Positivity all depends on our attitude, our perspective– the way we choose to interpret the world around us. By making just a few simple lifestyle changes, you can work towards changing your mindset and becoming a more positive person.
1. Look forward to something every day
First, you should plan out your day and map out everything you have to get done; this will help you feel more organized and prepared. Then, figure out something that will get you excited for the day. It can be something as small as getting lunch with a friend or watching the newest episode of one of your favorite TV shows– as long as it gives you something to look forward to. You’ll be surprised how beneficial it can be to break your day up into pieces and give yourself something happy to look forward to in each day.
2. Surround yourself with positive people
Just like how negativity can suck the good out of a situation, positivity can suck the bad out of a situation. Positivity is often infectious, and if you spend your time with people who see the good in every situation, soon you’ll start to be the same.
3. Make a note of what you’re grateful for
I used to do this when I was in high school, and then when I went back home last weekend I came across a stack of them and reading them back was almost like reading bits and pieces of a diary. When I started high school, I would write down something that happened that day that made me happy or grateful. Sometimes it was a good grade on a test and sometimes it was a good conversation I had with a new friend. Doing this really helped me find the good in every day and shift my perspective on even the worst days.
4. Just smile
There’s always a reason to smile, sometimes we just need a little help finding it. Talk to your friends, watch a funny video, do whatever it takes to bring out that grin. You’d be surprised how sometimes smiling on the outside can change the way you feel on the inside. Smile at your friends, smile at your professors, smile at complete strangers. Just smile and laugh for no reason, and you might start to feel yourself internalizing the joy and positivity.
5. Indulge in the goodness
Life is full of fleeting moments that might seem so small and insignificant, but sometimes the real beauty of living can be found in even the simplest of moments. It’s good to have goals and look forward to the future, but oftentimes we’re so focused on what’s ahead we forget to stop and enjoy what’s right in front of us. Take every second of every day at face value and enjoy things for what they are instead of what you wish they were. Indulge in the warmth and pure joy of a hug from a good friend. Indulge in the taste of that chocolate cake you’ve been looking forward to all day. Indulge in the beauty of the sunlight’s rays hitting your back or the beauty of the rain softly drizzling against your skin. There’s beauty in every moment, but it’s up to us to find it.