5 Practices To Live A More Positive Life

“Life changes very quickly, in a positive way, if you let it.” – Lindsey Vonn.

We have been living in very interesting and unusual times. Fear and negativity have certainly infiltrated the thoughts and lives of many. It is only when we silence our thoughts and make a conscious choice to rid our lives of negativity, that we can start to live a more positive life.

Despite it all, I would say one of the greatest gifts I have given myself is to live a (mostly) positive life. I choose to focus on all the goodness around me. As Oprah so eloquently says, “What you focus on expands, and when you focus on the goodness in your life, you create more of it.”

There are a few practices I’ve put in place to live a more positive life:

1. DIGITAL DETOX

News channels and social media outlets can easily become breeding grounds for negativity. I limit my social media and news intake, and try to not let myself get by consumed by it. Whilst it is important to understand what’s going on and to be aware, I find I can get my key news items from just a few headlines. I’m also very selective as to which news outlets I choose to pay attention to, as often they create unnecessary fear and hysteria.

I try to minimise my social media intake. I used to be a culprit of waking up in the morning and scrolling through social media, but I’ve since learned to break that bad habit. By limiting social media consumption to certain periods throughout the day, it does not take over from the other, more important tasks.

Another way to limit news and social media consumption is to nominate one day of the week / month to go device free. Put your phone on aeroplane mode or turn it off completely, and give yourself some time and space away from the constant stream of content and information.

2.CREATE SPACE FROM NEGATIVE INFLUENCES

The people we spend time with have a significant influence on the way we view ourselves and the world around us. As Jim Rohn so wisely said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If you surround yourself with five Debbie Downers, you’ll become the sixth. On the contrary, if you spend your time with five optimists, you’ll become the sixth.

Take some time to consider the types of people you surround yourself with. Are they the types of people you look up to and admire? Do they have a positive influence on you? Do they genuinely have your best interest at heart? Are they wanting to see you succeed?

Identifying the types of people and your relationships with those people, specifically when it comes to family members and long-standing friends, can be a confronting experience for many. Now that we are limiting our social interactions, use this as a time to determine whether those individuals are adding or taking away from your life. If they are not positively contributing to your life, it may be an opportunity to review these relationships.

3. SHIFT FOCUS

As Tony Robbins so wonderfully put it, “where focus goes, energy flows.” Sometimes, a shift in focus requires a conscious decision to be made. If you identify yourself as someone who has lots of issues and problems in your life, here are some ways to help reframe those challenges:

• Ask yourself, “What would this look like if this were easy?”
• Rather than focusing on all the things you can’t do, focus on the things you can do.
• Instead of saying “Why is this happening to me?” Ask yourself, “Why is this happening for me?” What is the lesson or learning here?

Sometimes, a shift in focus can help you to understand the picture. It also helps you to find the hidden opportunities which lay within obstacles and challenges.

4. POSITIVE PRACTICES

One of the ways to create more positivity in your life, is to adopt positive practices. These can be small habits or rituals you practice on a daily basis, which create a sense of joy. Some of the positive practices I enjoy include meditation and gratitude. Every morning, I spend at least 10 minutes meditating via the headspace app. I then open up my journal and write down at least three things I feel grateful for in that moment. Whilst these may seem like small, insignificant tasks to some, the power of these practices is enormous. By starting the day with positivity, it creates a compounding effect throughout the course of the day.

Some of the other positive practices I enjoy include eating well and focusing on my overall health and fitness. I love to workout and enjoy a great sweat session. Since I haven’t been able to workout at the gym, I have been walking lots and spending time outdoors in the sunshine, which has been so wonderful. I’ve also been doing some online workouts at home, which have surprisingly worked out quite well. Prioritising my mental and physical health and wellbeing is something which is incredibly important to me. When I workout and eat well, I feel really good. That feeling helps me to remain more calm and positive, even throughout the more challenging times.

5. MORNING ROUTINE

My morning routine is undeniably one of the single most impactful practices I’ve developed. My days are so much more positive and productive when I rise early, and spend the first part of the day investing in my mind and my body. You can find a detailed breakdown of my morning routine here, however here are some of my usual morning practices:

• Make the bed.
• Meditate using the headspace app.
• Gratitude practice.
• Workout / walk in nature.
• Read / listen to a podcast.

If you would like to create an early morning routine, I highly recommend reading Robin Sharma’s best-selling book The 5am Club. In this book, Robin shares a compelling case and some wonderful resources and tools to create an elite morning routine.

PRACTICES TO LIVE A MORE POSITIVE LIFE

What are some of the practices you’ve put in place to live a more positive life? I would love to hear your thoughts and experiences, please leave your comments below!