How To Be More Positive Person: 15 Ways To Be More Optimistic

Ever wondered what you can do to become more positive?

Positive psychologists, coaches, and counselors around the world frequently try to explain the benefits of having positive attitudes in our daily lives.

As a result, chances are high that you’ve heard somewhere the phrase “try to be more positive”. However, it’s not really easy to become positive all of a sudden and improve your quality of life.

What does it mean to be positive after all?

In simple words, being positive means looking at things from a bright perspective. And in fact, a positive approach to life helps improve your subjective well-being and quality of life.

That’s why confident people tend to motivate themselves and develop a positive attitude towards everyday life.

In this article, we’ll review why it’s important to be positive and what the benefits of having a positive approach are.

We’ll help you to find new ways to become more positive, reduce stress, and overcome dark moments in your life.

Why is Important to Be Positive, Happy & What Benefits Has Those State of a Mind

Having a positive outlook on life is accompanied by plenty of benefits for our lives and mental health.

While negative self-talk and mindset usually lead to stress and sometimes even cause mental health issues such as depression or anxiety, a positive state of mind helps people reduce stress, become more mindful, and improve their quality of life.

In fact, various scientific studies prove the benefits of being positive on our physical and psychological well-being.

Specifically, a meta-analytic study of 30 years of inquiry pointed out that stressful events and traumas change the effective functioning of our immune system.

On the contrary, happy people who have positive mindsets have better coping mechanisms for stress and trauma.

The reason is that positive thinking is accompanied by positive emotions, including love, joy, pride, or excitement.

As a result, our brain releases so-called “happiness hormones” like serotonin or dopamine, and consequently, we can effectively manage stress, cope with tough situations, and become more optimistic about future events in our lives.

And being optimistic is no less important than thinking positively because optimism is an effective way to manage daily stressors.

Therefore, it’s crucial to maintain a positive mindset in our daily lives, even when we experience stress and go through negative situations.

10 Benefits of Being Positive

Here are 10 scientifically-proven benefits of being positive in our body and mind:

1. Positive thinking reduces stress levels and helps you cope with traumatic events
2. Positive thinking improves performance at work and leads to increased job satisfaction
3. People who think positively have longer lifespans as it improves life expectancy
4. Being positive helps you experience positive emotions and become more resilient
5. Being positive boosts the immune system
6. Positive thinking helps people have better social and romantic relationships
7. Being positive increases confidence and leads to higher self-esteem
8. Positive people help people think more critically and solve problems efficiently
9. Being positive is linked to efficient decision-making
10. Being positive helps people maintain a broader perspective

15 Ways To Be More Positive And Happy In Life & Workplace

If you want to become more positive and improve your daily life, social relationships, or workplace attitude, there are many things that you can do.

Regardless of your current situation, positive psychologists prove that there is always a way to develop a healthier perspective and improve the quality of your life, as a result.

The following tips will help you improve both your physical and mental health, become positive, and maintain this perspective for long-term benefits.

1. Start your day in a positive way

How do you start your day? If you’re like most people, chances are that your day starts with snoozing the alarm clock over and over again.

If that’s the case, then you need to change your morning habits because starting the day in a positive way is crucial for experiencing positive emotions and reducing stress throughout the day.

Instead of starting your day stressed about all the work you have, try to take a few minutes, do morning stretches or meditate in order to stress yourself for no reason.

That way, you’ll boost your positive emotions and maintain a happy mood during the day.

2. Maintain a healthy diet

Did you know that caffeinated people have trouble maintaining a positive attitude toward their everyday life?

The reason is that caffeine consumption increases cortisol levels in our bodies, which results in stress and anxiety. That’s why you should cut off all the bad habits and try to eat healthily instead.

Filling your body regularly with healthy fruits, vegetables, and maybe even snacks will help you feel better.

As a result, your metabolism will soon regulate and you’ll no longer find it hard to become happy and maintain a positive attitude.

3. Engage in regular exercise

Regular exercise is also a great way to become more positive and increase your well-being.

In fact, studies show a link between exercise and mental health benefits such as reduced levels of depression and anxiety.

