Are you happy? How to know if you are happy or not? How to define happiness? How to be happy? Does happiness come from within or from external factors? Can I be happy with a negative state of mind? Do I have a negative state of mind because I am unhappy? What really is the power of positive thinking? Does the power of positive thinking really work? We’ve all examined those questions and for some of us, the responses are still unclear. This article will assist you in finding answers to your happiness and positive thinking questions.
The "Power of Positive Thinking - Towards Solutions" workshop was created for people who want to reach the next level of happiness through personal and professional development techniques. The power of positive thinking is basically a guide for happiness as it helps you understand how your perception creates your reality and how to positively influence your perception.
The theory behind the power of positive thinking
The human brain is a highly powerful tool. It has the power to keep us healthy or to make us sick. Our mind will block our potential or will allow us to soar to possibilities beyond our wildest dreams. It creates our reality.
“Being miserable is a habit, being happy is a habit, and the choice is yours.”
Tom Hopkins
The true power of positive thinking
Positive thinking is “the practice of being positive or optimistic, the quality of being encouraging or promising of a successful outcome”.
A positive state of mind assists you with being optimistic, moving forward, feeling good, seeing the cup half full and being proactive. It helps you look and see for the good in people and situations. Positive thinking grows hopefulness as it helps to see opportunities to grow in problems. People with a positive state of mind are usually more open-minded as they are looking for the added value of the outcome. They are also happier and smile more. Positive thinking helps to project positive energy and to connect with emotions.
The power of positive thinking theory: If you believe that good things will happen, they will. The power of positive thinking is a belief. If you believe that it is not working, it is not; if you believe that it is working, it works.
Everything is possible… “If you have zest and enthusiasm you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind”. Norman Vincent Peale - progenitor of positive thinking. It’s not a theory; it’s an epidemic situation. Just like anger and negativity are contagious, happiness and positivity spread quickly.
Positive people are happier, physically and mentally healthier; they are more social and more successful. They manage challenging situations better and are usually more confident than negative people. Positive thinkers usually tend to engage in meaningful living and take better care of themselves; they are also more focused and concentrated than negative thinkers.
The true power of negative thinking
It is easier to complain than to make an effort to see the positive side of everything or to take some measures to change a situation.
Negative people are always focusing on bad or painful situations leading them to be more angry and sad. Negative thinking leads to resistance, isolation and withdrawn. A person with a negative state of mind will be overly pessimistic, worried and fearful. Because they see the cup half empty, negative thinkers are always preparing for the worst-case scenario. Negative people are always looking for problems and have a tendency to complain and whine. They can appear as self-absorbed, rude and they can make people uncomfortable. They are known to share negative emotions and often reject new ideas.
The power of negative thinking theory: Negative thoughts are caused by rooted patterns related to our own beliefs about self-perception, competencies, friends and family, money, work, and everything else. It starts with a simple thought and can escalade to a strong belief. We then make a habit to believe it.
Negative people can be angry, frustrated, depressed, anxious, irritable, and unpleasant. Their health can be at risk and they are missing opportunities in both their personal and professional lives.
4 Positive thinking facts
Being positive is directly related to your self-confidence, your inner voice, your perception and your ability to find your motivations.
● A positive attitude is a choice.
● There are no problems, only opportunities to learn and grow.
● You cannot have positive results with a negative state of mind.
● Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results.
Using the power of positive thinking to transform your life
Benefits of positive thinking for body and mind
As we said before, your brain is your most powerful tool and creates your reality. Because you can’t have positive results with a negative state of mind, it is up to you to make any necessary changes. Once you banish negative thinking you will discover a full range of new opportunities.
Positive thinkers are enjoying greater opportunities to communicate with others by developing better connections and interactions with others. Being positive allows people to be more relaxed and less stressed or overwhelmed; it is also a key ingredient to develop self-confidence and inspire trust. Once we get rid of stress, anxiety and negative thoughts, we have more energy and time to focus on meaningful aspects of our life. A positive mind will have better access to creative ideas and will be more open-minded. It then becomes easier to take risks.
Because likes attract likes, good things and events usually happen to positive people; they have more opportunities than pessimistic ones. Thanks to positive energy, positive people also look more attractive and charismatics
Consequences of a negative state of mind
Because like attracts like, negative thinking brings negative results that reinforce the vicious circle leading negative thinkers to be even more sad, angry, anxious, stressed and sometimes depressed.
People with a negative state of mind are usually good at creating dramas, tensions, misunderstandings and conflicts. When negative thinking is really powerful, the fear of failure can become so important that most people will stop trying new things. Their comfort zone is getting smaller and smaller, leading them to have more negative thoughts and stronger fears. All together, negative thinking leads to withdrawing and isolation. When stuck in negative thoughts, people tend to be bitter and to feel resentment. When losing control, people can lose their purpose and feel that life is becoming meaningless.
Negative people usually develop unhealthy habits that can lead to low immunity, loss of appetite, and much more. Just as positive thinking is contagious, there is a domino effect linked to negative energy.
