In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision. – Dalai Lama
There are good things all around us, but we often fail to notice them. We focus on the negative and feel as if we are living in a dangerous, unfriendly world. While it’s important not to put on your rose-tinted glasses and pretend everything is fine, if you can focus on the positives, you are sure to feel less stressed, more willing to try new things, and overall happier. Here is how you can find the good in every day and every aspect of your life, even when things get tough.
Set five minutes aside for a daily practice
The first thing you can do is to make a daily commitment to focus on the good. Sit down for five minutes every day and think about the good things that happened to you. What are you grateful for? Focus on the small things, like a pleasant meal or a funny joke, and also on the big things, like a particular relationship you cherish or a wonderful experience you had.
You can just think about these things, however, writing them down can be even more effective. Take your time to write down the wonderful things that happened each day and, little by little, you will train your brain to focus more on the good and less on the bad.
Ask what makes each day unique
When you establish the good, look at the day more generally. What makes this day different from all the rest? Sometimes, you might have had a particularly bad day, and that’s fine. What makes it different is that you didn’t enjoy it, but you can also cultivate a positive mindset by focusing on how very few of your days are as bad.
Consider what was special or unique about this day. Was there something distinctive? Ask yourself to focus on what you liked about the day and that could distinguish it from all the others, to help you avoid becoming stuck in a routine.
Decide on a kind action for the next day
One way to improve each day and make you feel more positive is to be kind to those around you. Kind actions are proven to help you focus on the positive and can also make you feel more comfortable with your life. A good strategy is to plan for kind actions – decide on a simple act that you can do for a stranger or a family member or anyone else around you.
Consider what you would like to do. Would you like to buy someone a coffee? Maybe take over one of their chores? Perhaps you could help a person in distress in a way that’s within your reach and means.
Doing random acts of kindness doesn’t have to involve a lot of planning. You can also just set the intention to do something nice and then keep your eyes peeled for an opportunity. But do set the intention and remind yourself to try and do it.
Fix something you didn’t like
Also, ask yourself if there was one thing you didn’t like, focusing on concrete behaviors. Try to center small things, too, and develop a target behavior. For example, you might have disliked how you talked to a coworker, so your goal will be to respond to them in a nice way. This is a small, achievable goal that can help you feel more positive about your day.
Sometimes, you will set the same goal for several days. Others, you might just try a behavior once. Do what feels right to you and recognize the achievement of fulfilling your goal. If you don’t manage to and, say, snap again at your coworker, take it with compassion and try again.
Talk to positive people
You probably have positive and negative people around you. When you are looking to focus on the positives, try to seek out those who do the same. Look for optimists, those who will cheer you up and share their nice vision of the world.
Sometimes, we need a reality check. But if you are looking for positivity, don’t be afraid to go to those who are full of sunshine and who offer you a bright outlook. Others can boost your own sense of optimism and encourage you to find more positives in your life.