Besides, the benefits of exercise include an increase in energy levels, reduced stress, and a better mood throughout the day.

Mindful exercises will also help you to control your weight, feel more confident, and avoid several health conditions and diseases.

But most importantly, regular exercise classes will help you improve your social life and gain new friends, which are important for being positive.

So, don’t hesitate anymore to invite your best friend for walks, and you’ll soon notice not one, but various positive results in your life.

4. Get enough quality sleep

The majority of the time we feel bad for no particular reason, it’s because of a lack of sleep. Why?

Lack of sleep affects our physical and mental health badly, reduces our mood, and worsens our performance either at work or in school.

The reason is that quality sleep is crucial for our bodies to gain energy. And without energy, it’s almost impossible to perform well in the workplace.

So, try to get at least 6–8 hours of sleep, depending on your age, and make quality sleep a priority. Sleeping well will boost your energy and help you experience positive emotions.

5. Surround yourself with positive influences

Sometimes, when painful situations surround us, we believe that it’s almost impossible to experience positive emotions and feel better.

However, if you spend time with your circle of friends in tough times and avoid being with people like your furry friend, you’ll soon notice that being positive even in stressful times is possible after all.

So, next time you are around people you love, try to use as much body language as possible to increase positive emotions and avoid the negativity of friends to improve your mood and feel more confident in yourself.

6. Move through your day mindfully

Spending time practicing mindfulness is a proven way to cope with bad situations and develop a more positive perspective toward life.

In fact, mindfulness practices help people become more aware of their inner thoughts and get in touch with their emotions.

As a result, they understand their needs and requirements and try to find their purpose in life or achieve the goals that they already have.

7. Understand your values and what is truly important to you

In today’s fast-paced world, we spend our personal time without thinking about things that truly matter to us.

We maintain relationships with people who don’t understand our values, and this, in turn, badly affects our self-esteem.

In order to become positive and feel happy, you need to realize all your strengths and values and focus on your advantages instead of thinking about things that don’t really matter.

So, try to surround yourself with people who will help you realize your values and spend your time wisely.

8. Find the positive viewpoint in a negative situation

Have you ever tried to turn your negative energy into positive energy? If you still don’t know how to be positive, chances are that you haven’t.

However, finding a positive viewpoint in a negative situation is a great way to boost positive emotions and get rid of stressful situations.

Believe it or not, every bad situation can have even a tiny positive detail in it.

So, try to find these small positive details, focus on them, and develop a positive image in mind about those small positive ideas.

9. Make your home a positive environment

How comfortable do you feel at home?

Admit it. Even though the home is associated with a warm and comfortable feeling in general, sometimes we don’t really feel that our home is a place where we can experience positive emotions.

That’s why you should try to make your home a positive environment. In order to do so, you should get rid of all the useless things that don’t let your home become a positive place.

Remember that your home represents who you are, and if it’s a place that provokes positive feelings in you, it will likely help you become more positive about life in general too.

10. Practice gratitude

Positive psychologists and counselors often include the practice of gratitude as a technique in their therapies.

The reason is that practicing the cycle of gratitude is a helpful way to feel better about yourself and develop a positive mindset.

Just try to use a daily gratitude journal and don’t forget to think about all the things that make you feel gratitude throughout the day.

If it sounds a bit tough, you can even find a gratitude partner and fill the journal together. That way, you’ll realize that you have more reasons to be happy than you could have imagined.

11. Leave work at work

It’s true that maintaining a work-life balance isn’t easy.

In fact, that’s one of the hardest things to do, but as studies show, it’s necessary not only for our work performance but also for our mental health and well-being.

So, it doesn’t really matter how many deadlines you have, you should just leave work at work.

Try to spend time with your loved ones when you’re at home, instead of thinking about all the things that you couldn’t manage throughout the day.

12. Give yourself a break

However engaged a life you have, you should remember that it’s vitally important to give yourself a break from time to time.

In fact, simple breaks help us maintain focus, stay motivated and perform well. Otherwise, our productivity might be reduced, and we may end up feeling burnt out.

