If there is one piece of advice that is universal, and which would enhance anyone’s life who chose to implement it, thinking positively would be the golden lesson. We can all benefit from thinking more positively; about our lives as they are now, about the opportunities all around us, and even about the hard times and grievances. Thinking positively is not a case of lying to ourselves; it is a case of drawing the most out of any situation, and learning to see everything in a more optimistic light.

See The Positive In What You Already Have

The first aspect of positive thinking is to appreciate what you already have. This is important, because our happiness should always start right here, and right now. Sometimes we are too busy seeking our happiness elsewhere, even projecting it into the future. Even if we have few material possessions, most of us have shelter, food, and water, and people around us that we love. Perhaps we have hobbies to enjoy, places we love to visit.

Life in itself is a gift, and each moment so beautiful if we learn to slow down, and notice.

Make a list if it helps you to think. It might sound a little forced, but a quick list of everything you appreciate will serve two purposes; it will help you to remember the positive, and it will make you realize just how much you have to be positive about. Allow yourself this time to appreciate life as it is now, and don’t be scared of being positive about everything. List it all. The birds, the bees, your pets, your home, each of your friends, and importantly everything you like about yourself; traits, hobbies, skills, your body, everything.

See The Positive In Other People

This is as important as seeing the positive in our own lives; we must also learn to see the best in other people. if we don’t, we face a very challenging life! The world is a diverse place, and is full of unique and expressive individuals and cultures. We must learn to embrace other people for who they are. We should not compare them to ourselves, judge their values and lifestyle against our own, or see bad in them for being different. Of course, we should still pick wisely who we put our love and trust in, and who we build relationships with, but we should try to see the positive in everyone around us.

Instead of looking for people’s flaws, look for what makes them uniquely beautiful. Look for the love between other people as they interact, and interact positively with anyone you can, as often as possible.

See Mistakes As An Opportunity For Growth

Positive people do not fail. That is not to say they do not get things wrong, simply that a mistake when viewed in a positive light, is a way to grow, and a challenge is something to overcome. When we think positively we do not think in terms of failure, only in terms of opportunity for growth.

Growth is a powerful act of transcendence which occurs when we are humble and positive enough to learn from our actions, and from the consequences of our actions. Being positive does not mean brushing over our mistakes and wrong-doings, nor does it mean beating ourselves up over them. The most positive way to see our mistakes is to learn from them, and to enjoy the learning curve along the way. Life experience makes us stronger and wiser; we must grow and change, adapt and learn.

See The Positive Even When Times Are Hard

Life is not all roses and happy times. I do not know your individual  life situation, nor the hardships that each and every one of you respectively goes through. Everyone has their share of hard times in life, some worse than others. And with so much injustice in the world it can be difficult to remain positive sometimes.

Seeing the positive does not mean ignoring the negative, neither in our own life, nor in the bigger world around us. We must acknowledge when hard times fall upon us, but we must respond positively.

In hard times we have an opportunity to be strong and to show courage. We can be there for the people who need us, and allow ourselves to feel our emotions strongly. If we can do anything at all to help our loved ones, then we often want to do so, and there is a certain “pulling together” associated with hardship.

When an event is inherently negative, whether it be getting fired from work, losing a loved one, or falling ill, we can still choose to respond positively, and this can even be the difference between life and death sometimes.

Final Words…

See here for practical advice; 10 ways to think more positively.

Positivity is a very real concept, and a very real state of mind. When we feel positive we appreciate who we are, what we have, the people around us, and the world we live in. We even find the strength to remain positive when we make mistakes, and when hardship falls upon us. Being positive takes practice. It comes more naturally to some than it does to others, but we can all take steps to stay positive.

It all comes with awareness. In order to be more positive we have to start to see what is all around us; the moments of love between a mother and child, the friendships, the sunshine and the trees, the art and the architecture, the stars and the moon. We must also see what is in ourselves; our own inner positive nature. One which appreciates, loves and trusts. One which cares about the world, and sees the marvel in all things; even in the simple, but highly unlikely act of being alive.