Wednesday, August 31, 2016

How to Be More Positive

With school back in session it is easy to get into a slump when it comes to your general attitude. The early morning alarms to wake up for class and the adjustment that comes with staying up later to do homework and prepare for the day to come while also doing your laundry, cooking meals, and surviving solo if you're a college can sometimes be overwhelming. I find that when I am overwhelmed I am most likely to find myself being more negative. I think one of my mom's favorite quotes would have to be "positive people live longer" since she tells my brother and that all the time. While that may be the case venting to my parents is a weekly occurrence and instead of a new outlook I am usually looking for some sympathy. That just goes to show that although I may come across as more positive in posts and videos we all have those moments where it feels like being negative is a lot easier than being positive. 

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In order to combat that attitude I've come up with my best tips of what works for me when I am looking to change my mindset! I've even included a graphic included at the end so that you can print these tips out and put them in a place as a reminder that your outlook can make an impact on your attitude. 

Listen to fun, exciting music.
While Mondays usually don't fall into the category of people's favorite day of the week I happen to look forward to getting ready on Monday mornings because I know I'll have a new "Discover Weekly" playlist waiting for me on Spotify. Because I like listening to music while getting ready or doing just about anything sometimes this is the perfect encouragement to be a bit more excited about the day to come instead of dreading getting out of bed. Having some music you love ready whenever you need it is a great way to boost your mood and energy when you're feeling particularly negative.

Set goals.
When I am productive I am always a lot more positive. The satisfaction of crossing things off of my to-do list and getting assignments accomplished relieves stress and in turn makes me more positive and fun to be around. Setting goals whether they be hourly, daily, weekly, etc helps me to keep deadlines in check while also providing myself with the satisfaction and positivity that comes with completing those things. 

Surround yourself with positive people.
It is so easy to start venting when someone else is doing it. The same is true for being excited and having a good attitude when you're around others with that outlook. While I am certainly not saying to cut ties with someone who is complaining about their day I think it is important to make sure that you are also spending time with people who are looking for the positive even when negative situations present themselves.

Use self affirmation.
I am all for being confident in who you are. If you know you did a great job on something why doubt yourself. Knowing what you are capable of and reminding yourself of that is bound to make you more positive. One of my favorite videos of someone doing that can be found here and one of the best compliments I've received was from a friend who said that I reminded her of the little girl in the video. Sometimes all it takes is standing in front of a mirror and telling yourself that you can do it. 

Forget about perfections and stop sweating the small stuff.
As a perfectionist this can be particularly challenging but I've found that when I take this mindset I am a lot more positive about what I've done and not quite so nit picky. Sweating the small stuff is bound to stress you out and guide you toward negativity so try not to focus on it!

Workout.
I feel like working out is on every list of this nature that I make so why make this one any bit different? Working out really does change my mood and my attitude towards the rest of the day. Even on days when I feel overwhelmed and like I don't have time to work out I know that by finding time in my schedule to do it I am setting myself up for more success and positivity. Thank you Endorphins! 

Stop comparing yourself to others.
Taking on the mindset of everyone being able to be successful is the best thing you can do for your attitude. If you compare your accomplishments to someone else's you are likely to start to feel like everything is a competition and when you're not in the lead your attitude is going to be the thing to suffer. Be proud of what you've done and be proud of what other people have done but keep these things separate so that your attitude reflects the positivity you have towards your own accomplishments. 

Find a few people to vent to and stick to only venting to them.
This is crucial. Parents, roommates, friends, whoever these people may be it is likely that they know you best. They know that you aren't trying to feel like the world is against you but sometimes it feels better when you can verbalize your frustrations and concerns. By doing this to a select group of people you are able to get the sympathy you may need and move on to continue being positive to everyone else around you. 

Encourage and compliment others.
Compliments can easily turn someone's day around and are bound to make you feel good about yourself. By pointing out the effort other people have made you are going to come across as a much happier and positive person and the more you do this the more likely this is going to be true of your attitude. 

Switch your mindset. Focus on what you have not what you don't have. 
I am so guilty of "wanting" things that I may not need without fully appreciating all that I have. I have found that the sooner you switch your mindset to that of appreciation the sooner your overall attitude will reflect that. Being grateful to be given the opportunity to go to a school that challenges you to work hard and think is a better way to look at a class you may be struggling in than automatically resorting to negativity and wishing you had taken something else. 

Here are those tips in a more consolidated form for you!


I'd love to hear y'alls tips for how you may stay positive! Leave them below so that I can check them out. 

2 comments :

  1. I love this!! They are ALL so very true!! Another one I have learned over the years is simply...SMILE. The very act of smiling has some kind of an endorphin release that makes you feel better. Even if it's just a bit!

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