As I said last week, your ability to have a positive attitude (or not) will impact your physical, spiritual, and emotional health in profound ways.  I’m sure you have discovered that having a positive attitude during both good days and the bad can be a challenge. Our mindset becomes our words and our actions, so getting this right can change the course of our lives!  

Here’s an enlightening activity to try.  Pick out two people in your life, one who is typically positive about most things, and the other who has the tendency to be always negative.  Now look closely at their life —what comes out of their mouths; what is their overall outlook on life; what is the quality of their relationships, and how do they do perform at work?  

Do you see a difference?  My guess is that the majority of time, you will see a difference between these two types of people.    

If you happen to be struggling with a negative outlook, or maybe you just can’t escape the negativity around you, here are six ideas to do to help you grow a positive attitude during those challenging moments.

Learn to Let it Go – My first thought is to sing the song, “Let it Go” from the Disney movie, Frozen, (Yes, I have three girls, so that’s not surprising right?)  We can’t always be around positive people. Sometimes there is negativity we just can’t escape, whether that is a bad attitude from a family member, someone at work, or even someone on the road.  Learning how to “let go” of the criticism or negativity from someone on the outside (especially if it’s directed at you!) can be a big challenge, but remember it is their negativity, not yours. You don’t have to own it!

Get Some Rest – This may seem too simplistic, but it works.  When we feel overwhelmed or we find ourselves getting easily overwhelmed by events around us, sometimes the best thing to do is take a break.  I don’t mean you have to physically take a nap (although that can help :)) What I mean is to “take a rest” in your mind. Whether a good rest for you is finding a quiet corner in a coffee shop, taking a drive, or cracking open a book, try to give yourself a break and come back to whatever it is after you recharge.  I can’t emphasize this one enough; it’s really that important!

Let Nature Clear Your Mind – Being out in nature is one of the most calming things we can do.  Fresh air and the natural world itself can be very relaxing. Soon we are breathing slower, and our mind feels calmer.  It’s hard to stay stressed after an afternoon hiking, taking a jog on a nature trail, or just sitting in a quiet spot — try it!

Exercise for Expression – Getting up and moving is almost guaranteed to help you feel better. Scientists have studied the effect of physical activity on the mood, and the results are pretty clear. Our mood lifts when we move! It doesn’t take all that much exercise to lift the mood —yet even depression can be improved through moderate exercise. So when you are just feeling “off”, get moving. Whether that is through a structured routine or trip to the gym or unstructured expressions like dancing or a brisk walk. You may not feel like doing it, but it will help.

Choose the Company You Keep – While it’s true we can’t always be around positive people, we do have control over the people that we choose to spend our extra time with. If you are struggling with a positive attitude, find an encouraging person.  The saying, “we are who we hang around,” is very true. I encourage you to find someone who can bring a smile to your face.

Healthier Input for Healthier Output – If you are feeling unusually low or you are dealing with a tough situation, it becomes really important to guard what you are putting into your mind. Finding healthy and encouraging things to focus on will go a long way to adjust your attitude.  Need some supportive thoughts? Check out these inspirational quotes.

What about you? Do you have any ideas about what it takes to grow a positive attitude? I’d love to hear about them in the comments below.  Want to make sure you don’t miss the latest blog? Head to our home page and subscribe!

Remember God loves you and so do we….

Your Mindset Coach,

Doug