On the contrary, taking short but frequent breaks during the workday won’t cause any trouble but will help you maintain positivity and feel some energy even after a stressful day at work.

13. Continue to learn

Practice shows that the more you learn, the better you feel. And if you try to keep learning, it means you acknowledge that you can’t possibly know everything.

Therefore, you develop rational self-esteem instead of having too high or too low self-esteem, which is bad for your overall well-being.

But also, learning new things will help you develop new and healthy perspectives and find out interesting things about life that will boost your energy and positivity.

14. Focus on one thing at a time

Another way to increase positivity is to avoid multitasking.

Although doing various things at the same time is considered something desired in the work industry, actually it’s better to focus on one thing at a time.

So, plan in mind what you’re going to do throughout the week and have just one thing in mind at a certain period of time. Once you finish one task, take a break and switch to another only afterward.

15. Know your intrinsic motivation

Intrinsic motivation is a concept that means doing something because you find it internally rewarding, instead of doing it because you’ll get some material or social rewards.

It’s not something new that most of the time we do things because we get something in return.

It doesn’t matter whether it’s a material reward or not, doing something because you’re expecting another thing in return won’t lead to positive emotions

However, if you perform a certain activity just because you find it intrinsically motivating, chances are that you’ll feel positive emotions as a result.

So, try to find your intrinsic motivation and behave according to your inner values.

How To Improve Own Positivity and Happiness

Believe it or not, improving positivity and increasing happiness is possible for even the hardest person in life.

Instead of doubting yourself constantly or asking questions about actions people do and you don’t like, it’s better to develop a positive mindset and figure out how you can be even happier and more positive.

Here are some ways to improve your own positivity and become happier:

• Try positive self-affirmations – Positive self-affirmations increase positive emotions quickly and effectively. Just tell yourself every day that you’re strong, you’re confident, you’re beautiful, you can do it, and you will achieve your goals. As a result, you’ll soon notice that your negative mindset has turned into positivity.
• Practice positive self-talk –  Talk to yourself the way your best friend would and let yourself know that you’re loved. Positive self-talk means being compassionate towards yourself and expressing kindness and gratitude towards yourself. That way, you’ll boost your confidence and become more self-aware.
• Engage in mindfulness – Mindfulness is one of the most effective techniques to improve your positivity and maintain a happy and healthy attitude towards life. In fact, practicing mindfulness will help you focus on your strengths and weaknesses and accept yourself, which will eventually lead to positivity.
• Say nice things to people – Complimenting other people is a good way to make someone’s day and feel positive about ourselves along the way. Just try to be sincere, and once you notice the need to say nice things to other people, say it out loud, and you’ll notice how much you enjoy making your loved ones happy.
• Think about things you need to change – The key to becoming positive is changing things that you don’t like in your life. But for this, first, you need to identify what needs improving and what is there to change. So, create a list of things that need to change in your life and follow your plan.

5 Books on How To Be Positive

Reading self-help books is one of the best ways to become more positive and increase life satisfaction.

Nowadays, authors around the world write more and more books about cultivating a positive mindset using their experiences.

Below, we’ll discuss the top 5 most efficient books in 2022 that will help you to engage in positive thinking and become happier about yourself.

1. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie

When it comes to promoting positive self-talk, Dale Carnegie is a real hero to many people around the world.

“How to Stop Worrying and Start Living” helps readers to engage in healthy thinking and develop a more fulfilling life.

The author tries to help you focus on important aspects of your daily life. Carnegie’s amazing perspective will definitely motivate you to change your daily life as soon as possible.

2. The Magic of Believing – Claude M. Bristol

“The Magic of Believing” is another inspiring book with the main purpose of promoting positive thinking.

The author, Claude M. Bristol, is a veteran of World War I who helped soldiers get rid of the negative impact of their civilian lives.

As a result, the book will help you to develop a fresh new perspective on life, and as a result, you’ll realize how much power your thoughts have on your life.

3. How To Do The Work – Dr. Nicole Lepera

If you wonder how to get through your daily responsibilities without draining all your energy, consider reading “How To Do The Work” by Dr. Nicole Lepera.

