It’s hard to look at the bright side these days. The news is filled with world leaders who fumble the shots, countries in conflict, oceans filling up with rubbish, and a host of other problems that make it so hard to look forward to the future. Our social media feeds are filled with hate, trolls, and fake news and our streets are filled with heavy traffic and pollution. No one we are all getting to be so very grumpy.
Are we getting to be a generation of grumps? Is there an epidemic of negative thinking?
With all these things going on, it’s hard to see the glass as half full. BUT…we can actually train our brains to look on the bright side!
Positive thinking has endless benefits: reduced heart rate, reduced stress, lower blood pressure, boost in creativity, an overall better quality of life, etc. But if you’re a realist, and most adults are, you’re going to have to dig deep and hard to find the silver lining.
Here’s how you can cultivate a more positive state of mind:
Practice compassion
Do nice things for others. Little things like holding the elevator door open for those who are getting in loaded with grocery bags (always do this – don’t be that person who lets the door close!), helping the elderly, Volunteering at your local charity, asking your spouse if you can help them prepare dinner, helping a lost stranger with directions, or volunteering to be the designated driver can make a lot of difference. When we help others, even though we don’t know them, we feel good. It might be self-serving but if you get into the habit of showing kindness, it does wonders for your mental health as well. As the saying goes “Believe there is good in this world. Be the good.”
Go and celebrate small wins
Look for small victories in everyday life. And celebrate them however small they are. It could be that your commute to work went well with no train delays. It could be a short line at your favorite deli or fast food joint. It could be an amazing cup of coffee at the new coffee place. It could be a small token from one of your office mate who remembered to get you something from his trip to Paris. It could be that you finished your article well before the deadline. Celebrate those small wins. Better if you celebrate with ice cream. Yay!
Meditate
I wrote quite a few article about the benefits of meditation. In my article “Stress, Be Gone!”[1], I wrote about how you can reduce your stress levels through meditation. If you need help on how to get started on meditation and mindfulness, read my article, “A Mind Full of Light”[2].
Be kind
This goes without saying, be kind to others. But most especially, be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself down with negative talk. You won’t tell a loved one that he or she won’t amount to anything/is fat/will fail that exam/won’t finish the report in time/won’t fit into that shirt, right? So why give yourself that kind of pep talk. Don’t beat yourself up over mistakes done in the past. Look for the lesson, take what you need, then move on!
Start with these tips and work towards being a bit more positive. Do you have any tips for us? Let us know in the comments. Stay humble and hustle hard!
Written by: Jaie O. – The Help
References:
1 https://thehelpbyastrids.com/stress-be-gone/
2 https://thehelpbyastrids.com/a-mind-full-of-light/