A positive attitude plays an important role in determining whether a person can lead a happy and enjoyable life. By building a positive attitude, you will be better able to recognize and express emotions. In addition, if negative emotions arise, you can control them right from the start. There are several ways that will really help you build a positive attitude, especially by making time for yourself and connecting with others.
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Method 1 of 5: Understanding the Importance of Being Positive
Step 1. Recognize that a positive attitude can reduce negative emotions
By being positive, you will be able to feel a lot of positive emotions by not allowing yourself to be dominated by negative emotions. You will also feel more satisfaction and happiness in life by being positive. In addition, you will recover faster after experiencing a negative event.
Step 2. Recognize the connection between positive emotions and physical health
Research shows that stress and other negative emotions can lead to health problems such as coronary heart disease. You can improve your overall well-being by turning negative emotions into positive ones.
Positive emotions can also slow the onset of illness by shortening the duration of negative emotions
Step 3. Connect positivity, creativity, and caring
In addition to being physically beneficial, a positive attitude will create “flexible cognitive organization and the ability to integrate a wide variety of materials”. These effects are associated with neural dopamine levels, which improve attention, creativity, and learning abilities. Positive emotions also improve a person's ability to deal with difficult situations.
Step 4. Recover quickly from negative events in your life
By building and maintaining a positive attitude as a way of recovering, you will be more resilient in the face of negative life events such as trauma and loss.
- People who are able to stay positive during their grief are more likely to develop good long-term plans. The existence of goals and plans can make a person feel a more prosperous life within a period of approximately one year after experiencing grief.
- In an experiment that tested emotional resilience and responses to stress, participants were asked to complete a task that made them stressed. The results showed that all of the participants were concerned about the task, regardless of how strong their natural resilience was. However, participants who were more steadfast were able to calm down more quickly than participants who were less steadfast.
Method 2 of 5: Making Time for Self-Reflection
Step 1. Realize that change takes time
Try to think about building a positive attitude the same way you think about building strength or improving fitness. You can achieve this desire if you strive consistently.
Step 2. Identify and develop your best qualities
Focus on your good qualities to create a more positive emotional experience. In this way, it will be easier for you to overcome difficulties.
Make a list of activities you enjoy or are good at and do regularly. This will form a reserve of positive experiences in your life
Step 3. Keep a diary
Several studies show that self-reflection can be an effective teaching and learning tool in schools and workplaces. Self-reflection can also be useful in building a positive attitude because you can identify and respond to your own behavior by writing down your feelings and thoughts.
Writing self-reflection may seem awkward at first. But with time and practice, you will be able to recognize your behavior and emotional patterns by writing them down. By writing self-reflection, you can address the behaviors and emotions that might be getting in the way of achieving your goals
Step 4. Write down the positive things you experience throughout the day
Think again about what you have done today and then try to find positive things from your experience, for example events that made you happy, proud, amazed, grateful, calm, satisfied, happy, or other positive emotions.
- For example, try to remember your routine in the morning and then set aside time to experience moments that bring you peace or happiness. You may experience this feeling when you see a beautiful view in the morning on your way to work, sip your first coffee, or talk about pleasant things.
- Set aside a special time to focus on moments that made you feel proud of yourself or thank someone else. Maybe you experience this feeling through small things like gratitude that your partner made the bed, you feel proud that you have completed a task or successfully overcome the challenges you set for yourself.
- It would be very good if you do reflection starting from positive moments in your daily life. By re-experiencing the positive emotions you feel, you can adjust the way you view negative moments.
Step 5. Write down moments when you experienced negative emotions
Recall an experience that caused negative emotions such as guilt, shame, offense, frustration, disappointment, fear, or irritation. Is anyone overly impressed with these thoughts? Maybe you will be punished for spilling coffee and soiling your boss's shirt. Will you be fired because of this incident and never be able to get a job again? Overreaction to everyday events can hinder productive positive thinking.
Step 6. Change the way you view negative moments as positive ones
Look for negative moments on your list. Take time to revisit those moments in a way that can turn your emotions into a positive (or at least neutral) one in response to a negative experience.
- For example, if the driver of a vehicle makes you angry on the way home, change the way you view this person's intentions as unintentional. If you're embarrassed by an event that has already happened, try to view it as a ridiculous or ridiculous situation. Even if your boss is upset about the coffee spill, remember that mistakes can happen at any time. If you are lucky, he will see this as a funny thing.
- If you don't view small mistakes as big problems, you can handle the situation better. One way to deal with a situation after you spill coffee is to show genuine concern for your boss to make sure he or she is okay and there are no burns. After that, you can offer to buy your boss a new shirt at lunch or dry his shirt with coffee.
Step 7. Use your “happiness reserves”
Improved ability to deal with negative emotions can increase positive emotions over time. The benefits you get from feeling positive emotions will last a long time. The experience is longer than the time you feel happiness. You can use this experience by drawing it from your “happiness reserves” at later moments and in different emotional states.
