How to incorporate positive thinking into your life

Having negative thoughts can play havoc on your life. They can bring you pain and worry. They drain your energy and keep you in the moment instead of being able to move past it.

Positive thoughts, though, can help you see solutions to a problem, help you move forward and leave you feeling relaxed and full of energy.

“See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort.” ~Dalai Lama

Knowing what positive thinking is and its benefits is one thing – actually incorporating positive thinking into your daily life is another and, often, more difficult task for many.

Here are 11 things you can do to help overcome your negative thoughts:

1. Do yoga or meditate.

Clearing your mind to allow you to focus your thoughts can bring your attention to what you need to be focusing on.

2. Look for the positive.

Be loving toward yourself and to others. Focus on your strengths and assets. Maybe you felt nervous when going to a particular event, but then you received lots of positive comments from others who were happy to see you.

3. Smile.

Force yourself to smile. It really does help to change your mood. And it relieves stress too.

4. Surround yourself with positive people.

Get away from the negative people in your life. Talk to people who are positive.

5. Halt negative thoughts immediately.

When you catch yourself with negative thoughts, give yourself permission to stop it. Instead of thinking, “I can’t do that. I’m not talented enough,” say “I can do that. I am just as talented as anyone else.”

6. Don’t play the victim.

You are responsible for creating your life. If you don’t like the situation, change it.

7. List five things you are grateful for at this moment.

Being grateful is a form of positive thinking.

8. Be nice to yourself.

Treat yourself with respect. Treat yourself the same way you would treat someone else. Would you call someone else names like ugly, fat or loser? Probably not. Then don’t do it to yourself.

9. No one is perfect. Move on.

Don’t dwell on your mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. Learn a lesson from each of them and then move on.

10. Learn to accept compliments. Build your self-esteem, self-image and confidence.

Take the compliment as it is meant to be given; as a gift. Compliments can help you build your self-image and self-confidence.

11. Focus on what’s possible.

Get rid of the negative words like “can’t.” Remind yourself that you don’t need others approval for your accomplishments. Focus on your own capabilities and what is possible.

Incorporating positive thoughts into your life can change your future. You can become happier, healthier and more successful if you believe you can.

What do you do when you feel negative thoughts coming on?
How do you focus on the positive?