Life can be very unpredictable.  We run into obstacles in life that make it difficult to stay afloat.  Whether it is the loss of a loved one or financial problems, everyone has gone through hardships.  It may be difficult to stay positive when there is a never-ending depressing news cycle in today’s society.  In addition to that, the stress of daily tasks and work may make it challenging for one to stay hopeful.

How to train yourself to have an optimistic mindset?

The mind functions as a reservoir, and we must learn how to supply this reservoir. Optimism is an attributive style; essentially, away we attribute meaning to daily events. When evaluating a fact of life, pessimistic individuals and optimistic individuals will have opposite perspectives from each other.
For example:
For a Positive Fact: “I got a raise!”
Optimistic Profile: Everything always works out for me.
Pessimist Profile: My taxes will be even higher now.

If you find yourself identifying with the pessimist profile, don’t be discouraged. With mental strength and daily training, you will be able to create good in any situation.

Below are some of the tips that can help you train your mindset to stay more positive:

Learn more about yourself
Having an understanding of your emotions and how you react to certain stressors is very important when trying to remain positive.  The ability to predict when you are becoming overwhelmed or anxious is the first step. By being aware of your emotions, you will be better able to prevent certain emotions from heavily impacting your life and essentially, remain positive.

Surround yourself with loved ones
Your family and friends can be the beacons of light you need in life. Reaching out to them for support or even just to laugh together can provide the endurance you need to help you keep going.

Allow yourself to have bad days
Forcing yourself to be positive can build up negative emotions and backfire over time. Allow yourself to feel all your emotions and make space for them. Crying is actually a great emotional release, so grab the tissue box and let the tears flow if it’s helpful to you.

Make a list of the things you can manage
If your thoughts are often focused on the things you can’t control until the point that you’re exhausted, stop and take a breath. Instead, accept what you can’t control and make a list of what you can. Even if all you can control is your attitude and your effort, it’s important to acknowledge what you’re capable of doing.

Add positivity to someone else’s life
The amount of happiness you give out to people tends to be returned back to you.  You know how people say, “treat others how you want to be treated?” Well, how you treat and think about others also has an influence on how you treat and think about yourself.

Take a deep breathe when stressed out
During difficult situations, it is sometimes difficult to remain calm.  Giving yourself a minute to regroup and look at the bigger picture, whether your strategy is deep breathing or going on a walk, can be beneficial.  Once you are in a calm state, ask yourself, “what could I do to be more positive about this?”

Learn how to take criticism in a healthy way
Many people fear being criticized which can prevent them from living how they want to.  Listening to someone critique you or speak negatively about you may hurt your feelings and be upsetting.

Let go of your worries for the things that are not in your control
Worrying about things that are out of your control can be very damaging to one’s mental health.  You may get overwhelmed or anxious spending so much time on something that you can not change.

Challenging mental states are like quicksand; the more you wrestle with them, the deeper you sink into them. Positive thinking as an antidote to negative thinking creates a similar sinking effect because it re-enforces the very state you are seeking to work through. It’s like giving a bully attention – the mind feeds off the energy you are directing at it – every positive counterpoint strengthens the resolve of the mental bully.
Keep practicing deleting your negative thoughts and resetting positive statements/; affirmations.

Namaste!