself thinking negative thoughts or talking negatively, take a minute to reset your mind. Think about what you have to be grateful for and get some positive input!
4. Change your vocabulary.
The words we say out loud and to ourselves shapes the way we think. So, when your house is a disaster instead of thinking “this is going to take forever to clean!”, think “I’m so glad I have somewhere to live!”. When someone cuts you off in traffic and you want to give them a certain hand signal, instead think “I’m sure grateful to have a car.”. What we say to ourselves makes a huge difference in our attitude for the good or the bad. Make sure what you say to yourself makes a difference for the good!
These tips may seem too easy to be true or too small to make a difference, but if you put them into practice daily you will see how they can change your life!
Alexandra Perez – Chief Leadership Advocate, The Leader Co. Inc.