No matter how common it has become for us to hop on a plane and fly through the sky, it’s always amazing to see a huge machine carrying hundreds of people soaring through the sky so effortlessly.
We’ve sent people to the moon and filled space with countless satellites helping us with things like weather, communication, and security.
In a few years from now, we’ll send humans to a different planet which will be a completely new chapter in human exploration.
We have built bridges that stretch for miles over water bodies connecting different land masses. Skyscrapers like the Burj Khalifa that pierce the sky at nearly a kilometer in height, with more being built as we speak.
We have invented computers that have revolutionized the very fabric of our existence. Medical science has increased life expectancy by providing solutions to almost every disease that can happen to us.
All of these incredible achievements, and many more stand as a testament to our ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges and reach for the stars in our own unique way.
All thanks to one remarkable thing, our human mind. It’s the most powerful computer in the known universe, but it is also something that we know very little about.
It can be our best friend, pushing us forward with optimism, confidence, and success. Or it can be our enemy, filling us with doubt, fear, and failure.
When you’re in a positive mindset, your mind can enable you to do impossible things but if you have a negative outlook then it can prevent you from completing even the smallest tasks.
Everything in life can be achieved with a positive mindset. It is the foundation on which you can build a life of your dreams and become the best version of yourself.
In this blog, we’re going to explore how you can train your mind for positive thinking and why it’s so important to live a happy and fulfilling life.
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Why Is It Necessary To Train Your Mind for Positive Thinking?
Do you have days where everything is fine, you are in the comfort of your home, free to do anything you like, eat whatever you want, and watch your favorite shows, but you still don’t feel like doing anything?
Even though you have everything and still, you feel that there is no joy left in life.
Don’t get me wrong, we all have such days every now and then but even though we have what most people only dream and wish for and still, we don’t feel content and joyful.
There’s a wise quote by the Former Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius that captures this feeling perfectly – “Our life is what our thoughts make it”
If you think that there is no joy left in life, then you won’t find joy in anything you do. And if you think that this life is beautiful and everything around you is a blessing, then you’ll start finding joy even in little things.
What we think makes all the difference. But staying positive isn’t always easy.
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives completely. Things like working remotely, social isolation, limited time outdoors, increased screen time, etc. have become the “new normal” for us.
While we’re still figuring out how to adjust and adapt to this new normal lifestyle, we’re all realizing that our mental health, if not more, is as important as our physical health.
The lockdown and social isolation have had a very negative impact on our mental health. And our ability to stay and think positive at all times has taken a serious hit. That’s why we’ve seen a significant increase in mental health issues in the recent past.
We now live in times where doing some form of physical activity and working out regularly is extremely important to keep our body healthy, but exercising our mind to keep it positive, healthy, and active is even more crucial.
So what can you do to train your mind for positive thinking, let’s take at some of the ways that will help.
4 Ways To Train Your Mind for Positive Thinking
I’m sure you would agree when I say that nothing is possible without a positive mindset. Think about it, are you able to work when you are sad, angry, or feeling a little low? Probably not, right?
Some of the most successful people on this planet attribute their success to positive thinking. So, let’s talk about a few ways to train your mind for positive thinking. Only then you’ll be in the right mindset to work towards your goals to become your best self.
1. Meditation for Positive Thinking
Probably one of the most used terms recently in the medical world after “Covid-19” is “Meditation”, the most powerful tool at our disposal to train our minds for positive thinking.
I wouldn’t bore you with the details about what is meditation as we’ve talked about it in our various other blogs in the wellness category.
But to explain it briefly, meditation is a concept originated and practiced by Hindus as a path to enlightenment and peace.
We’ve talked about the history of meditation, the science behind it, the types of meditation, and basically everything else in this blog so if you want to learn more then please give it a read.
Meditation is the best exercise for your mind because when you meditate, you sit quietly and observe your thoughts from a distance. Almost like a third person. And when you do it long enough, you learn to distance yourself from those thoughts.
This process of distancing yourself from your thoughts is a powerful transformation, which will take some time to happen, but once you do it and as you progress, you’ll realize that all these feelings of sadness, loneliness, etc. are not you.
