• By Samantha Pullet

Life can be perceived as a beautiful gift when we are happy, alternatively it can be deemed as a place of pain and destruction when we are overcome with negative emotions.  The way that we think and feel creates our surroundings and the life that we are living despite external forces. Therefore, it would be wonderful if we consistently kept a positive mindset so that we can keep ourselves happy and make our lives happier. When we are at peace, the way we view the world changes, and we are capable of accomplishing what we thought we never could. Hence it is vital to take care of our mental wellbeing and cultivate a positive mindset. The following are some tips that will help you to cultivate positivity into our lives:

Reflect on what makes you happy

When you experience negative emotions, look deep within yourself, and identify what makes you happy.  You can do this my practicing mindfulness or meditation, being present in the moment and reflecting upon what gives you joy in life and what you would like to accomplish.  You may find it useful to make a list of all the positive aspects in your life and keep that safe. You can look at the list when you feel negative emotions are starting to impinge upon your happiness.

Make the changes

After you have identified what makes you happy, then implement the necessary changes. For example, if you feel like leading a healthier lifestyle then incorporate exercise into your daily routine.  Through exercising we can seek to minimise some emotional intensity that we are feeling and gain improved thought clarity.  The way that we approach a challenge may be calmer and we may feel we have more control.  If you have identified another hobby that makes you happy then seek to make time for that because it will make you feel a lot calmer and you will find solutions to challenges easier.

Your support system

Identify the close people within your life that can help you to stay positive, this could be your family or close friends.  They can provide you with a fresh perspective through which you can approach your challenging situation. You may not be able to change situations you encounter however you can change the way you approach and react to the situation and do your best. When you feel overwhelmed then split up your tasks into more manageable parts and plan. This will help to ease pressure and create time for everything that you wish to accomplish

Happiness is internal

Many people try to find happiness through external material objects and in other people, however our happiness is dependent within our minds. The suffering we experience is also within our own minds, in the ways that we see things around us and ultimately the world.  When we change our perspective on the world, automatically things around us will seem clearer and more positive. If we encounter challenges within life, things do not go the way that we had expected, then we should never perceive it as a failure. Instead view the situation as an opportunity to learn from the challenge, analyse how to change the approach and learn something new that we would never have done before.

Practice positive self- affirmations

Positive self-talk is very important, especially when the brain focuses more on negative aspects of life more.  It is necessary to re-train the mind to focus on the positive elements of ourselves and life.  Through practicing positive self-affirmations, we are motivating ourselves to act in the way that we desire, and it helps us towards accomplishing our goals with a positive mental attitude. We can cultivate a new belief system and increase self-confidence.  Positive affirmations will gradually bring positivity back into our lives and provides us with the security to move forward.

Remember that the joy of life is in the journey, when you have done your best, the results will fall into place.  Always give gratitude for what you have because when we count our blessings, we remember how much we actually have in life to stay positive about.