Positive Mindset Made Easy – Ten valuable Tips

Tip #1: Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

The neighbor has a fantastic car, a colleague got a promotion, and your best friend has a great job.

Many of us think like that. But social comparisons interfere with a positive mindset. There are always people who ‘have more’ or ‘are better’.

What you can do:

• Change your perspective now.
• Focus on what YOU want:
  →What is important to you?
  →What are you really proud of?
  →What are you looking forward to every day?

Consciously set a reminder every day to think about these things. This way, you quickly learn to direct your perspective to what makes your life richer.

Tip #2: Monitor Your Thoughts

‘Today, everything went wrong!’. Or ‘Today everything sucks!’ Each of us has these thoughts. However, these beliefs have a significant disadvantage: They put too much weight on a few adverse events and overshadow everything else. Our frustration increases, and we can no longer perceive the positive things.

What you can do:

• Avoid generalization. If something goes wrong, it’s not ‘all crap’.
• Find out why you are angry or frustrated
  →What is the specific cause of your anger?
  →What exactly went wrong?
  →How did that happen?
  →What can I do better in the future?

Take your time to analyze the situation without judging the circumstances or your behavior. Focus on the objective facts. You will look at unfavorable events more rationally and realistically in the future.

Tip #3: Smile Like Crazy

A smile is a magic bullet. On the one hand, it positively affects your entire environment. When we smile at people, they will respond with a smile. In addition, it promotes trust. Try it!

A smile also releases the body’s own ‘happy hormones’. As soon as the corner of the mouth goes up, dopamine and serotonin are released, increasing our well-being.

It seems that we ‘forget’ to smile in everyday life. While children laugh 400 times a day, this is only the case for adults 15 times. This means we have to relearn it.

What you can do:

• Smile at least once an hour.
• Even if there is no specific reason: put on a smile, and your mood will improve.
• A hearty laugh is even better: find funny video clips or photos.
• Smile at everyone you meet: it will boomerang back.
• Even if you are angry about something or someone: keep smiling!

At first, you might find it odd to smile a lot, and maybe ‘for no reason’. But if you practice it regularly, even by yourself at your desk or in front of a mirror, it will become part of your everyday life.

Tip #4: Focus On Your Strengths

We all have our strengths and, of course, weaknesses. Most of the time, however, it is our deficits that we look at and want to change. However, this requires a lot of energy and is often unsuccessful. In adults, changing habitual behavior or personal characteristics is only possible to a limited extent. It makes much more sense to focus on your strengths.

What you can do:

• List what your strengths are.
• What are you really good at, and what do you enjoy?
• What skills or abilities do others admire you for? How can you use these more often?

Enjoy your positive qualities and accept your weaknesses as part of you. If these significantly bother you, you may work on them. However, this is usually associated with great effort. Is it worth it?

Tip #5: Look Ahead And Let Go

Let’s be honest – how often do you think about ‘what a mean colleague said today’ or ‘how your boss mistreated you’ in the evening? These thoughts strain our energy and are not very helpful.

Nevertheless, we often discuss such unpleasant experiences with our friends or partners, even days later, and end up in a permanent loop of negative feelings and thoughts.
Instead of worrying about the past, you cannot change; look ahead.

What you can do:

• Let go of unpleasant events you cannot modify. Accept what is.
• Use your past experiences to learn for the future.
• Look ahead: what do you want to achieve?

You cannot change the past but can actively shape your future.

Tip #6: Be An Eagle

What is the difference between a frog and an eagle? Frogs sit in their pond and croak all day, no matter what. Eagles, on the other hand, soar into the air, stand above things, and fly wherever they want.

Do you also know those people who always see themselves as victims? They blame others – for their misfortune, for their failure. Or circumstances are too bad, so they can’t do anything.

What you can do:

• As an eagle, you take responsibility for your actions and thoughts.
• You are not a victim of your circumstances but can actively shape your life.
• You can either accept negative things or change them:
  →What do you want to achieve?
  →How can you change situations that you don’t like?

Take control of your life.

Tip #7: Avoid Pessimists And Complainers

They are everywhere – people who constantly hesitate and complain, see danger behind everything, and are convinced that ‘it will never work’. Sometimes we feel like being surrounded by skeptics. That brings everyone down.

Interestingly, pessimists often seek the company of optimistic people – perhaps because a dose of confidence is simply good.

What you can do:

• Avoid dealing with naysayers.
• If you can’t get away from a pessimist, try to ignore the concerns and complaints.
• Don’t let the negativity get to you. Under no circumstances go into what is said; at best, ‘take note’ of it.
• Instead, surround yourself with optimists. A positive attitude and a good mood rub off. Sometimes even on the naggers.

Maybe you can be a good role model and infect everyone with your positive attitude. That’s how everyone wins.

Tip #8: Have A Positive Start To Your Day

Are you one of those people who read the news or emails on their smartphone as soon as they get up? It’s not a good idea as you often get overwhelmed by negative information or worries. However, this will disturb your positive mindset and is not a successful start to the day.

What you can do:

• Start the day with a positive morning routine.
• Take time for yourself with a good breakfast, a short yoga sequence, or a dip in the park.
• Set an intention for the day:
  →what do you want to achieve today?
  →How would you like to feel today?
  →What great things do you want to experience today?

If you start the day with positive thoughts and confidence, you already have the right mindset for a thriving day.

Tip #9: It’s All About Attitude: Be Proud And Strong.

‘You look like a heap of misery’. How do you see the other person when you say something like that? You probably notice a grief-stricken person who wants to make themselves as invisible as possible.

What’s my point? Our feelings and thoughts influence our posture – and vice versa. If you want a positive mindset and act optimistically, you should also express this through your posture.

What you can do:

• Pay attention to your posture: sit up, shoulders back and chest out.
• This upright position gives you an optimism boost.
• At the same time, you appear more confident to others – and you will notice this in their behavior.
• An additional bonus: with an upright posture, you automatically breathe more deeply, and your brain gets more oxygen, which makes thinking easier and promotes creativity. You also prevent back pain.

In everyday life, we often forget how important our body is for our mental well-being. Our posture suffers due to inactivity. That is why many people are already (temporarily) working while standing. Why don’t you try it?

Tip #10: Don’t Suppress Your Negative Thoughts – Replace Them

Nobody has a positive mindset all the time – for a good reason. Negative thoughts ensure that we do not blindly run into danger. They also enable us to see the world realistically. Always wearing ‘rose-colored glasses’ is not very useful.

What you can do:

• Notice your negative thoughts – but without judging them.
• Don’t try to suppress them. Otherwise, they will intensify.
• Instead, replace your negative beliefs with the opposite: if you think ‘the project will fail’, swap it out with ‘the project will be successful’.
  It’s not about telling yourself something unrealistic that you don’t believe. But behind every doubt, there are fears that block us.
• Ask yourself: are these fears reasonable? What speaks for the fact that my project will be excellent?

Our mindset affects how we see the world and what we focus on. Plus, it also determines where we allocate our energy. Therefore, a positive mindset enables us to be successful.