5 benefits of having a positive attitude

What is a positive attitude? Positivity or positive attitude is when you count your blessings looking at what all you have in your life and not the have-nots. How does having a positive attitude help us? According to numerous studies having a positive attitude makes us optimistic, kind and compassionate towards others and helps us live a happier life.

To have a positive attitude means to look at the good things or blessings you have in your life. It means to be grateful for what you have, so your attitude helps you get more abundance and gifts. It is a cycle- what you think, hope and expect is exactly what you get.

What made me grateful this month? August is my birthday month. It was also the last birthday celebration in my family for this year which was spent in quarantine. But this post is not at all about complaining or having negative thoughts about this year. In fact, it is about the opposite: it is about how having a positive outlook makes a huge impact on your life for the better.

So 2020 was a “no outdoor” or quarantine celebration year for our family. All four members in our household had birthdays starting in March and ending in August, and our 18th year anniversary was in June. Although we did not get to celebrate any of these special occasions with friends or social presence, positivity has kept me sane, focused and determined this year. I am grateful and thankful for so many things.

In one of my earlier post I have written about how having an attitude of gratitude helps us and changes our lives for better. How do I know? I know because I have spent part of my life not feeling grateful and believing in lack, and the better part of last decade or more feeling grateful every single day! You can definitely change your mind set- from one of lack or unfulfillment to one of abundance and growth.

In another post earlier about pursuit of happiness, I wrote about how happiness is a state of mind where you feel positive, satisfied, joyful, content, and full of gratitude. I believe happiness or joy can be brought in life with the right thought, word or action. Sadness, on the other hand, can be brought by unexpected life events- past or present- which we may have no control over. So instead of delving on things that I can’t control in my life, I can steer my life boat in the right direction by keeping my eye on the right course and take the things as they come with a positive attitude! I believe that all of us come in this life with a purpose to acknowledge the highest power, surrender with faith and try to live a fulfilled life. In this post, I want to encourage everyone to do exactly that- live your life to the fullest by having a positive attitude.

How to develop positive thinking habit:

There are many ways to develop positivity. Just like a habit takes time and efforts, cultivating positive thinking habit is the same. Here are 6 ways to help you develop positive thoughts and mind set.

• Start a positivity journal

Every day, or every week, write down what inspired you or made you happy. Examples can be taking an outing with a loved one, volunteering, or accomplishing something at work. You may read this post titled 5 things to do every day for more ideas.

• Change your words

Watch your thoughts and words. I could have said change your thoughts, but since changing thoughts are so much more difficult, we can start by changing how and what we speak. Say positive things about yourself and others around you. Examples: instead of saying it is over-whelming, say I can do this by breaking it into doable things daily. You may read this post titled Words of encouragement where I wrote about the power of words.

• Ignite your passion

Love what you do! This gives you inner satisfaction and peace. Do what you love, or even better, love what you do. Put your energy, efforts and love into every task, and the rewards will be extra-ordinary. Bonus- do something that inspires, motivates or encourages you on a regular basis. It can be daily, weekly or monthly, but do it consistently. Example: volunteering, helping out someone in need, talking to a family member or friend after a long time. You may read this post titled Have you made a difference today about periodic reflections in your life and ways to give back to your community.

• Set small goals

Set small goals in your personal or professional life, and attain them! Your mind is very powerful. It is watching you and when you actually plan to do something and you win, your mind starts believing you can! Examples: giving up a bad habit, de-cluttering the house, nurturing your relationships, eating healthy, etc. You may read this post titled It is a new decade to be healthy, about accomplishing your goal to work out regularly.

• Pray or meditate

Set aside some time on a regular basis to spend time with yourself. Introspection and self-reflection is very important. Observe your own state of mind- how you are feeling, your emotions and mental processing. Watch your thoughts. Believe that if you think positive, positive things will come to you.

• Let go

It is very important to not hold grudges and live in your past. Forget, forgive and move on. Again, this is a mindset to develop, not necessarily one we are born with. If you let go, it expands your mind and frees you of so many negative emotions.

Attaining a positive mind set may be difficult and may take time, but with practice and patience this right mid-set may lead you to success and happiness in life!

5 reasons to have a positive attitude:

So why should you have a positive attitude? In addition to helping you keep your life in control and making you optimistic, listed below are 5 benefits of having a positive attitude:

• Live, and be happy, in the present

You don’t have to wait for something special to happen to make you happy. You can be happy right now without waiting for that promotion, that special person to walk into your life, that car you think you need, that extra money coming your way- the list is endless. With the positive attitude you know that you are enough. You know that the best time is the present. You know that what you have right now is the best you have, yet.

The great science to live happily is to live in the present.

Pythagoras

• You become deliberate in your thoughts, words and action

You become careful about what you are feeding your mind. You become deliberate about doing good around you because you know that what goes around comes around. You know that your thoughts become your destiny in the end.

Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Mahatma Gandhi

• You spread happiness and cheer

With your positive attitude, you start seeing goodness around you. You become thankful for so many blessings in your life which you may have taken for granted earlier. Your bucket is full of goodness and what you give out of your bucket is goodness all around you. You start seeing a bigger picture, and start doing your small part to make this world a better place. You change the world!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

Margaret Mead

• You become the best version of yourself

With a positive mind-set you are able to change your words, thoughts and action. All of this growth helps you become the best version of yourself. Rememeber the only thing you need to change in the world is yourself.

You have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.

Harriet Tubman

• You develop an attitude of gratitude

You count your blessings, and never take anything for granted. You live your life by being a blessing to others. You become a magnet to attract good things. Your life turns around, for good. You are always thankful, humble and compassionate.

Be present in all things and thankful for all things.

Maya Angelou

In conclusion

To conclude, there are many reasons to cultivate and develop a positive attitude. There are small steps you can do to cultivate this habit of positivity, and many benefits of positive thinking. In addition to improving your health and social relations, positive thinking leads you to live a happier, healthier and fulfilled life. With the growth mindset you are able to see and do small changes in your thought, words and action. You become what you think and believe; so the right positive attitude changes you and the world around you for good!

Dear readers, we would love to hear from you. Please share how you maintain your positive outlook in life and share your tips. Comment below or send an email to nishtha@dawnandhope.com.