They don’t define you and are just there for a brief moment. They’re merely passing clouds in the vast sky of your life.
When you see life through this new lens, you’ll realize that it is much bigger and more beautiful. It’s a blessing to be born a human on this planet because there is no other planet that supports life.
And even on earth, being human is a unique and extraordinary gift.
Meditation will also help you increase your focus and concentration levels. So use this powerful tool to your benefit as it’s completely free, extremely easy, and can be done anywhere.
Nothing happens in a day but if you practice it regularly, you’ll see a very positive change in yourself and you’ll realize that those feelings of sadness, loneliness, or emptiness are replaced by feelings of positive thinking and gratitude.
2. Gratitude for Positive Thinking
The other most powerful tool for training your mind for positive thinking is gratitude, which involves appreciating the positive aspects of life. It’s about shifting your focus from what’s missing in your life to what you already have.
Negative mindset or negative thinking comes from the feelings of scarcity, whether it’s a scarcity of resources, love, or success. No one’s life is perfect and none of us have everything. But as we’ve learned, our life is what our thoughts make it.
So when you develop a habit of acknowledging the things you have in life, your perspective of life changes and you develop a positive mindset.
You shift your mindset from that of deficiency or scarcity to one of contentment. When you express your gratitude towards good things in your life, it triggers the release of feel-good hormones in your brain that help you lower your stress levels and improve your overall mood.
You can cultivate a habit of keeping a journal where you write down the things you’re thankful for each day. When you do this regularly, you’ll be training your mind to embrace positivity and see the world around you in a more optimistic light.
Also, gratitude is not only about appreciating things but also about appreciating people. When you show love and appreciation towards others, you are fostering a deeper and more positive relationship with them.
So the simple act of showing gratitude towards the things and people you have in your life can greatly help you in developing a positive mindset.
3. Good Social Life
Having a good and fulfilling social life is another very important aspect of training your mind for positive thinking because we human beings are inherently social creatures and we thrive on connections and relationships with others.
Who we spend our time with can have a strong influence on our minds and our emotional well-being.
You would have seen people around you wasting their lives away drinking too much or doing drugs because they fell in bad company.
It’s because the people around us shape the way we think and do things. Having good company will encourage you to do good things in life and a bad bunch will make your life a living hell.
We need positive, caring, and supportive people around us who we can have meaningful conversations with, share experiences, or simply have fun.
When we do that, our brain releases feel-good chemicals like oxytocin and endorphins which are natural mood lifters and help us develop a positive outlook.
We all need a strong social network of people who we can confide in and rely on because they can provide emotional support and help us handle stress and other challenges in life.
The sense of belonging and connection that comes from a good social life can give you a more optimistic perspective on life and encourage you to look at the positive side of things.
4. A Healthy and Balanced Lifestyle for Positive Thinking
Having a healthy and balanced lifestyle plays a very important role in training your mind for positive thinking. And the connection between a healthy lifestyle and a positive mindset is intricate and multifaceted. So let’s unfold each aspect and understand them in detail.
Food
The first aspect of a healthy lifestyle is food. The type of food you consume has a significant impact on your mental and physical health. There are two types of carbohydrates – simple carbohydrates and complex carbohydrates.
When you remove fiber from complex carbs, then it becomes simple carbs which are very bad for our overall health.
The lack of fiber in carbohydrates causes a rapid spike in the blood sugar level followed by a sudden crash which will cause mood swings, irritability, and fatigue.
So replace processed and sugary foods like sugary cereals, soda, potato chips, fast food burgers, white bread, etc. with healthier substitutes like whole-grain cereals or oatmeal, green tea or herbal tea, fresh fruits, whole-grain bread, etc.
The other important food to avoid is trans fats which are mainly found in processed and fast foods, as well as fried and packed snacks.
These unhealthy fats will cause inflammation in your body which will negatively impact your mood and brain health and can also lead to mental health issues.
Sleep
You would have realized that you feel irritated and fatigued when you haven’t had proper sleep. So getting high-quality and adequate sleep is very important for your mind and body.
