Five Ways To Maintain a Positive Outlook

This is a little bit of a different post for me but it's one I've been thinking about writing for a while; I'm incredibly lucky in that I'm a naturally optimistic, upbeat, positive person, and I'm thankful for that. As I've got older, though, I have found I've had to make a more conscious effort at times to keep a positive mindset; without going into too much detail, sometimes life can seem pretty tough, so it's always good to have a contingency plan to help keep yourself thinking positive. Just a little disclaimer here; these are things that have helped me over the years, I can't guarantee they'll work for you, and if you're really struggling with negative thoughts it might be worth speaking to your GP and seeking some professional support.
Take time for yourself | Life can be hectic and I know it can be hard to find the time, but making just five minutes here and there to treat yourself can make a huge difference in how you feel. Valuing yourself as a person is so important and taking five minutes to paint your toenails once a week or spending an extra minute with your moisturiser of a morning to give yourself a mini facial massage can help to make you feel special. In and of itself, that makes it so much easier to look on the bright side of things!
Catch the negative thoughts | This one takes a little bit of practice as often, you're not even aware of negative thoughts, but trying to notice when you're being unnecessarily negative can be a really important step towards improving your outlook. When I catch a negative thought, I try to work out where it's come from, and then consciously replace it with a positive thought. So that might look a little something like this:
• Negative thought: I didn't get the job I interviewed for, I'm never going to get the job I want.
• Why am I thinking this?: I'm disappointed that I wasn't successful this time because I really liked the sound of the job. It's okay to be disappointed but that's not going to stop me!
• Replace with a positive thought: It was good to gain the interview experience and the feedback. I know I'm heading in the right direction, it's just a case of time and getting more work experience. Out of so many applicants, I did well to get an interview at all!
Make a happy playlist | Something as simple as five songs to listen to while you do your hair and make-up or on the way to work can really make a difference to how your day goes; pick songs that have happy memories for you or just ones that make you smile, and listen to them. This is such an easy way to pick your mood up when you're feeling a bit low and can help you get into the habit of starting your day off with a bit of positivity.
Get out and get moving | A little bit of fresh air and exercise can work wonders to improve your mood and your mindset; even if it's just ten minutes to go for a little walk, the change of scenery and the endorphins released by exercising can really make a difference! I know I'm super lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the country and I'm trying to make more of an effort to really appreciate it and get out there as often as I can, particularly because I find being out and about really helps to keep me in a positive mindset.
Be thankful | It can be so easy to get caught up in things you'd like to have, that you forget to appreciate what you already have. Yes, a new lipstick/dress/car might be lovely, but there's so much to be grateful for in everyday life. I try to make the effort to think of five things I'm grateful for each night, which I tend to do as I'm getting ready for bed, though you could try jotting them down in a notebook or journalling them if that's your cup of tea. Sometimes it's things as simple as having enough food to eat and a beautiful dog who's always pleased to see me, other times it might be catching up with a friend I've not spoken to in a while, or hearing a song on the radio at just the right time. It's so refreshing to take a minute or two to refocus on what's important and how lucky we really are.
Just to reiterate, these are all things I've found work well for me to help me stay in a positive frame of mind, but obviously we're all different and what works for me might not necessarily be helpful for you! That said, this might give you a few ideas for starting off towards becoming a more optimistic person - do you have any tips to add? Have you found any of these ideas helpful in keeping yourself in a positive mindset?

xo