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7 practices to develop a strong and healthy outlook in life

It’s been said that living a positive life helps create a positive life. When you choose to live a happy life rather than a negative one, you can bring more positive energy into your life. Happy, positive people tend to attract goodness into their lives, and that has encouraged many people to spend more time looking to change their attitude and outlook. It’s not always as easy as waking up each morning and deciding to be in a good mood, however. Some days are easy, but some days it can feel as if everything is working against you. When this happens, it’s hard to feel positive or happy about life. When this happens, it’s important you have some idea how to control your emotions and your outlook. It takes practice, but each of the following habits can help you develop a positive outlook on life.

Think Before You Speak

If you want to practice living a more positive life, you must think before you speak. One of the most dangerous things people do is open their mouths and speak before they take the time to think about what they want to say. For example, if you live your life saying negative things about people, about yourself, about your life, you’re going to live a negative life. It’s hard to live a happy and positive existence when you’re verbally bashing other people and yourself. If you think before you speak, you can put an end to those damaging words. Ask yourself these questions before you say anything.

-              Is it helpful?

-              Is it gossip?

-              Is it true?

-              Is it nice?

-              Would I be upset if someone said the same thing about me?

If it’s unhelpful, untrue, mean, hurtful, or you’d be upset if someone else said the same thing, keep your mouth closed and your thoughts to yourself. The more you practice this, the happier your life will become. You’ll find you’re able to focus on your own life rather than the lives of others, and that makes for a much happier existence.

Stop Complaining

Complaining is ugly. People are turned off by those who complain all the time, and that’s one of the primary reasons you might want to stop complaining. Try to stop yourself before you complain by reminding yourself that complaining only makes your life terrible. It doesn’t add value to your day, but it does take away some of the positivity and happiness by causing you to focus on the bad things that happen. Brisbane Psychologist Dr Jane Zhao-O'Brien helps patients learn to redirect their thoughts so that they are positive rather than full of complaints.

Focus on Good Things

What you focus on becomes your reality. If you constantly focus on things that are negative and unhappy, you invite negativity and unhappiness into your life. When you work to change your focus so that it’s only on the good and beautiful, you tend to invite more good and more beauty into your life. When you’re tempted to focus on something negative, try to refocus your thoughts to find something good at the moment.

Write in A Gratitude Journal

When you practice gratitude, you learn to focus on all the good things that happen in your life. Writing in a gratitude journal is a wonderful way to make that a reality. Start by purchasing a notebook or opening a file on your computer that’s only for writing down positive thoughts. It doesn’t matter what time of day you do this, but many people state they find it’s best to do it first thing in the morning or right before bed.

By writing down three things you’re grateful for when you wake up, you set the tone for a positive day. If you prefer, you can write down three things you were thankful for that day just before you go to bed. This helps you fall asleep focusing on how good your life is rather than worrying about things you cannot control.

Stop Using the Word “But”

The word ‘but’ is a negative word far more than it is a positive word. When you use this phrase, you’re inviting negative thoughts and energy into your day. For example, if you think that it’s a beautiful day outside, you’ll find yourself looking for the beauty in the day. If you think that it’s a beautiful day outside, but it’s going to rain later, you’re inviting negative thoughts into your positive space. If you can stop using the word ‘but,’ you can change your life in a positive manner.

Stop Negative Thoughts In Their Tracks

Negative thoughts are always a problem, and you have to learn to manage them. When you learn to manage negative thoughts by turning them into positive thoughts, you learn to control your emotions. One of the most effective ways to do this is to stop yourself in your tracks when a negative thought appears. Consciously remind yourself that life is good, and you are a worthy person. When you make it a habit to stop your negative thoughts before you have a chance to think them through, you learn to stop producing so many negative thoughts. Allow yourself to be happier by thinking only positive thoughts, and you might be amazed at just how much your life can change.

Learn to Accept Compliments

One of the biggest flaws many people have is their inability to accept a compliment with a smile and a thanks. It’s easy to feel embarrassed or unworthy of praise when you live a life that’s not filled with positivity. When someone compliments you, you’re tempted to argue politely with them about how you don’t look that good, or how you didn’t feel confident in your presentation, or how you don’t feel good enough. Stop doing that. It’s not positive. Instead, practice smiling and saying thank you to people when they issue a compliment, and do not say another word. When you don’t argue, you forget all the reasons you don’t feel good enough.

Each of these habits is designed to help you live a more positive life with a much better outlook. You can’t change your life in a day, but you can make small changes every day that add up to big changes over time. Habits take a while to create, so keep practicing being more positive every day. It won’t take but a few months for you to recognize all the positive changes in your life.