January 1st is the day we all make lists and resolutions for what we wish to accomplish during the year. It is the universal day of the “fresh start.” But when you think about it, something had to happen in which the previous years’ resolutions fell by the wayside, and you found yourself back to square one. It’s a vicious cycle in which it is hard to accomplish anything. But what if you never had to worry about that again? All it takes is a change in your thought processes, in positive thinking. How does one become a positive thinker? Here are 5 major ways to change your thought process to change your life and become a more confident person who can do anything they dream of!
1. STOP THE NEGATIVITY!
It sounds easy, but it isn’t. Addressing those times where we say “I can’t” and changing them to “I can” is the key to successful thinking. This also means no more “doomed” thinking. If you don’t do so well on an exam, it doesn’t mean you are going to fail the class. If you have a fight with someone it doesn’t mean the friendship is ruined. It means you will study harder next time and talk to your friend about what went wrong. It also means you know everything will work out in the end. Actively addressing your negative thoughts and being aware of how much we put ourselves down is a very important part of positive thinking. Affirmations are little things that positive thinkers say to themselves when they are feeling negative. “I can do this” should become a huge part of your vocabulary. Positivity is like a muscle; you need to practice using it and as you do, it will get stronger.
2. ACCOUNTABILITY
Being honest with yourself is another key aspect to positive thinking. That means not letting yourself get away with putting yourself down. It also means no cop-outs. If you come up with a million excuses of why you can’t do something, then you won’t. Being accountable means channeling your energy towards actually accomplishing your goals, rather than resisting them. It may come as a surprise, but both take the same amount of energy. Once that first goal is accomplished, it will make you feel invincible.
Another more difficult side of accountability is addressing who in your life is a negative influence. Do you have a friend who is always complaining? Do you find yourself brought down by their incessant wallowing over insignificant things? It could be a parent, friend, sibling, boyfriend or girlfriend. If you answered yes, seriously consider cutting down on the time you spend around that person. It is these people that need a readjustment, so why should you suffer for their lack of mental strength? If they are not someone you want to stop seeing, maybe consider showing them this article and talk about how they can fix their thinking.
3. BE COMFORTABLE WITH “FAILURE”
Understanding that when something doesn’t work out, that the world isn’t ending. Failure is constantly something we will experience in life. How you react to the failure is what you can change and what you learn from the failure is what you can use. Becoming comfortable with failure doesn’t mean feeling good about failing, it means knowing you will be driven to get back up and try again.
4. TREAT YOURSELF WELL
Positivity starts with changing your thoughts, but it also should extend to other parts of life. Wellness is key to feeling good about yourself, and being healthy. Feeling run down and getting sick is not going to help you achieve your goals. As college students, we all know this. Take time for yourself. Go to the gym, do yoga, read a book, eat healthy, get enough sleep. What you give your body is what you get from your body. Doing all of these things will fuel up your body for success.
5. REFLECTIONS
Take time to reflect and commend yourself on your hard work and successes. Acknowledge your failures and what you can take from them. Take the opportunity to say good job, (your name here).
Remember these tips and stay positive, Collegiettes!