The Power of Positivity: Learn the True Meaning of Positivity

Positivity is an important part of our daily lives. Some people are born with an optimistic outlook and find positive thinking to be their default response to stressful or negative situations. Others are born with a pessimistic outlook and find it easier to see the bad in a situation. 

That doesn't mean that if you tend to be pessimistic that there's no hope for training your mind to react positively at any given moment. Even optimists need to remind themselves to remain positive every now and then. 

This post is meant to discuss the benefits of positive thinking, how you can start thinking positively, and how you can spread positivity each and every day. 

Why is Positivity So Powerful? Health Impacts of Positivity

While the connection between positivity and health is still being researched, there is definitely a strong link between the two. A study from Johns Hopkins found that positivity can help protect against inflammatory damage caused by stress, can help one make better life decisions, and will have one thinking about long-term goals. 

The Mayo Clinic found that positivity can also lower rates of depression, can increase cardiovascular health, and can even improve one's immune system. Negativity leads to increased feelings of stress. When you are imagining the worst case scenario, you're going to feel stressed which puts a strain on your heart, can increase feelings of depression, and can lower your immune system. 

Keeping stress at a minimum is incredibly important to long-term health. Positivity is one way to keep stress at bay. Now that you know the health benefits, hopefully you agree that positivity is important to incorporate into your daily life. Let's talk about how you can start practicing positivity. 

How Do You Train Yourself to Be Positive?

Positive thinking isn't something that's just going to happen overnight. You need to make a commitment to yourself every day to approach situations you encounter with a positive mindset. There are several ways that you can start practicing positivity, and we have only listed a few that were recommended in the study from Johns Hopkins! You might have to try a few different methods to see what works for you:

1. Smile more. It might sound silly but an easy way to start living a more positive life is to smile more. A study from the University of Kansas revealed that smiling more throughout the day, even if it's fake at the start, can reduce blood pressure. 
2. Reframe your mindset. Keep track of your thoughts throughout the day to see what your default response is to negative or stressful situations. If you notice that your default is negativity, or that negative thoughts outpace positive thoughts, you might benefit from reframing the way you view the world. 
3. Build resiliency. This is all about how well you can adapt when you hit roadblocks in life. If you're able to accept situations for what they are, you can start developing a positive outlook to get through them. 

There are definitely other practices you can start implementing to start thinking more positively. Figure out what methods work best for you and adapt when you need to. Regularly check in with yourself to see if your thoughts start skewing more positive. 

How to Bring Positivity to Life: Spreading Joy Everywhere You Go

Once you've developed a routine that works for you, start bringing joy into other people's lives. External support can help someone that might be struggling to think positively. There are an infinite number of ways that you can spread positivity. This post only touches on a few—get creative and start sprinkling positivity throughout the world: 

1. Smiling. Smiling also applies to bringing joy into other people's lives. When you pass someone on the street, make an effort to smile at them. Smile at your loved ones in the morning while everyone is waking up and starting their day. 
2. Shower people with compliments. Sharing compliments with people you regularly see can make a huge difference in their day. You could tell your child that you appreciate their creativity. You could tell the barista at your favorite coffee place that you like their hair. Little compliments like that make a bigger difference than you might think. 
3. Support your friends. We all experience difficult times in our lives. Being their for our friends and supporting them when they need it as an easy way to spread positivity. Letting the people you love know that you're there for them can help alleviate stress they might be experience.
4. Give positive fidget jewelry. Share fidget jewelry that has positive messages on it with your loved ones. Tell them that when they need a little pick me up or find the negative thoughts creeping in, they can look at this jewelry and remember that there are always reasons to feel happy. 

Bright Side 5 in 1 Gift Set	Positive Mindset 5 in 1 Gift Set

Test out any of these methods of spreading positivity or start coming up with your own. If you notice something you do makes someone smile, try doing that everyday! 

Start Thinking Positive

Obviously, this is easier said than done. It's impossible to get rid of all negativity from your life, there will be times when you need to just feel whatever you're feeling. That's completely normal!

Make small steps each and every day to try incorporating more positivity into your life. Soon enough, you'll find it to be second nature and you'll notice a decrease in negativity.