Positivity is an optimistic, hopeful outlook. People who are positive focus on the things in their lives that are good and believe good things can happen in the future. The expression “glass half full” refers to people who embrace positivity.
Some people are naturally inclined to be positive, while others have a negativity bias. These people are more likely to focus on undesirable developments or complaints they have about their lives. Fortunately, you can use these strategies to overcome a negativity bias and enjoy more positivity in your life.
Perils of negativity.
A negative mindset can have a devastating impact on your physical and mental health. Negativity promotes feelings of helplessness and can increase your stress levels. Stress adversely affects you by weakening your immune system and reducing your brain’s chemicals that promote happiness. When you’re stressed, you’re more susceptible to infections, and it can take longer to recover from illnesses. Higher stress levels can lead to a heart attack, cause digestive issues, and reduce your life expectancy. People who have a positive outlook heal faster and are less likely to develop stress-related health issues.
Make a habit of being thankful.
You can promote positivity by focusing on optimistic thoughts. Make a habit of being thankful. You can do this by listing things you’re grateful for every morning. When you make a deliberate choice to focus your mind on positive thoughts, you help train your mind to think positively.
You can also promote positivity by finding humor in difficult circumstances. When things do go wrong, find a way to create a lesson plan from your experience to help others avoid making the same mistakes.
Emphasize healthy self-talk and remind yourself of your accomplishments and great qualities instead of criticizing yourself. When you feel discouraged, counter your thinking by reminding yourself of your best attributes. Developing mindfulness skills will ensure you stop negative thinking immediately and replace unhealthy thoughts with positive self-talk.
Get a fresh start.
Sometimes your environment can inhibit your positivity. You may be trapped in your career or surrounded by negative influences. Whether you need to move from Rockville to Germantown or make arrangements for a long-distance move, hiring professional movers will simplify the process and ensure you enjoy a stress-free move.
Google resources in your area such as “moving company in Rockville, MD” to locate a reputable moving company with years of experience with both long-distance and local moves. Professional movers will come to your home, pack your possessions, load them into a moving vehicle, transport them to your destination, and unload the truck. You can also have your property temporarily secured in a storage unit if you have a period between vacating your residence and gaining access to your new home.
Make meaningful changes in your life.
You don’t have to move to get a fresh start. Search for a new job and apply until you find a great job that suits your interests and allows you to utilize your skills. You may also benefit from taking courses to expand your skills so you can advance in your current career.
You can also promote positivity by investing in a new wardrobe. Updating your attire and choosing comfortable and stylish clothes is an effective way to feel good about yourself. Whether you need a new DD bra, new shoes, or new pantsuits, choosing new clothes that flatter your body type and coloring will ensure you emphasize your best features and look great. You’ll also feel better when you’re socializing if you’re wearing a comfortable bra with the right cup size.
Your home environment may also be responsible for generating some intense emotions that aren’t positive. Perhaps you decorated the space with a former partner or weren’t able to redecorate when you moved in. Colors trigger a physical response that can have a positive or negative impact. People are more likely to feel insecure when exposed to large amounts of the color violet, while too much yellow can make people hyperactive.
If your home’s colors are eliciting negative emotions, you can transform the space by repainting and redecorating. Have professional movers transport your furniture and belongings to a storage facility while you redecorate. Focus on integrating cheerful colors appropriate for each room. For example, orange promotes socialization and happiness. You may want to use orange as an accent color in your living room, but you might want to avoid having too much orange in your bedroom since you use that space to rest.
Address negativity and personal issues.
See a counselor or psychologist that specializes in dialectical behavior therapy (DBT). DBT can be an effective treatment for people struggling with mood disorders. If you’re struggling with suicidal behavior, behavioral changes, or self-destructive behaviors, such as addiction, DBT can help you address these issues. DBT promotes distress tolerance, which means you learn to experience intense emotions without responding negatively.
People who go through DBT also learn about emotional regulation, which is a skill that allows you to identify your feelings and change them. DBT also promotes mindfulness and interpersonal effectiveness. With guidance from your therapist, you’ll increase your self-awareness and awareness of others and learn how to handle conflict. DBT is ideal for individual therapy sessions or group therapy.
Focus on healthy relationships.
Do negative people surround you? Negative people foster a sense of hopelessness and discouragement. They may undermine your self-confidence. When you spend too much time around negative people, you’re more likely to engage in negative self-talk and focus on things that make you unhappy. This can keep you from concentrating on the great things in your life you have to be thankful for and make you more critical of yourself and others.
You can consider several options if people you spend a lot of time with are discouraging you. You can talk to the negative people about their unhealthy outlook and its impact on you. They may not realize the impact their outlook has on others and make an effort to change.
You can also reduce the amount of time you spend with negative people. You might choose to eat lunch with coworkers who are upbeat instead or make plans to socialize with friends who have a healthy mindset.
Positivity promotes physical and mental health. Developing mindfulness skills, taking time to be thankful, and encouraging positive self-talk can increase the amount of positivity in your life. You can also increase your positivity by moving or making significant changes in your life, surrounding yourself with positive people, and pursuing dialectical behavior therapy.