Simple Ways to Become a More Positive Person
“I’m so glad I have the money to pay all my bills.”
“I love being able to work out early in the mornings!”
“Isn’t it wonderful that we’ve got fulfilling jobs?”
I could be wrong, but I’m fairly sure most people don’t talk like that – myself included.
Many of us naturally put a negative spin on things and forget to look for the positive sides. However, there are some really simple and meaningful ways you can cultivate a more positive mindset and become a more positive person! I can’t promise that you’ll love every single chore you ever do for the rest of your life or that you’ll become a gratitude guru, but I hope these simple practices will help you find more joy in your everyday life.
Simple practices to help you cultivate a positive life and become a more positive person
Choose to see the good
In many situations, there is usually a silver lining that we don’t always necessarily see. A simple way to welcome more positivity into your life is to start searching for the “good” that’s already in your daily life and appreciate it more.
For example, when you sit outside on your lunch break, you could notice the beautiful feeling of the sunshine on your skin.
If you’re driving in heavy traffic, you could enjoy a good song on the radio.
When you’re about to start a busy weekend, try to appreciate the little things your partner does to help around the house.
Recognise that even during challenging times, good things can still be happening.
Use positive affirmations
Our thoughts often shape the way we see the world. The more we can encourage ourselves to think in positive ways, the more likely we are to actually feel positive.
Try choosing an affirmation from the list below (or create your own) and say it in your mind a few times each day.
I am motivated to live my best life
I see beauty all around me
I cultivate positivity
I radiate joy and energy
Looking for more affirmations you can use? I created some beautiful worksheets featuring my favourite affirmations to help you feel safe and secure during stressful times, cultivate calmness and gratitude and overcome challenges with confidence. Enter your email address in the box below to grab your copy for free!
Invite fun into your everyday life
It might sound simple, but putting in the effort to have more fun will probably help you create more positivity in your life. Make a list of things you like to do for fun and then schedule those activities into your daily calendar.
Not sure where to start? Be sure to check out episode 160 of The Mindful Kind podcast called “Make a List of Things to do for Fun” to find out my own list of fun things to do and why it’s important to have a “fun list”.
Start the day with a positive meditation
Meditation can be a calming and meaningful activity to start a new day with. Even just a few minutes of meditation often helps me feel refreshed, focused and intentional.
I know it can be difficult to start and maintain a meditation practice (especially if you’re a beginner!), which is why I created a beautiful meditation album called the Good Morning Meditation Album.
Good Morning Meditation Album by Rachael Kable
I created this meditation album to help listeners start the morning in a positive way, combining the powers of both meditation and positivity. You’ll find 5 different meditations – all designed to help you cultivate positivity in meaningful ways – and each one is only ten minutes long so they can easily be incorporated into your mornings. Click here to find out more!
Say “I want to” rather than “I have to”
Think of something you feel like you “have” to do (such as cooking dinner, exercising, or going to work) and swap your thoughts from “have to” to “want to”.
Rather than thinking “I have to cook dinner”, you would think “I want to cook dinner.”
This simple switch can create a little more positivity and intentionality in the things we do.
Exercise in a way that feels good
There are many reasons why exercise can be great for positivity; it can help produce endorphins (also known as the “happy” hormone), it can boost energy and improve mental health.
However, exercise can easily become an unenjoyable item on the to-do list if you don’t incorporate any fun into it.
For a while, I pushed myself to go for long, daily runs when they didn’t feel enjoyable to me. I experienced knee pains, I felt self-conscious running along busy streets, the movements felt monotonous and it just wasn’t very fun (for me).
My favourite types of exercise are varied and include short bursts of energy with different movements. I enjoy working out with other people and going on adventures that also incorporate exercise (like hiking).
Rather than pushing myself to continuously engage in exercise that doesn’t feel fun (at least some of the time!), I try to mix up my routine, try new things and find ways to make it more enjoyable.
That way, I get to experience the benefits of regular exercise while also having a good time.
Curious to discover my top 9 tips for exercising more mindfully? Click here to check out my article, Mindfulness During Exercise: 9 Tips to Feel Focused, Have Fun and Work Out Better!
Start a gratitude practice
There are many ways you can bring more gratitude into your everyday life. The exciting thing about a practice like this is that it can train your brain to see more positivity! If you’d like to learn more about the power of gratitude, be sure to check out episode 21 of The Mindful Kind podcast.
Here are two simple ways you can start a gratitude practice:
Keep a Gratitude Jar
Find a jar, a piece of paper and a pen. On the piece of paper, write down a memory from today that you’re grateful for. Fold up the piece of paper and place it in the jar. Tomorrow, repeat the process.
Continue writing down happy memories and placing them in the jar until you can’t fit any more pieces of paper in there.
Empty out the jar and read over all your favourite memories, then place them all back in the jar and start a new one.
Write in a Gratitude Journal
In a journal, write down five things each day that you’re grateful for. You might include small things like reading a good book for 20 minutes or eating a delicious lunch. You could also include some more exciting things, like booking an international trip or receiving a thoughtful gift from a loved one. Look out for the things you can be grateful for and simply write them down each day.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading these ideas for becoming a more positive person and cultivating a happier life. Be sure to pop your email address below to download my beautiful FREE WORKBOOK: A Powerful 5 Week Guide for a Happier, More Mindful Life. You’ll discover a fun list of hobbies you can incorporate into your life, guidance for completing chores more mindfully, powerful journaling prompts and tips for creating positive spaces in your home. Enjoy!
