Positive attitudes and a heavy blanket will help you become an optimist. “Try to think positively” - you've heard this advice a million times. There is nothing wrong with it, of course, but not everyone succeeds in following it.
It's easier for people to think about the bad than the good. Once faced with danger, like cave people, we begin to look for other things that can harm us.
Pamela Gail Johnson, initiator of the Secret Society of Happy People
Therefore, you need to make an effort to learn to think that nothing bad will happen and then look for something positive. These tips will assist you in doing this.
Also read: Meditation on Science: How Mantras and Deep Breathing Really Help
1. Find a way to incorporate positive attitudes into daily activities.
If you truly believe what you say, positive attitudes and affirmations that you repeat every day might increase self-esteem. This is confirmed by scientific research. Until affirmations become a habit, chances are you will forget about them throughout the day.
I have created passwords for all online services, consisting of the first letters of the words in a sentence. For example, one of the passwords was a short version of the phrase "Every day I get better and better." And I repeat this setup daily by logging in.
Greg Shepard, health expert
2. Imagine that negative thoughts are the passengers of the bus you are driving
My favorite technique is this: I imagine negative thoughts are unsolicited advice that I will never follow. I say, "Thank you," and ignore him.
Joe Eclair, licensed psychologist
You imagine yourself as a bus driver with negative thoughts. You may even give each passenger a voice and personality. They come with you and annoy you with their incessant pessimistic conversations. And the main thing here is to remember that you are the bus driver. And only in your power to expel them from the salon.
This is a good strategy for realizing that thoughts are not controlling you, but exactly the opposite.
3. Turn negative thoughts into neutral ones
If we are haunted by negative thoughts, it’s easiest to turn them into neutral thoughts first.
Sasha Heinz, developmental psychology specialist and certified personal growth instructor
It is difficult to switch from anxiety on the fly to a happy one only thanks to attitudes. For example, if you have been worried for a very long time that you have not yet met your love, affirmations are unlikely to help you join positive-minded people. It’s not easy. Therefore, first, it is better to neutralize the negative and only then practice positive attitudes.
It is much simpler to transition from “I will never meet my love” to “I just haven't met the right person yet” than to shout immediately: “My half is already halfway to me!” Your brain will more easily accept such changes.
4. Try the emotional freedom technique
Use your fingertips to explore the body's meridians, such as the head's crown, tap them, and repeat the affirmations. Thanks to this, emotional blocks can be removed.
Remember, the technique requires a complete understanding between body and mind. Someone may think that this is too much. But if the technique has aroused genuine interest, you can try. However, there is no scientific evidence for its effectiveness.
5. Cover yourself with a heavy blanket
Negative thoughts are disturbing not only during the day but also at night. The saving grace at that point will be a blanket. It turns out that sleeping under a heavy blanket (from two to 13 kg) will help cope with anxiety. As the experts explain, it puts tangible pressure on your body, helping you relax and fall asleep faster. This may be due to the body's grounding effect, which reduces stress and pain levels and improves sleep quality.
6. Try aromatherapy
Although aromatherapy is not well researched. Some confirmation of its effectiveness is. It helps manage anxiety and improves sleep quality.
When you breathe in the aroma of oils, it affects the limbic system of the brain, which is also responsible for our emotions.
Lindsay Elmore, pharmacist and health expert
You can use a diffuser or take a bath with a couple of drops of oil.
7. Stop fighting
Couples who believe from the start that their relationship is doomed in the end they really diverge. This is the Pygmalion effect in action; you unknowingly do what leads to the expected result. You will either be too smart and go on the offensive, hoping to change the situation, or you will go with the flow because the problem does not deserve attention.
Read also: Why You Should Take Care of Yourself First and Not Others
It works the same with negative thoughts. You completely immerse yourself in the problem, think over all possible solutions, and thereby only increase its significance. Instead, be aware of, accept, and embrace your negative thoughts.
You will go into a "I'm not going to fight them" mode, free of pressure and resistance. And moving towards a positive life is easier when you are in harmony with your negative thoughts.
Jacqueline Peartle, happiness and mindfulness coach
Life is cruel, and you can't turn from a pessimist to an optimist at the click of a button. But you have to start. Taking daily baby steps in the direction of your objective, you will definitely achieve it.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Life hacker
