5 exercises to train a positive mindset
Humans are, by nature, doomsayers. That is not necessarily our fault. We are trained to see negative things rather than positive things. We call this the negativity bias. In the past, in the Neanderthals, we had to see the negative things faster than the positive to survive. But is a positive mindset not possible at all?
Being more positive in life makes it all a lot easier. For example, with a positive mindset, you can deal with stress better, and that is by no means the only advantage. How can you train your mindset to become more positive?
Exercises training positive mindset
Before we share five exercises, we first want to give a big tip: be patient. You can’t expect to have a positive mindset tomorrow suddenly. For example, you have to train for a sports performance before you can successfully execute it, so must you with your mindset.
Have patience, and you will see that you will gradually become more positive in life.
Start the day positively
When you negatively start your day with negative emotion, you start 0-1 behind. One way to start the day with a positive mindset is to tell yourself that today will be a good day.
It probably feels crazy to say this to yourself, and you may not believe it at first. But in time, you will discover how powerful such a positive affirmation can be.
Too floaty for you? Then start every morning with a dance. Put on a lovely song and dance! Because… he who is cheerful in the morning, laughs all day long.
Write down three positive things every day
Gratitude is extremely powerful. Research has shown that gratitude can relieve depression, help with insomnia and even help heart patients recover faster. You can train your mindset to be more grateful and therefore more positive.
The assignment is simple: every day before going to bed, write down three positive things today. Even if you’re having a shitty day, you’ll be able to come up with something. After all, you have a roof over your head and people who love you.
Over time you will recognize the positive things when they happen, and you will be more positive in life.
Stop talking negatively to yourself
But of course, saying goodbye to the negative things you say to yourself is easier said than done. The first step is to “catch” yourself in your negative thoughts.
This way, you can train yourself to recognize this negative self-talk and turn it into positive thoughts.
Below we share some positive statements you can say to yourself:
- “This is an opportunity to learn something new’ instead of ‘I’ve never done it, so I don’t know if it will work.”
- “Practice makes perfect” instead of “I will never succeed in this.”
- “I’ll do my best and keep trying” instead of “I’m so bad at this.”
We warn you that it will feel silly, awkward, and fake at first. But believe us: the more often you actively think about it, the more it will happen naturally.
Surround yourself with positive people
Okay, this may not be quite an “exercise,” but you will still need to put effort, time, and energy into meeting positive people if you don’t already have them around. When you constantly surround yourself with people who negatively view the world, it will be more challenging to maintain a positive mindset yourself.
By surrounding yourself with positive people, who tell positive stories, you will train your mindset to have a more positive outlook on life yourself.
Turn mistakes into valuable lessons
We are humans, not robots. And so, it makes sense that we occasionally make mistakes. In our relationships, at work, and in life in general. Yet, it feels like the end of the world when we make mistakes, or things don’t go the way we thought.
How do you ensure that you see mistakes as the valuable lessons they are? Buy a nice notebook where you keep track of all your mistakes and successes. You can learn something from both. First, write down what went right or wrong and then one concrete lesson you learned from this.