Don't worry if you're having trouble creating a positive emotional experience. Use the memories you have accumulated in the “happiness reserve”
Step 8. Remember that everyone has experienced problems
Everyone has experienced life's problems, both small and big, so you are not alone. In order to change your overreaction, you have to practice and take the time to adjust to and learn to accept the situation. You'll find it easier to forget the little things the more you practice. In addition, you will also be able to see big problems with a clear mind and as a learning opportunity.
Step 9. Conquer the habit of self-criticism
Your habit of “self-criticism” can hinder your progress in building a positive attitude.
- For example, maybe you criticize yourself by calling yourself stupid for spilling coffee on your boss. This criticism will make you sad for a long time and in vain. Try to reflect when you criticize yourself like this. You will be better able to understand the situation when you are no longer criticizing yourself.
- You can also begin to challenge the habit of self-criticism and negative thinking. This method is very useful in building a positive attitude.
Method 3 of 5: Giving Time to Yourself
Step 1. Do the things you love
Give yourself time to do things that you enjoy or that make you happy. It may not be easy to give yourself time, especially if you always try to put the interests of others first. Likewise, if you are in a certain situation, for example, you still have to take care of young children or take care of someone who is sick. But always remember that “you have to put on an oxygen mask for yourself first before helping others”. You are the best helper when you are in the best condition yourself.
- If music can make you happy, listen to music. If reading a book makes you happy, set aside some time to read in a quiet place. Go to see the beautiful sights, visit a museum, or see a movie you love.
- Keep doing things that make you happy. This is a great way for you to focus on the positive.
Step 2. Take time to relive satisfying moments
No one else will notice or judge you when you review your life and yourself, so don't worry about coming across as arrogant. You don't have to look good or nice to other people to enjoy this.
- If you are good at cooking, admit to yourself that you are a talented cook. Likewise, if you love to sing, your voice doesn't have to wow all the forest creatures before you start singing.
- Observe the satisfying, proud, happy, or enjoyable moments in your life and the activities that caused them. This is the best way so that you can repeat the experience again in the future.
Step 3. Don't worry too much about other people
You're not like everyone else, so you have no reason to judge yourself by other people's standards. Maybe you like things that other people don't like. Of course you can define yourself what it means to be successful in your life.
Step 4. Don't compare yourself to others
Your view of yourself will be very different from how other people view you. Seeing Monet's paintings from a distance of 30 cm will be different when viewed from a distance of 6 meters. Be aware that the image of a person you see may be different from the image he or she wants to show. Your picture may be only part of the reality. Get rid of the habit of comparing yourself to others and measuring your self-worth based on the opinions of others. This way, you will not draw subjective conclusions about other people's behavior.
For example, if you interact negatively with a casual friend, don't assume that she doesn't like you. Instead, make the assumption that there was a misunderstanding between the two of you or something else that upset your friend
Method 4 of 5: Relationships
Step 1. Build good relationships
Relationships are an important aspect of human life, even if you include yourself in the “introvert” group or someone who prefers to be alone and doesn't need many friends. Friendships and relationships are sources of support, recognition, and strength for people of all personalities. Cultivate good relationships in your life with your family members and friends.
Research shows that your mood can improve immediately after chatting with someone you care about and you receive a supportive response from them
Step 2. Establish a new relationship
When you meet new people, look for people who make you feel good to be around them. Get in touch with them. These people will become your support network and help you build a positive attitude.
Step 3. Talk about your emotions with a friend
If you're having trouble experiencing positive emotions on your own, ask a friend for support. There's no need to think that you have to get rid of all negative emotions. Chatting with friends will help you overcome negative emotions and give you the opportunity to experience positive emotions.
Method 5 of 5: Coping With Stress-Inducing Situations
Step 1. Use a positive perspective in stressful situations
Reassessing a stressful situation in a positive way means taking control of the situation and seeing it in a new light.
For example, if you have a lot of work to do, instead of looking at your to-do list and saying "I can't possibly do all of these tasks," try saying, "I can complete important tasks."
Step 2. Try to solve the problem by focusing on the problem
Solving a problem by focusing on the problem is done by focusing on the problem that is causing you stress and trying to find a solution. Break down the problem into steps you can take. Find out if there might be an obstacle or obstacle, then determine how to overcome it.
- For example, if you're having trouble forming a team with your co-workers to work well together, get them together to analyze the current situation. Find out the real situation. After that, ask your colleagues for opinions and write down the solutions that can solve this problem.
- Another example, Danang doesn't like Susi, and your boss doesn't support teamwork and even more respects individual effort. When solving problems by focusing on the problem, you must be firm that although Danang and Susi may dislike each other, there are standards of behavior that must be adhered to, and then apply those standards. After that, do the exercise in groups by asking everyone to say three positive things to each other.
- In order for team members to connect with each other and successfully complete projects well, your team can become role models as carriers of positive corporate culture change.
Step 3. Find positive meaning in everyday events
Another way that people can experience positive emotions in the face of adversity is to seek positive meaning in everyday events and through adversity itself.
