Steal This Sure-Fire Recipe to Stay Positive Even when Things Get Tough
How to stay sane and positive in this chaotic world.
You are made or unmade by yourself.
In his book, A Man Thinketh, James Allen writes, “A man’s mind may be linked to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must and will bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”
Similarly, if you don’t cultivate positivity in you, negativity will spread its branches and eventually make your life miserable. That’s why if you want to save your soul, you have to adopt positivity.
Now the question is, how can you develop positivity? Is there any recipe you can replicate to stay positive amid the daily chaos life offers?
Let’s try to find the answers with this article.
When you seek good, you are very likely to find it
In his book The Amazing Results of Positive Thinking, Norman Vincent Peale writes that positive thinking always works. Why? Because it inspires us to look for the best results from the worst conditions.
“It is possible to look for something to build on; it is possible to expect the best for yourself even though things look bad,” He explains. “And the remarkable fact is that when you seek good, you are very likely to find it.”
A study published in the journal “Personality and Social Psychology Review” echoes the same as it says people who think positively are more likely to achieve their goals than those who think negatively.
Researcher and author Barbara Fredrickson finds that negative emotions narrow our perspective by driving us toward a single, instinctive action while positive emotions broaden it by allowing us to examine different options and then help us select the best one.
And who doesn’t know that you have a positive mindset for positive emotions? However, positive thinking is linked to better health, lower stress levels, and increased happiness.
How to cultivate positivity even when things get tough
The first thing you need to remember is that ninety-nine percent of the things you’re currently worried about will never happen to you. It’s not my words. But, Dale Carnegie said it in his book, How to Stop Worrying and Start Living.
“Things have a way of working themselves out if we just remain positive,” says a former American football player, coach, and analyst Louis Leo Holtz.
So, settle your nerves first. Then, steal the following recipe to stay positive even when things seem very bleak:
1. Start your day with one task completed.
This task can be anything, such as making your bed, reading a few pages from the book you love, exercising for fifteen minutes, walking in nature, etc.
When you start your day with one task completed, it boosts your mood and gives you a sense of accomplishment.
In his book, Make Your Bed, Admiral William H. McCraven writes that during his SEAL training, the first thing he was supposed to do in the morning was to make his bed.
“It was the first task of the day. A day that I knew would be filled with uniform inspections, long swims, longer runs, obstacle courses, and constant harassment from the SEAL instructors,” He explains.
“It demonstrated my discipline. It showed my attention to detail, and at the end of the day it would be a reminder that I had done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task.”
2. Make a to-do list in the morning or the night before.
A to-do list is a lifesaver.
It organizes your task and helps you be free from overthinking. When you write your daily tasks as a list, you visualize what you are supposed to do today. It’s a great way to stay positive and focused.
I always write my to-do list the previous night, just before sleep. It gives me a clear idea of what I should do tomorrow and helps me prepare myself for those.
There is a lovely quote about the to-do list from Randolph Frederick Pausch. He says —
“You can always change your plan, but only if you have one. I’m a big believer in to-do lists. It helps us break life into small steps. I once put “get tenure” on my to-do list. That was naïve. The most useful to-do list breaks tasks into small steps. It’s like when I encourage Logan to clean his room by picking up one thing at a time.”
3. Acknowledge your negative thoughts and replace them with good ones.
Life is a journey full of ups and downs. Not just for you but everyone. And sometimes, the painful memories, failures, heartbreaks, traumas, and things you want to avoid revisit your memory and produce negative thoughts in you. It shakes your confidence and fills your mind with doubts.
But don’t worry. Here is how you can deal with your negative thoughts:
- First, acknowledge your negative thoughts
- Write them down on paper.
- Now, tear the paper into pieces and throw it into the dustbin.
- Focus on the positive aspects of your life
- Write down at least three positive things that happened to you.
- Take a deep breath and move on
- Keep yourself busy with work
“The worst things: To be in bed and sleep not, To want for one who comes not, To try to please and please not.” ~ Egyptian proverb
4. Make a list of good things that happened to you.
We often forget how blessed we are for the things we have in life. Just look at the fundamentals — a healthy body, sound mind, a roof over our head, food on the table, loved ones around you, and many more.
But despite being grateful for what we have in life, we cry for more and feel disappointed when we don’t get them.
Henry Ward Beecher says, “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
When you are grateful for who you are and what you have in life, you attain peace of mind that helps you stay positive and focused. You realize that life is not unfair to you, and countless opportunities are waiting ahead to be unlocked.
5. Divorce doubters and get closer to positive-minded people.
Give no space to those who always find the glass half empty. Remember what Calvin Coolidge says, “Doubters do not achieve; skeptics do not contribute; cynics do not create.”
Spend time with those who cultivate positivity, exhibit confidence, respect others’ views, and offer support and encouragement.
And, of course, join the people who have already achieved what you want to achieve.
6. Have a daily dose of laughter.
Laughter is an expression of happiness and a great tool to battle monotony. Happy hormones called endorphins get released to alleviate our emotional, physical, and psychological pain when we laugh. That’s why laughter is called the best medicine.
In this post titled, Upgrade Your Life With a Daily Dose of Laughter, I’ve discussed a few ways you can have a daily dose of laughter in your everyday life.
You can —
- Call a friend and revisit the good old days
- Watch a good sitcom
- Spend time with your kids or pet
- Read a funny book or watch a few funny video clips
- Follow your favorite comedians
A daily dose of laughter brings positive energy and reduces the chance of conflict with others.
7. Take good care of your health.
You don’t count good health as a blessing unless you get sick, right?
How will your day go if you wake up tomorrow with severe back or neck pain? It will undoubtedly have a negative impact on all the things you do throughout the day.
So, take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and exercising. Remember, a sound mind resides in a healthy body.
To conclude
Positivity doesn’t magically appear and changes everything. To stay positive, you have to practice positivity over and over again in everyday life. You must make it a habit.
So, don’t forget to —
- Start your day with one task completed.
- Make a to-do list to organize your daily tasks.
- Replace your negative thoughts with good ones.
- Be grateful for the good things that happened to you.
- Avoid doubters and get closer to positive-minded people.
- Treat others with a smile and get a daily dose of laughter.
- Take good care of your health.
I wish you a happy and prosperous life!
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