How to become a more positive person: developing positive thinking habits
Banishing negative thinking
The first step to becoming a more positive person is to develop an awareness of your negative thinking patterns. Once you are aware of your tendency to be negative, you can better act on it. To become more positive you will start by banishing negative thinking. Here are 10 keys to banishing negativity:
1. Stay objective
2. Do not exaggerate
3. Isolate facts & feelings
4. Take some perspective
5. Allow doubts
6. Take your time
7. Accept the steps before the success
8. Persevere, do not give up
9. Learn from a challenge and move on
10. Focus on here & now: “Yesterday's the past, tomorrow's the future, but today is a gift. That's why it's called the present.” Bil Keane.
PEOPLE ARE LIKE GARBAGE TRUCKS: Do not let the title stop you from enjoying a great lesson of positive thinking.
Developing positive thinking patterns
Becoming a more positive and optimistic person is not something that will happen overnight or without any effort. Some people have a tendency to be more positive than others, however, we can all work on developing more positive thinking patterns. As Tom Hopkins said, “Being miserable is a habit, being happy is a habit, and the choice is yours”. You only need to make the decision to change, structure an action plan, and monitor your progress. You can also book an individual coaching session or a group workshop to invite us to your office for a positive thinking workshop. The following keys will assist you in developing new positive thinking habits.
Focus on the positive
To develop more positive thinking patterns you will want to focus on the good things. As opposed to negative thinking that will make you focus on what’s lacking, focus on what is there; focus on what makes you happy, what is going well and what you have.
Write down your “Good News Diary”
Make a conscious effort to notice positive things and good news. As our brain is programmed to keep us safe, he might have a tendency to remember negative experiences more than positive ones. It is up to us to pause on the positive aspects of our life to ensure that we notice, appreciate and remember them.
Enjoy the little things
We can’t say it enough; happiness is not about having – having the best job, the biggest car, more friends or a higher house – don’t expect for happiness to knock at your door. Developing positive thinking patterns starts by enjoying the little things. When you add on all the little things together, that is what you can call happiness. Don’t wait for your future desired reality to happen to start developing positive thinking patterns, this future desired reality will happen because you are adopting a positive approach.
Set up SMART (F) goals
To become a more positive person you will need to leave a meaningful and fulfilled life. The first step to do so is to know where you are going and what you want to do and achieve. Figure out what life means to you and what you want to do, in other words, find what is your life mission. Because people who feel that life has a purpose are happier, you will immediately notice that it is easier to be and stay positive when you have a clear vision and structured goals.
Notice and celebrate success
We are very good at noticing what is wrong, what is missing, what is not perfect, but we can become clueless when it comes to noticing our achievements and signs of progress. By noticing your progression you are less likely to give up a project or an idea. Be sure to monitor your progress and to highlight and celebrate your successes, no matter how little or big they are.
Become your best friend
Every time you are too hard on yourself, take some perspective and ask yourself “would I say (or even think that) to someone else?” If the answer is no, and it will often be, you will need to reformulate your thoughts. You can’t have your inner voice telling you something that you wouldn’t say to someone else; your inner voice needs to be positive and supportive.
Develop your happiness initiatives
To be and stay positive, you need to engage yourself in activities that bring you happiness. Develop your hobbies and happiness initiatives. Some key activities to boost your positivity are exercising, helping others, being kind and friendly, doing what you love, wearing bright colours, enjoying some time in nature, choosing positive words, smiling more and staying away from negative people.
Take good care of yourself
When overwhelmed by negative thinking, it becomes very challenging to maintain a healthy routine. Taking good care of yourself can be a good starting point to develop more positive thinking patterns. Taking care of yourself includes your physical activity, your sleeping habits, your food diet and your grooming habits.
Connect with positive people
If you surround yourself with negative people it will be very challenging to become a more positive person. As positive and negative thinking are contagious, invite positive people in your life and banish negative ones.
Remember, there is no failure, only feedback
If you see challenging situations as issues and problems, it will be hard to be and stay positive. To stay positive you have to accept the steps needed to achieve your goals. When trying a new thing you might face obstacles or challenges, it is not a failure, it is a learning opportunity. If you take a step back and analyse the situation, you will learn from it and develop a better approach to get better results.
Final tips to be and stay positive
Follow the 20 lessons of happiness from our positive thinking guru: Princess Nalla
POSITIVE THINKING GURU – Princess Nalla – Chief Cuddle Officer at New Reflections
1. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them
2. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride
3. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face
4. When it's in your best interest practice obedience
5. Let others know when they've invaded your territory
6. Take naps and stretch before rising
7. Run romp and play daily
8. Thrive on attention and let people touch you
9. Avoid biting, when a simple growl will do
10. On warm days stop to lie on your back on the grass
11. On hot days drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree
12. When you're happy dance around and wag your entire body
13. No matter how often you're scolded don't buy into the guilt thing and pout run right back and make friends
14. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk
15. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm
16. Stop when you have had enough
17. Be loyal
18. Never pretend to be something you're not
19. If what you want lies buried dig until you find it
20. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.
There is no quick fix or magical solution to develop a more positive state of mind, however, there are real keys and techniques to assist you. If you want to engage your team members in the process, be sure to read our article: Are you a positive team? - The power of positive thinking.
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