All You Need Is Positivity

A positive mindset offers compounding returns by giving more confidence, improving your mood, and reducing the likelihood of developing high levels of stress and anxiety. Dr Natalie Flatt shows us how to bring more positivity into our lives.

WAKE UP TO A POSITIVE AFFIRMATION

How you start the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day. Say, out loud, “Today will be a good day” or “I’m going to be awesome today.” Additionally, have it written down next to your bed as the first thing you see in the morning. You’ll be amazed by how much your day follows that line of thinking.

FIND THE HUMOUR IN BAD SITUATIONS

Allow yourself to experience humour in even the most challenging situations. The more we age, the more life events we encounter; positive or negative. Remind yourself that you have got through worse or similar before and you can do it again. Further, this situation may make for a good story later, so try to crack a joke about it.

CREATE LIFE LESSONS FROM FAILURES

You aren’t perfect. You’re going to make mistakes and experience failure in multiple contexts, at multiple jobs and with multiple people. Instead of focusing on how you failed, think about what you can do next time and how you may be able to handle yourself in that situation which will create a more positive outcome.

TAKE HOLD OF NEGATIVE SELF-TALK

Negative self-talk can be insidious and can create misconceptions of yourself automatically. Try to catch yourself when you say those finite negative statements such as “This ALWAYS happens to me” or “I’m NEVER going to be able to achieve this goal” and replace with realistic positive statements. For example, “I’m so bad at this” becomes “Once I get more practice, I’ll be way better at this”.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVITY

When you surround yourself with positive people, you’ll hear positive outlooks, positive stories and positive affirmations. No one needs toxic people in their lives and if there are people who bring you down you may want to consider how much of a role they will play in your life. Friends and family should be supportive of you and help you to be the person you realistically strive to be. So start to take note of how people make you feel and your energy levels when you catch up with them. Do they leave you feeling on a high or feeling angry, jealous and anxious?

CELEBRATE THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE

The little things in life matter so much and you should take a moment each day to be grateful for each good thing in your life. Celebrate if you achieve a goal, get a new job or pay rise, or find a new friend. Conscious acknowledgment makes it that little bit sweeter.

WRITE DOWN FIVE GOOD THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE DAY

There’s no such thing as a perfect day, however, there are always ‘rays of light’ which you have the opportunity to acknowledge, no matter how insignificant they seem. For example, noticing nature or animals, or when someone smiled at you down the street or a colleague paid you a compliment. Writing these situations down in the evening before bed will provide positive reflection and allow you to be in a more relaxed state of mind.

Almost anybody can apply a positive attitude. Positive thinking does require practice, so the more often you employ these strategies, the greater benefits you’ll realise.

Dr Natalie Flatt is the co-founder of Connect Psych and Connect Wellness. She is passionate about wellness and support for all women. Dr Natalie is one of our wellbeing experts at our 2020 Gorgeous Excuse events. Check out the website for more information!