How Negative Thinkers Can Learn to Stop Grumbling
Positive thinking has many benefits, from expanding your creativity to improving your health , but if you tend to have more negative views, it can be difficult to see that your glass is half full. Here’s how you can retrain your brain to become a more positive thinker.
Like any other life skill, learning to be positive takes practice and effort. You are not going to turn into someone who always sees everything as good overnight, but you can focus your efforts in several directions to move towards more positive thinking.
- Do something nice for someone . Helping others, even strangers, is good. Open the door to the person following you, offer to be photographed with the tourist so that his entire group is in the frame, or ask someone who looks lost if he needs to get directions.
- Celebrate small victories . Look for small joys or victories in your daily life. Maybe the sun was shining right on your way to work, or you finished a project a moment before your boss told you about it.
- Practice compassion meditation . According to the New York Times , this type of meditation helps your overall health. It can rewire your brain to make positive connections , strengthen your heart, and affect your social relationships. Even a few minutes a day can make a difference.
- Be kind to yourself . It is especially difficult to deal with negative thoughts about your own insecurities or perceived setbacks, so try to be kind to yourself rather than berating yourself for making a mistake. Think of what you do well as a reminder of who you are in general.
Your goal of becoming more positive shouldn’t end up seeing the best side in every situation, especially if it’s not your personality. But you can work to become a little more positive, which will lead to more enjoyment of life every day.