How To Stay Positive – 7 Easy & Actionable Steps That Actually Work

Staying positive is easy. You would agree with me about the fact that our thoughts define our future. We all know that the more +ve we are, the more likely positive things will happen to us. But, the question is “how to stay positive”?

There can be situations in our life that make us feel negative and once these thoughts enter the mind, they consume all the energy and make us feel sad. Depression is nothing but a result of negative thoughts in the mind for a prolonged period.

In order to understand positive thinking and get an actionable answer to how to stay positive, it is essential to know some terms in a layman’s language.

Negative Thoughts = They drain our internal energy and make us feel sad. These thoughts bring fear and worry.

Positive Thoughts = These thoughts enhance our energy and bring a feeling of hope and excitement.

I would also like you to admit from your true heart to the sentences below:

  • I know how important it is for me to stay positive.
  • I want to stay away from negative people.
  • I don’t want anything bad to happen to me or my loved ones.
  • Positive thoughts give me energy, hope, and excitement.
  • I want to get rid of all the negative thoughts in my mind.
  • I know that I am a Positive person.

You might have truly followed the majority of sentences above but still, you need help in staying positive. Situations can be different for different people but I’d like to take your attention to the source from where these -ve thoughts appear in our mind.

The two biggest reasons that stop us from staying positive are:

  • Low confidence level – This one basically comes from the past.
  • Fear of the outcome – This is in the future.

So, it is the past or the future that stops us from being positive. It is again the past or the future that makes us feel sad, worried, depressed and what not. In actuality, there is no past and no future. This exists just in our mind. Let’s dig into positive thinking in details and find out the actionable steps that can help you be positive in every situation starting now.

How to Stay Positive

Be in the Present

A lot of things in this world are easier said than done. But being in the present is easier done than said. You are in the present moment right now. While you read this, take your awareness to your surroundings. Think of the posture in which you are right now. Take a pause and bring your attention to your heartbeat. I bet your heart is beating.

You see, how easy it is to take your attention to anywhere you desire. Positive thoughts or negative thoughts are nothing but simple thoughts. Thinking is one of the tasks that our mind does. You cannot stop that. If you feel that your mind is thinking negative, simply say STOP and take your awareness to something that is in the present. I know this will not be easy. But just as learning to drive a car needs practice, being in the present also needs practice. No matter how many times you find yourself in the past or the future, just smile and get back to the present. The more you do this, the more you’ll increase your awareness level and hence more positive thoughts will become the ground of your mind.

Practice Positive Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements that can help you overcome negative thoughts. Practicing affirmations on a daily basis trains your mind for success. It is said that repeating a positive statement over and over again for a few days can work wonders in your life.

Although there are some programs available for positive affirmations, the best way would be to make your own statement and repeat that in your mind whenever you are free. Choose a short positive statement with a good choice of words. Be optimistic but realistic. For example – I am confident, I’ll get a promotion next month, I’ll buy a new house this year. Affirmations are an important factor for people searching on how to stay positive.

Understand The Power of Belief

The world that we see today is a result of the human belief system. From the invention of the wheel to that of fire and from the invention of airplanes to the present high-speed internet, everything is a result of the belief system. Whatever you think and believe, is most likely to happen at some point in time.

Believe it or not but our beliefs have got huge power. The thoughts that are backed by a belief are most likely to happen. Think of your belief to be the confidence that acts behind an action. The stronger the belief, the more the confidence and hence more likely you’ll see the desired outcome. So, make a belief that all good is going to happen and it will happen.

Express Gratitude

Be thankful for whatever you have. The best way to feel gratitude in your heart is to make a list of things that you have. Start with things like a smartphone, an internet connection, food to eat, clothes to wear, access to clean drinking water and go on and on. Move on to your life, your eyes, your senses, your ears and so on. Keep adding a few things every day. Eventually, this will make you realize that life is awesome. You are already living a dream life that millions of people dream about.

Go in the past and jot down all the good things that have happened to you. This would include your job, your assets, your relationships, how someone made you smile, etc. Be thankful for everything. if you are able to practice it for a few days, this feeling will be enough to bring a change in your life. The change would be so great that it will make you stay positive forever.

Get The Right Mindset

The next point about how to stay positive is about getting a wonderful mindset. Having the right attitude and the right thought process towards a situation in life can make all the difference between being positive or negative. No matter whatever situation you are facing. Think of it as an opportunity to enhance your confidence. Confidence does not build up by sitting and thinking upon it. But confidence builds up by facing the situation and taking action.

One way to stay positive despite a hard life problem is to think of the worst case scenario. In this case, you are automatically telling your mind that this is the worst that can happen. Once you know it, your mind will automatically work to find out a solution. The second way over here is to focus on the problem and not think about the outcome. Say to yourself, whatever the outcome may be, I’ll be happy and content.

Small Acts of Help & Kindness

Look out for opportunities where you can help someone around you. Giving a smile to a passerby is a great way to start. Stopping your car for someone to cross the road, giving your seat on a bus or train to a person in need, buying food for a hungry person all come under acts of kindness.

Such things connect you to the creation and make you feel positive not just about life but also about you. Such acts give you a feeling of being proud and happy and can actually help you get rid of negative thoughts.

Look Around & Stay Positive

Look at the sky. I do not mean to think of God but what I mean over here is to understand the forces of the universe. Just see the vastness of the sky. Imagine the infinite stars, planets, galaxies. This exercise makes your mind believe in that limitless power. Negative thoughts come to a mind that is narrow while an open mind can reject such thoughts and attract the positivity from the universe.

Whenever you feel that your mind is struck with negativity and it seems hard to stay positive, just watch the sky for a few minutes. See the clouds, observe nature, look at the plants and observe that everything around you is filled with positivity. Now, look at your hands and observe that the eyes that are watching all this are a part of this creation. Your core is positive but it is your mind that was thinking negative. Come out of your mind and experience the magic.

Negative thoughts can be conquered. Staying positive is a choice that we all can make at any point in our life. I hope that the above points might have been valuable to you and by know you know how to stay positive.

Share this article with someone who you think needs to read this. Let this be you act of help and kindness. Stay Blessed. Stay Positive!

Ajay Deep

Hi. I'm Ajay Deep. An author and a columnist on the professional front while an entrepreneur, a thought leader and a psychologist on the personal front. Apart from the professional and personal front, there's something more to me that makes me a Life Enthusiast. You may get in touch with me on social platforms below.
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