10 Proven Ways To Help You Be More Positive

November 1, 2016

1. Exercise daily

It’s a proven fact that exercise can help you to remain positive. It releases endorphins into the brain, and this is essentially your feel-good factor. It doesn’t really matter which form of exercise is undertaken as long as it involves medium exertion. A study has shown that the Positive Affective Expectation Level increased after exercise.[1] It’s also proven that exercise can reduce stress levels for up to 12 hours and can also greatly reduce the effects of depression.

What to do: Try to complete at least 30 minutes per day of moderate exercise or physical activity, and this can consist of walking, jogging or other exercise like pushups, squats etc. Or, if you have a garden, 30 minutes working there would also suffice. 

2. Meditate

The effects of meditation correlate with being more positive. It was recently thought that this method was only a short-term solution. It has now been found that meditation can help you achieve a long-term positive outlook on life. A study showed that mindfulness meditation can help shape a more positive self-concept.[2] It helps to achieve the changes that allow us to be more positive. The concept behind its teachings is to not be judgmental either positive or negative. The idea is just to be aware of the moment, so you become aware of touch, smell, and other sensations which bring you a happy feeling. All these feelings can carry over into daily life, where it allows us to see situations much more clearly.

What to do: Simple meditation at home can help if you are starting out as a beginner, so find a place to relax. Sit down, closing your eyes and be aware of breathing in and breathing out. Should your mind wander, just push the focus back to your breathing. Just 20 minutes per day can give a relaxing, positive effect. 

3. Get enough sleep

An adequate amount of sleep is essential for good health and general well-being. Ensuring you have enough sleep can help improve mental health as well as protect against physical health issues. Sleep deficiency over time can lead to an increased risk of chronic health issues. It can affect how you think, react and communicate with others. A study was conducted by the University of Basel on how sleep duration affected teenagers’ academic achievements, and positive outlook on life.[3] Sleeping less than the recommended 8 hours showed signs of more tiredness and lower self-discipline, and it also showed they had a much less positive attitude.

What to do: Try to get a minimum of 8 hours, choose a time for bed and stick to it. If you are unable to sleep, meditate, and if you exercise, try not to exercise within 4 hours of your sleeping time. 

4. Change your negative for positive thoughts

Replacing your negative with positive thoughts can give up to a 30% increase in your productivity, creativity and energy levels. Barbara Fredrickson published a paper about the insight of positive thinking and the effects it has on your skills.[4] It’s also proven that positive thinking can reduce negative self-thoughts. This can lead to a reduction in the chance of depression.

What to do: Substitute any negative words for positive when speaking and direct your thoughts positively. Believe that you will succeed, and smile when talking to others. You can even “fake it, ’till you make it!” Over time your mindset will improve, dramatically. 

5. Spend more time outdoors.

It’s proven that spending too much time indoors can be bad for us, and venturing outside can offer many major health benefits. Sunlight releases a chemical called nitric oxide into the bloodstream. This helps to combat high blood pressure which also helps reduce the risk of heart disease. Being in touch with nature can help to improve mood and reduce the effects of stress. Research conducted by Nathaniel Mead showed the complete benefits of sunlight on the human body.[5] Our body produces vitamin D when exposed to sunlight, a much higher amount than you can get from eating foods. A deficiency in vitamin D is associated with mental health as well as many physical illnesses. For these benefits it only takes around 15 minutes in direct sunlight.

What to do: At lunchtime or in the morning, take time out and go for a 15-30 minute walk, in nature if possible. The benefits from the sun will give your body a boost and improve your mood. Take the dog, if you have one. 

6. Be grateful

Being grateful is a life attitude, and can offer us many benefits in health, satisfaction with life, and the way we relate to others. When we feel and express gratitude to others, it turns our mental focus towards the positive. It is this feeling that overrides the brain’s natural focus of negativity in life, worries or threats. It is gratitude that gives us feelings of contentment, love, and joy which alleviates negative emotions, such as anxiety. Embracing gratitude can create positive thought trains and allow us to behave in healthy, positive ways. Randy A Sansone MD, conducted a study on Gratitude and Wellbeing and the effects on thankfulness and appreciation.[6]Individuals who are always grateful are less likely to be envious, depressed, or lonely.

What to do: For personal gratitude, you can create a gratitude diary, and before sleeping, note three things that you have been thankful for in the day. Additionally, when you wake in the morning, you can wake up being grateful for being alive, grateful for entering a new day or anything at all. Thank people you meet in the day. Maybe if they open the door or give you their seat on the bus, you can be thankful. 

7. Watch your diet

Having a healthy diet can lead you to have a more positive outlook and not just about being healthy. If you eat the correct foods, you can raise the levels of serotonin, and this acts as a mood stabilizer. Not only does it boost your mood, it also promotes healthy sleeping patterns. A study has shown serotonin levels can affect mood and behavior, with links to feeling good and chances of living longer.[7]

What to do: It pays to have an all-around healthy diet such as a Mediterranean style diet which can provide all the nutrients and vitamins you need on a daily basis. 

8. Listen to your favorite music

Music can affect us emotionally, and although you can listen to music which can make you sad, you can also listen to music that can promote a happy mood. It’s proven that listening to music can trigger the release of large amounts of dopamine into the brain.[8] Dopamine is the body’s “feel good” chemical that can help reinforce positive thinking. There is also proof that music therapy is a useful alternative therapy for treating depression.[9]

What to do: Choose music that makes you feel happy, and try to listen to music when exercising. This can help the release of endorphins which increases your endurance and mood. 

9. Have a cup of tea

Tea consumption is associated with mood benefits, as well as improved attention and alertness. Improved mental performance together with an elevated mood can help promote positive thinking. This comes from the combination of caffeine and L-theanine which work better together than they could alone.[10]

What to do: Throughout the day, replace some of the cups of coffee you consume, especially after lunch. You will still get a caffeine boost, but not as much as from coffee, and this can aid you in relaxing more in the evening. It also has a pleasant taste. 

10. Keep a positive circle of friends

Avoid negative and toxic people, it’s proven that negative thinking “rubs off”. And associating with positive people will improve your positive state of mind.[11]

What to do: Spend less time with negative people and more time with positive people. Avoid toxic people such as narcissists completely; they will ultimately affect your life negatively.

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