It is so easy to be negative. We are all guilty of falling into the trap of thinking something bad is going to happen and our situation will only get worse. It’s a hard habit to break when we think bad things consistently happen to us. But good news! It’s also extremely easy to be positive.

So how do we make the change from thinking negatively to thinking positively? You simply have to teach your brain certain strategies to fall into the most beneficial thought reactions. Once you do this, there is no “staying positive.”  That’s just who you are.

But before you can walk around and tout your amazing positivity, you have to put in a little extra effort. It might be difficult at first (especially if you’ve been a negative person for a while) but it will all pay off. You’ll have a smile on your face and a spring in your step instead of feeling like everything is out to get you.

Exercise!

As human beings, we weren’t designed to sit all day. We were built to move pretty regularly throughout the day—however, many of us spend our working and living hours in a stationary position. This can create physical issues as well as psychological issues. As generic and as repetitive as it sounds, you need to exercise, or at the very least, get up and move throughout the day. If you continue to live your life as a permanent sitter, those physical and psychological issues will eat you up and tear you apart, leaving absolutely no room for positivity.

Avoid Perfectionism

Many people are obsessed with some degree of perfectionism. Whether it’s the desire to be a perfect parent or a perfect lawyer or to have a perfectly clean home or perfectly organized life, this obsession is the quickest way to a negative outlook.  Everything is not exactly how it should be, and nothing is ever completely right. In these scenarios, negativity rules supreme because it always has the final say on how you’re living and what you’re doing wrong. Realize that nothing will ever be perfect and that there are things to be learned from your imperfections and imperfect situations that can make you a better, happier, prouder, and more positive person.

Look Toward Progress

The most positive thinking can come from looking forward to what’s next. So when you’re struggling with your downfalls or with an imperfect situation, you should automatically consider the next step. This involves contemplating how you can make a situation better or how you can end something and begin anew elsewhere.  Thinking like this inherently means thinking positively. If you fail to think ahead, then you’ll be forced to focus on what is wrong, what you did wrong, and what will continue to be wrong, pushing out positivity in the process.

Practice Mindfulness

You don’t have to be a master Buddhist monk to reap the rewards of being mindful. If you find yourself in a negativity rut, take a deep breath and think of three things you’re grateful for at this very moment. Try to pull yourself out of the hole by appreciating where you are in life, who you have around you, and the endless possibilities you have ahead of you. Be mindful of the things that make you happy and what triggers your negativity. Being more in tune with our own minds can make a significant difference.