The Beginnings of a Positive Mindset

Positivity is contagious. It spreads like wildfire. It is the key to engaging, influencing, building, strengthening and maintaining relationships. When you conduct your life with a positive mindset and commit to putting it into daily practice, you will raise your level of happiness.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve done a fair bit of research on positivity, however, to be honest, I almost feel as though I was born an optimistic. But I know, or at least believe, that optimism isn’t a natural trait this. Positivity is a learned trait, and regardless of how we’ve been raised, we can alter our negative or positive disposition.

In personal experience, I’ve noticed the powerful effects that come from choosing positivity or negativity. And like everyone else, I am prone to negative thoughts and any debilitating consequences that may follow. I do not suggest that having a negative perspective lacks any purpose. Many benefits can come from thinking about possible negative futures, and there are lessons to be had from adverse experiences. However, for this article, I wish to write on ways to develop a positive mindset.

Michael Hyatt released a podcast recently called – Happy People Are More Magnetic. Now, although in his show Michael delivers ten steps to becoming happy, I felt it was closely related to being positive. Of course, being happy and being positive are not one in the same thing but there are many crossovers. It is worth a listen – here is the link. 

Personally, it made me think about how being positive can affect our state of happiness. Here are a few thoughts on why. Firstly, when you are positive, you are likely to enhance current relationships in your life and also be better at building new ones. Generally, people like being around positive people. Science and research now suggest that the quality of our relationships has a direct link to our overall well-being, quality of life and longevity.

Secondly, a positive focus is more likely to result in a positive outcome. Studies have indicated that positive thoughts create positive emotions such as joy, happiness, gratitude and serenity. These emotions lead to favourable dispositions such as mental clarity, improved cognitive function, focus and ability. Happiness assists to dissolve stress because it helps to calm the intense effects caused by the likes of cortisol, dopamine and adrenaline.

The final thought I have on why positivity rocks, are because it enhances our motivation to tackle things and it helps build resilience. Who wants to attempt anything that the envision as negative? Who wishes to keep trying if they see previous efforts as purely resulting in adverse outcomes? The answer is no one! Positivity increases our drive and will ensure better focus, clarity, performance and results.

The question is how?

Start with why! Understand why having a positive mindset, perspective and thoughts are beneficial. The above few paragraphs should get you off to a good start. I’d also challenge you to think about how a negative mindset does you any favours, if at all. Write your ideas down. Brainstorm it. Ultimately, you’ll likely find that the pros of positivity, outweigh that of negativity.

Next step, begin a practice of mindfulness to develop your awareness. We are all naturally aware. Our conscious and unconscious brains assist us in surviving. It allows us to react in a more conducive manner to our environment as it relates to our mind, body and overall wellbeing. The clutter of our lives prohibits this level of awareness yet in practice we can bring it back.

In awareness, we have higher clarity allowing us to see our thoughts more clearly as they arise. If they are negative, we can investigate them without attaching ourselves to them. Behaviour is a difficult thing to change however when we are unattached to our thoughts they will have less influence over our actions. Slowly we can train the mind to favour positive thoughts and then use them to guide our lives for the better.

With an ever-improving state of awareness, we will continue to make better choices. According to Michael Hyatt – happiness and positivity is a choice. I partly agree with this. However, I also understand that the construction of the human body and mind suggests that mammals operate on memory and prediction. Some scientists indicate that free will is non-existent. Whatever the case if you understand when negative thought occupies the mind and see why it is of no use, with all effort and in time you will continue to make better decisions.

The brings me to the next thought on promoting positivity in your life. Know how either a negative or positive mindset will take you closer to your needs. Usually, negativity precedes complaints, whinging and often results in decreased motivation and therefore action. Undoubtedly that won’t assist in taking you towards what you truly need and desire in life.

A few final thoughts. Firstly, it would be best to understand the story you tell yourself. I wrote a popular article on this previously, found here –The Story We Tell Ourselves. How we talk to ourselves influences how we think. Choose what kind of person you wish to be and be integral to that. The story we tell ourselves is usually the story we live. Do you want to be a positive or negative person?

Watch how you interact with your environment. Are your behaviours, including body language, mannerisms and speech bringing positive results? If not it may just mean negative forces are directing them. It could be that your environment is the issue.

As I stated, earlier positivity is contagious. Negativity breeds negativity. If the environment isn’t a good influence on your demeanour, you may need to remove yourself from it. If on the other hand, it is your internal environment that is affecting how you show up, accept and take on board this feedback and experiment with differing approaches. Again, developing your awareness is the best place to start in understanding our internal landscape.

As Michael Hyatt points we can alter our happiness levels by merely smiling more. There is a direct correlation between smiling and positivity. As highlighted above smiling produces positive emotions that benefit our well-being. Not to mention the reaction from others we receive when we give them a friendly smile. It can only be a good thing.

There you have it. Some ideas and thoughts on the beginnings of creating a positive mindset. I have a great deal more to share on this topic but that’s a good start. Give some of these things a try and let me know how they work for you. If you have some fresh ideas, please share them with our community at The Hidden Why or on Facebook. Until we speak, stay positive!

Further Reading and Resources 

TED Talks: Ideas worth spreading

Psychology Today: Psychology Today is devoted exclusively to everybody’s favourite subject – Ourselves

Life Hack: Tips for Life

Elite Daily: The Voice of Generation Y

Four Hour Work Week: How to escape the 9-5, live anywhere and join the new rich.

The Minimalists: How to pursue a minimalist lifestyle and be happier.

Mind Hacks: Tips and Tricks for Using Your Brain

Rich Roll: Plantpowered Wellness Advocate

The Art of Charm: Build confidence, feel comfortable and networking differently.

American Psychological Association: The largest scientific and professional organization of psychologists in the United State

The Art of Manliness: Encouraging men to be better husbands, fathers, brothers, citizens.

Tiny Buddha: Simple wisdom for complex lives.

Brain Pickings: An inventory of cross-disciplinary interestingness, spanning art, science, design, history, philosophy, and more.

Mind Body Green: Lifestyle media brand dedicated to inspiring you to live your best life.

Zen Habits: Find simplicity and mindfulness in life.

Creative NonFiction: “true stories well told.” 

Addicted 2 Success: Motivation & Inspiration Website full of quotes and inspiring articles for entrepreneurs.

Barking Up the Wrong Tree: science-based answers and expert insight on how to be awesome at life.

The Positivity Blog: Practical articles on happiness, self-esteem, productivity and social skills.