When you get enough rest, your mind becomes more awake, alert, and emotionally stable. This is the foundation for thinking positively and making good decisions.
On the flip side, when you don’t get the sleep you need, it can really mess up your thinking and mood. It’s harder to concentrate, solve problems, and stay in a good mood. You might start to feel stressed and anxious more easily.
Physical Activity
When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, which are the feel-good hormones responsible for lifting your mood and reducing stress and anxiety.
You can include any form of physical activity in your daily schedule, like swimming, cycling, yoga, dancing, etc.
When you move your body, like going for a walk or playing your favorite sport, it’s not just good for your muscles but also for your brain. Let me briefly explain how this works in a simple way.
When you exercise, your body releases feel-good hormones called “endorphins.” which are responsible for lifting your mood and reducing stress and anxiety.
Now you don’t have to be a professional athlete. You can have fun with any kind of physical activity that you like, such as swimming, riding a bike, doing yoga, dancing, or even just taking a brisk walk.
The important thing is to get moving because it’s one of the key things to feel good and stay positive.
So, maintaining a healthy lifestyle plays a very important role in developing a positive outlook towards life. When your body is well-nourished, well-rested, and supported by regular physical activity, it helps your mind function optimally.
When your brain is healthy, your cognitive abilities are at their best which makes it easier to think positively, solve problems, and maintain a clear, optimistic outlook.
Common Pitfalls To Avoid for a Positive Mindset
In our pursuit of positive thinking, it’s just as important to know what to avoid as it is to learn what to embrace. Let’s talk about some common problems that can make it hard to think positively.
1. Negative Self-Talk
This is when we become our own worst critics and say mean things to ourselves in our heads, like “I can’t do this” or “I’m not good enough.” It’s a major roadblock on the path to positive thinking because it creates a mental environment full of criticism and self-doubt.
Every time you do anything new, you’ll face challenges and it will be difficult. But that doesn’t mean there is something wrong with you or you are not capable.
It simply means that you need a little more practice or you need to devote a little more time to learn.
So pay attention to your thoughts and the next time you catch yourself thinking negatively about yourself, challenge those thoughts and ask yourself whether they are based on facts or if they are just unhelpful beliefs.
Replace those negative thoughts with more realistic and positive thoughts and treat yourself with kindness and self-compassion.
2. Comparing Yourself to Others
We live in a world where everyone seems to have a perfect life on social media, and we knowingly or unknowingly compare ourselves with others.
This is a very toxic habit that can make us feel inadequate and even jealous, and it has a very negative impact on maintaining a positive outlook towards life.
What we see on social media is half the truth, a curated version of someone’s life, not the whole story. And rather than comparing with others, focus on your own journey.
Take control of your life, figure out what you want to do for yourself, set achievable goals, and celebrate your own progress. The only thing that matters is what you’re doing for yourself. Compete with yourself and try to be better than you were yesterday.
3. Surrounding Yourself With Negativity
As we discussed earlier, the people you spend time with can have a big impact on your mindset. If you’re always around folks who complain, are pessimistic, or bring negative energy, it can start to influence your own thinking.
So make an effort to surround yourself with people who are positive and supportive, who can uplift and inspire you.
Spend time with people who encourage your goals and well-being. When you have such people around, you create an environment that nurtures your positive thinking and personal growth.
Wrapping Up!
As we wrap up this blog, let’s remember that we possess a remarkable gift – our powerful mind. It’s what sets us apart from all other living creatures.
It can either lead us toward a future filled with positivity, growth, and success, or it can steer us into a world dominated by negativity, limitations, and missed opportunities.
Our mind is the architect of our reality. It shapes how we perceive and interact with the world around us. It can make us achieve what we once believed was impossible.
By reading this blog, I hope you’ve gained valuable insights into why a positive outlook is essential. You now know the things to do and the things to avoid to nurture and sustain that positive perspective.
As you move forward, remember that your mind is a powerful tool, and with the right mindset, you can achieve the extraordinary. Namaste!
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