Self Improvement - 10 Tips Towards Positive Thinking

By: Nick Mitchell

Practicing positive thinking allows ALL of us to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. These tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you to programme yourself to use more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself
It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest, washing, shaving, dressing nice and feeling good.

2. Focus On Things You Are Grateful For
You need to put your focus on what is good in your life as opposed to what you are not content with. If you feel your current situation is not where you want to be you wont change it by focusing on the bad points. Take just a few minutes a day to stop and appreciate the good things, maybe write them down and leave them where you will see them regularly. It will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
You should avoid saying things like "You're ALWAYS late!" or "You NEVER call me!" Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering, making the other person very negative too.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
A positive thought is more powerful than a negative thought. Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.

6. Squash the "ANTs"
In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)
You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way! Detach from anybody who makes you feel bad about anything.

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

Practising these tips everyday until they become automatic will put you on the road to success through the law of attraction. You cannot get bad/negative results from good/positive thoughts and actions. Click here to learn more about positive thinking.

Reprinted from: Communication Skills Articles.

Nick Mitchell is a successful Internet Marketer helping others around the world achieve their goals. A loving husband and father you can find out more at his bio page whoisnickmitchell.com

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