Working Towards a More Positive Attitude

One of the good things about having this blog and some of the topics I’ve written about over the years, is it has allowed me to become a bit more self-aware of my moods and attitudes towards life.

And what I’ve realised is that perhaps I’m that negative person everyone warns against.  The person who never has anything positive to say, who is always focusing on the bad things that are going on in life.  That could a gross overstatement, but if I can sense it in myself, I’m sure others can as well.

I don’t think I’ve always been like this.  I remember years ago being somewhat happy-go-lucky, optimistic, and even downright cheery at times.  Or at least it seemed like I was at the time.

But somehow I’ve become this pessimistic, sour, miserable sod who can only think of what isn’t in his life, instead of what actually is.

So maybe it’s time to try and focus on the good things going on, and look towards the light instead of sulking in the gloomy darkness.  It’s not something I can change overnight, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to give it a try…

Happiness is a Choice

We’ve all heard it.  We need to stop focusing on the bad stuff, and to choose to be happy and positive.  As if that was the easiest thing in the world, when it would feel at times that everything around us was conspiring to hold us down or make life so hard to life.

What we all need to realise and work on is not immediately looking for the blame when things go bad, but instead to look at the positives in the situation.  To look for the good and stop pointing fingers.  We need to realise we are in control of our reactions or attitude, and nobody else can change that.

Get Rid of the Negativity

A true friend will always be looking to help you to live a positive, happy life, and will be encouraging you to go for your dreams.  A true friend would be right beside you as you move down the road of life towards your happiness, and vice versa as well.

It’s not an easy thing to have to cut negative people and behaviours out of your life, and sometimes it’s even harder to determine who is actually encouraging and who is actually pushing you towards their own negative views on life.  But as hard as it is, you really have to do it in order to move forward with YOUR life.

Look For the Positive

Every situation you find yourself in can be both a positive or negative influence on your life or attitude, and it’s up to you to determine what you’re going to focus on.  It’s not always easy to truly see the positives, but if you look hard enough, it will be there.

The easy route is, once you’ve identified something negative, is to focus on that negativity and stop looking for the positives of the situation or the person you’re talking to.  When in a room full of negativity, it’s so much easier to just be caught up in their bad attitudes, and before you know it you’re acting just as negative as they are.

Instead, look for what’s good about the things happening around you.  For example, instead of getting sucked into your co-worker’s complaints about how shit work is, think about how great it is you have a job that allows you to live your life and put food on your table.

Reinforce Your Own Positivity

Like anything in life, you have to practice and practice before habits and attitudes will truly change for the better.  You have to train yourself to look for the positives, and then continue to reinforce that behaviour.

And this is especially true when looking at yourself and your life in general.  Remind yourself what is good in your life, what you like about yourself, how far you’ve improved over the years, or any other sort of thing that helps reinforce that positivity.

It’s ok to be critical of yourself, but only in a positive and constructive manner.  Tearing yourself down or reminding yourself about what you don’t like about yourself will only help you slide back down that slope into your previous negative attitude.  Try looking at things from the other side for once.

Sharing is Caring

To put it simply, being nice to others and sharing your positivity with those around you is the best way to continue to help yourself down your road to positivity.  Tell a loved one how much you care about them.  Tell a co-worker how they’ve done a good job.  Show appreciation to those who’ve helped you, even if it’s the barrista who’s made your morning latte or the person who held open a door for you.

It’s not always an easy thing, that’s for sure.  But the more positive you are towards others, the more positive they’ll be to you.  And the more positive you’ll be towards yourself, which is the ultimate goal.  Strive to be encouraging and supportive of everyone around you, and you’ll amazed at how quickly it comes back to you.

Believe in yourself and remember that a positive outlook is a choice that you can always make.