The author is a holistic psychologist who tries to explain the importance of breaking free from destructive behaviors and turning our lives upside down.

Based on readers’ reviews, after reading the book you’ll feel encouraged and inspired to make significant changes.

4. The Power of Your Subconscious Mind – Joseph Murphy

Have you ever heard anything about the concept of “unconscious”?

If you haven’t, now is the right time to read “The Power of Your Subconscious Mind” by Joseph Murphy and find out how much impact your subconscious mind has on your mind and life.

The book will help you unlock your hidden potential and discover your inner desires.

5. The Courage To Be Happy – Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga

Everyone wants to be happy. However, sometimes being happy takes so much courage that we refuse to pursue our dreams.

The book “The Courage To Be Happy” written by Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga is a real best-seller in entire Asia.

The authors help readers find happiness in the process of reading the book and give them insights about having a happy and fulfilling life.

10 Inspiring Quotes for Positivity & Happiness

List of 10 Quotes

1. “You can have it all. Just not all at once.” — Oprah Winfrey
2. “Do good and good will come to you.” — Adam Lowy
3. “Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it.”  — Greg Anderson
4. “Once you do something you love, you never have to work again.” — Willie Hill
5. “Be happy with what you have. Be excited about what you want.” — Alan Cohen
6. “We all have two lives. The second one starts when we realize we only have one.” — Confucius
7. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s life in your years.” — Abraham Lincoln
8. “If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.”  — Andrew Carnegie
9. “True happiness is not attained through self-gratification, but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”  — Helen Keller
10. “We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.” — Winston Churchill

Bonus: How to Think Positive When Depressed

Maintaining a positive attitude is especially tough when you have depression or are feeling depressed.

The reason is that depression significantly affects the way you think, feel, and behave.

During depression, the levels of serotonin are slightly reduced, meaning that it’s hard to feel happy even when you have particular triggers for it.

Consequently, it’s important to try and develop a positive mindset if you feel depressed.

During times of depression, seeking therapy is the best way to increase your mood and feel better. However, before that, you can also try other ways.

For example, if you feel depressed, you should surround yourself with loved ones and focus on family life.

The reason is that being with your family members will help you feel safe and sound and let you focus on yourself instead of outside stressors.

Besides, you should try to practice as much kindness per week as possible. This will help you feel positive emotions towards other people, and as a result, you’ll feel better about yourself too.

Frequently Asked Questions About Being Positive

How to be more positive and happy in a relationship?

In order to be more positive in a relationship, you should try to talk to your partner constructively and listen to them as carefully as possible.

Telling your partner nice things, taking care of each other, and sharing small details about how your day went will help you become more positive.

As a result, your relationship will become healthier than before.

How to be more positive in conversation?

Positive communicators usually enjoy saying kind words to the people they’re talking to.

Instead of arguing about everything, they prefer to discuss things with other people and reach constructive solutions.

Therefore, in order to maintain positivity in conversation or become more positive, you should try to look at things from other people’s perspectives and respect their feelings and opinions.

How do I train myself to be more positive?

Positive psychologists recommend a few ways to train yourself to become more positive.

In particular, if you want to be more positive, you should try to focus on the good things in people.

Practice gratitude, take part in mindfulness sessions and try to surround yourself with only positive people.

That way, you’ll identify your negative thoughts and change them to positivity more easily.

How do I stop being so negative?

To stop being so negative, you need to understand the reasons for being negative.

Stress, anxiety, and depression are some of the most common reasons that usually lead to negative thoughts.

Thus, you need to work on reducing stress in order to become more positive. For this, you should:

• Surround yourself with positive people
• Reevaluate your negative thoughts
• Try positive self-talk
• Meditate or practice mindfulness
• Live in the here-and-now moment

Why am I such a negative person?

The main reasons for being a negative person are related to both your environment and personality traits. First of all, you might have some negative personality traits, such as being narcissistic or egocentric.

However, a lot depends on the environment too.

If you have to work or live in a stressful situation where people share their negative thoughts and tend to criticize others, as a result, you also become a negative person, even when you don’t want to.