8 Ways To Add More Positivity To Your Life

For a majority of my life, I allowed negativity to take up residence in my brain. I anticipated the worst outcome in all situations, I complained, I took part in gossip, and I stayed in situations that brought out the worst in me. Sound familiar at all?

I'm not proud of that time in my life, however, I am compassionate with myself because I had quite a bit to be hurt about and negative behaviour was a natural way to cope; but, there was a way better way. I wish I had someone back then to tell me that I held the power to bring more positivity into my life, and in doing so, I could rid myself of a lot of pain and just generally be happier.

Channelling positivity is something I learned on my own through mindfulness and practice, and in turn, my quality of life continues to improve as I become more and more positive. Trust me, I am not always a little ray of sunshine, in fact, I succumb to negativity daily. But, I am mindful during those times and am getting better at identifying areas that need improvement.

When I catch myself in a negative headspace, I remind myself of these simple 'in-the-moment' practices to be more positive:

1. Surround yourself with positive people

If you pay attention, you'll notice that you are surrounded by two types of people. One type makes you feel alive, like anything is possible, and that there is beauty in everything. The other type makes you feel drained, anxious, and like the world is out to get you. I want you to know that you hold no obligation to be around the latter. If you feel like you need to get out of some toxic relationships, you don't need to create a big stink or call anyone out, you can just gracefully let it fall away and in your heart wish them the best. Find and hold on tight to the type of people that are true sources of light and love. With them by your side, life will feel a lot easier.

2. Be optimisticA pessimist will tell you that an optimist is seeing life through rose-coloured glasses. My response? It's prettier that way! You're not an idiot, I know you can decipher when being optimistic stops being realistic. The great thing about optimism is that, by default, you've already begun to manifest positivity and the things you want. 

3. Be mindful of your vocabulary

"I hate chino pants." I actually heard someone say this and I couldn't help but laugh. Really? You HATE chino pants? That's pretty extreme. I know these words are used habitually and meaninglessly, but when we mindlessly say such strong words it can alter our moods and energy. You may say, "I can't run another km," You can't? Or you don't want to? Be mindful of the words you choose to use; when you use the negative vocabulary you are giving power to the inanimate object, person, or situation that you are speaking about. Wouldn't you rather have the power? Our parents made a point when they would preach, "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."

4. Perform a random act of kindness

Random acts of kindness make everyone involved feel happier and more positive. Give a stranger a compliment, send a friend some flowers just because, or make a small donation to your favourite charity. You'll feel good, the receiver will feel good, and it's contagious! Thus, spreading positivity.

5. Eliminate complaining

Complaining happens when we don't feel in control or we feel taken advantage of. For example, if we order something at a restaurant that we don't end up liking, we complain in the moment and will likely complain in the future whenever someone mentions the restaurant. But, what is complaining going to do? Is it going to change the past and make it so that we received a meal we like? No, it won't. What it will do, is expose you and those around you to negativity over and over again. My suggestion is to take all of that energy you use complaining and use it to improve the situation or find a lesson within it. 

6. Avoid gossip

It's a trap! We are all guilty of this and I'm sure we've all felt bad for doing it at one time. In the book A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle, he explains that it’s our ego's need to feel superior. At that moment, we are either relaying new information to someone which, in turn, makes us feel important because we knew it first; or we are participating in bringing someone else down in order to lift ourselves up. This is why it is so addicting and hard to stop; it is self-serving and rarely has anything to do with the actual gossip at hand. Sounds pretty sad, huh? 

7. Celebrate!

Celebrations aren't only for birthdays and holidays. Celebrate the little milestones and accomplishments of life such as completing a goal, finishing a work project, or making it through a hard day. Celebrations help us feel appreciated and, as a result, pushes us to do more positive things. 

8. Understand what brings you down and say goodbye to it

One thing I was doing in my adult life was continuing to stay and deal with bad situations out of loyalty, fear, or trying to be 'strong'. Over the past year, I've started to eliminate these bad situations one-by-one. The result? I've made more room for positive opportunities.

Keep track of mood-depleting situations and slowly practice letting them go. If being in a particular place makes you instantly feel uncomfortable, make a note to not go back. If being in a certain situation drains your energy and leaves you feeling empty, you have every right to not subject yourself to that situation. Take control of taking care of YOU and don't feel bad for doing it. 

Making a change towards adding more positivity into your life can feel unnatural in the beginning. You may find yourself awkwardly not knowing how to exit a gossip session or you may use a negative word and trip-up trying to correct yourself, but the more you practice, it will become a part of who you are and you'll know how to combat negativity graciously. The benefits are apparent instantly. You're going to feel lighter, more peaceful, and less angry. Enjoy the journey and reap the benefits! 

Lynn