There’s a lot of information out there about the power of a positive outlook. A positive outlook can help increase satisfaction and a feeling of well-being but it isn’t about putting a smile on when things are going sideways or pretending that everything is great when it not. That just causes more stress, resistance, and at some point, it does catch up with you. A positive mindset is about building resilience so when things do go sideways you can navigate the tough spots with greater ease and grace.
Energetically we have a tendency toward dynamic homeostasis. Simply put this means you’re constantly trying to match the energetic state you are in, so boosting your energetic frequency means you subconsciously seek a matching frequency. It isn’t the end all be all but plays a big role in your well-being.
Here are a few tips for cultivating a more positive mindset. The idea here isn’t to do all of these items all of the time but to sprinkle in a few of them throughout your week to help build that positive mindset. There is no right or wrong. You’ll be surprised how much they can shift your mindset.
Affirmations
Think of affirmations as a quick pat on the back or vote of confidence. It’s simply a positive statement. By telling yourself something positive you’re training your brain to look for evidence to support it and that reinforces the affirmation. Writing or stating affirmations can shift your mindset pretty quickly. I have the habit of writing them in my journal each morning and I have one I say when I’m feeling stressed. (I know your thinking “what is it” so here it is… ‘You can do hard things, you can say no, you can ask for help’)
Play
When your swirling in a negative spiral taking a few minutes to play or do something that feels good to you can help shift the pattern. When you move from where you are (if you can’t physically move close your eyes and imagine it) and engage in an activity you love – reading, dancing, drawing, listening to music – even for a few minutes you interrupt the pattern and shift to a more positive one. The bonus is this is also really good self-care and when we practice self-care we tend to be more productive. 
Shift Your Environment
Sometimes it’s the energy of the people around us that tugs at us. By being aware of what the energy in the room is and adjusting your actions you can shift this. Try finding an upbeat friend or co-worker to spend some time with, get outside in nature, find some beauty to appreciate, or throw in some headphones and listen to some music. This acts as a buffer to the negative energy in the room.
Show Your Pearly Whites
Yes, seriously, I’m saying simply smile. Turn the corners of your mouth upwards and show your teeth…for no reason. We have neuropathways that associate the action of smiling with positive emotion. It seems like a silly thing, but it works.
Offer a Helping Hand
Research shows that being kind to or helping someone else generates positive emotions. Shifting your attention to someone else distracts you from your own problems and sometimes gives us the space to see what is going right in our own lives. It also helps to enhance our empathy, which can help us be kinder to others and ourselves
Test out these energy shifters and let me know what works (or not) and please share what works for you that’s not on my list.
Bonus technique
Keep a ‘Done Well’ list
Instead of focusing on a ‘to do’ list at the end of the day jot down 2 or 3 things that you did well. This is a great way to show yourself some appreciation. Most of us have more things on our to-do list than we could ever hope to finish. We are hardwired to look for what went wrong (negativity bias), and our monkey mind will certainly chime in when things don’t get done/go perfectly/take too long etc.
One way to tame this beast is to focus on what did go well. You kept your promise to walk the dog this morning or you helped a colleague finish up a project she’s been struggling with, you get the idea. Bonus point if you share this with someone and listen to his or her ‘done well’ items.