10 Tips To Make You More Positive

Being positive and productive is a goal that most people have. Believe it or not, a few quick habits that you can develop in no time will improve both of these. These habits are simple and not only will they improve your life, but the lives of the people that you see each day will be happier and more pleasant too.

Get Positive Right Away

As soon as you wake up in the morning, focus on the positives so that you can start your day in a positive frame of mind. If you commit yourself to this, you will find that after a few weeks, you naturally wake up in a great mood expecting your day to be positive and productive. This allows you to better handle any challenges that may occur throughout the remainder of the day.

Strive to Learn New Things

When you learn something new, this expands your mind and it improves brain function. Whether you read a quick paragraph that has a fact that you did not know or you take on the bigger task of trying to learn a new language, you will benefit. Start by taking 10 minutes each day to learn something new. This is quick and simple and an easy habit to create and stick with.

Smile at a Stranger

You never know what is happening in other people's lives. A quick smile may be something that brightens their day and helps them to become more positive. This simple act of acknowledgement is actually proven to improve the mood of both you and the recipient.

Always be Grateful

When people do something nice for you, be grateful and make sure to let them know that you appreciate their efforts. You should also take a minute to reflect on all of the things in your life that you should be grateful for. This is an easy way to see how truly great your life is and it automatically results in more positivity.

Take a Minute to Laugh

Laughing is proven to boost mood, increase productivity and make you a more positive person overall. Check out a funny comic, share a joke with a coworker or friend or catch a funny show or movie during your downtime. What is important is that you make it a point to laugh more and enjoy the lighter side of life each day.

Give Genuine Compliments

Complimenting others not only makes them feel great, but it makes you feel better to. If someone is wearing a great outfit, just got a new hairstyle or did a great job on a project, let them know. This simple act can make a big difference in the day for both of you.

Perform Acts of Kindness

Whether you spend time volunteering or you simply hold the door for someone, an act of kindness promotes good will. As you continue to perform acts of kindness, you will notice that this becomes natural for you and you will start doing kind things without even thinking about it.

Get 15 Minutes of Daily Quiet Time

At the end of each day, take 15 minutes to kick back and reflect on your day. This gives you the chance to review your attitude and how you acted to various situations. This habit allows you to improve the aspects of your life that you are not happy with because it allows you to think about them without interruption.

Tell People You Appreciate Them

Everyone has people in their life who they love and sometimes take for granted. Let these people know that you care and that you appreciate all that they do for you. A quick "thank you" is all that it takes.

Become a Better Listener

One of the hardest traits to improve is your listening skills. This will take work, but once you improve your listening skills, you will find that you are opening your mind to a whole new world of perspectives and learning opportunities.

When you start working these habits into your daily life, you will find that you naturally become more positive. Positive people are typically more productive, so this is a win-win for you. Start with one or two and work them into your day starting today. Every few days, work in another one until you are regularly performing all 10 of these habits every day.

- Rosemary Kitchen

Resources

Ciotti, G. (2015). How to Build Good Habits (and Make Them Stick). Retrieved on March 19, 2015 from http://www.sparringmind.com/good-habits/