Smile More! Tips to Help You Become a More Positive & Happy Person
Does it feel like you go through most days without smiling? Do you feel downtrodden or wish you laughed more? Don’t worry. All it takes is a little time and willingness to learn how to be a more positive and happy person. Check out these tips to help change your attitude and outlook one small step at a time!
Why Is It So Hard for Me to Focus on the Positive Instead of Negative?
Keeping a positive attitude in life can be tough when the negatives seem to be grabbing all of your attention. Even if your life is filled with positive moments, the smallest negative moments can seem to have a much bigger impact. Before we share some tips to help you improve your outlook on life, it's important to consider what things could be contributing to all of that negativity in the first place.
What’s Inside Your Head?
How do you speak to yourself? Pay attention to your negative self-talk and see what types of events in your life tend to trigger negative thoughts about yourself, others, or your circumstances. Soon, you’ll likely begin to notice patterns, and then
you can learn to intercept them.
Try starting a thought diary to help you see and analyze your thoughts. Use your thought diary to write down any worries, stresses, anxieties, or negative thoughts you have throughout the day and the reactions you had to those thoughts or feelings. After recording each negative thought, take the time to replace it with something more positive.
Who’s Around You?
Look at the people you're spending time with. Do they generally have positive attitudes? In some situations (like your job), it may be difficult to avoid negative people, but that doesn't mean you have to let their negativity become your own.
Pay attention to see if you're adopting limiting beliefs or pessimistic perspectives from other people in your life. Work on your ability to identify these external influences to help you stay in your positive mindset in the long run. Track them in your thought diary!
What Are You Absorbing
From Social Media?
Social media can be a powerful tool for connecting with others, but it can also be a huge source of shame and negative self-talk. Take a good look at your relationship with social media.
Why and when do you reach for it? How do you feel before you open it, and how do you feel after you’ve scrolled through it? It may be beneficial to take a break to work on you for a little while.
5 Tips on How to Be a More Positive and Happy Person
Keeping a positive attitude can be tough when you're exhausted or burnt out. To harness the power of positive thinking, ensuring that your body and mind are well cared for is a great place to start. If you're not sure where to begin on your journey to becoming a positive person, start with these five tips for giving yourself the energy and space you need to separate yourself from negative thoughts.
1. Get Better Sleep
It’s hard to stay positive when your body doesn’t have the energy to overcome negative thoughts and feelings! Getting better sleep is a foundational aspect of having a positive attitude, so practice good sleep habits like limiting your screen time before bed, winding down with CBD Sleep Capsules, and sticking to a consistent bedtime.
2. Limit Social Media and Device Time
If you feel that social media is contributing to your negative attitude, set boundaries for yourself by limiting device time and social media time. Select specific times of day when you do or don't use your device or browse social media, or you may choose to cut out social media altogether. Use your best judgment, and don't be afraid to tweak your social media limits as you learn more about how it affects your thoughts and feelings.
3. Make Self-Care a Priority
Self-care looks different for everyone! But no matter what type of self-care activity you choose, it's important to make time for it just as you would your job.
Start by adding self-care time to your calendar like you would for a doctor's appointment or dinner date. Then, write out a list of activities that recharge and revitalize you. That way, you don't have to think too hard about ways to care for yourself when the time comes. Whether your list includes a hot bath with a CBD bath bomb, a walk around the block with a friend, or a relaxing evening with a good book, keeping a list handy can help you prioritize your self-care — and ultimately help you feel more positive and happy.
If you're having trouble choosing a self-care activity during your scheduled self-care time, try numbering your list of options. When it's time to choose something, roll a die to choose which self-care routine you'll be doing. Even if you don't feel like doing that activity right then, you'll likely thank yourself for following through later!
4. Support Your Overall Health
Caring for your body and mind shouldn’t be limited to times when you feel worn down. In fact, supporting your overall health and well-being every single day can go a long way when changing your thinking to be more positive!
When your body feels cared for every day with a balanced diet, ample activity, and a daily dose of CBD to support wellness, your mind can be free to focus more on the positive.
5. Decrease Your Stress and Anxiety Levels
No matter how much you try, it's not realistic to be positive and happy all the time. Maybe a long day has taken its toll, and you can't seem to quiet your mind. Or, perhaps you're in a season of stressful change, and you need help finding a calm, positive mindset. CBD Relax Bears can help you decompress, so you can break free of those everyday stressors and help lower your anxiety.
Change Your Internal Narrative: How to Train Your Brain to Be Focused and Happy
When you’re learning how to focus on positive instead of negative things in life, consider the journey a marathon—not a sprint. Once you’ve used the above tips to free yourself from negative self-talk and limiting beliefs, it’s time to train your brain to proactively look for the positive.
Do Only One Thing at a Time
We often try to do multiple things at once (for example, eating lunch while responding to emails and listening to a podcast). It's nearly impossible for our brains to perform multiple tasks at once and do them well. When you multitask, it’s easy to get caught in a spiral of negative thoughts that tell you you’re failing. Give yourself small wins throughout the day (and train your brain to be focused) by focusing on only one task at a time.
Use a Journal to Train Your Brain
Remember that thought diary we mentioned? Whether you consider yourself a writer or not, a journal can be a powerful tool on the road to becoming a positive person. Here are a few ways to use a journal to harness the power of positive thought in your own life.
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- Reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. If you notice a recurring negative thought popping up, write it down in your journal. Acknowledge the thought, then look for something it can teach you, a way to turn it into a positive affirmation, or a way you can look at it through a lens of compassion for yourself and others. For example:
- Negative thought: “I was so unproductive today. I didn’t get anything done.”
- Reframing it: “Phew, it was tough to get motivated today. I know everyone has those days, and it’s okay. I know I did my best, and I can try again tomorrow after a good night of sleep.”
- Reframe negative thoughts into positive ones. If you notice a recurring negative thought popping up, write it down in your journal. Acknowledge the thought, then look for something it can teach you, a way to turn it into a positive affirmation, or a way you can look at it through a lens of compassion for yourself and others. For example:
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- Negative thought: “My colleague is so rude, and I can’t stand being around them.”
- Reframing it: “Maybe my colleague is struggling with something right now. I can't change the way they treat me, but I can take care of myself so that I can remain positive — and maybe even infuse a little joy into their day, too.”
- Write down three things you’re grateful for each day. At the end of each day, take time to list at least three moments or things you’re grateful for. Pretty soon, your brain can begin to seek out things to be grateful for — and that’s a perfect recipe for becoming a more positive person. The more specific, the better! For example:
- “I love the funny way the bird on my windowsill tilted its head when I looked up at it.”
- “I’m so grateful for the physical feeling of relief I got when I asked for my boss’s help and received it.”
How to Change Your Thinking to Become More Positive
The road to becoming a happier, more positive person doesn't have to be a difficult one. Take one step at a time and rely on Green Roads to help you along the way! Whether you're looking for less stress in your life or a little more relaxation time in your day, Green Roads has a product for you. Shop bath bombs, CBD sleep products, and more online or at your nearest Green Roads CBD retailer.
