If you’ve been wondering how to think happy thoughts, you’re not alone.
It’s no mystery that our thoughts can significantly impact our mood. For instance, it’s difficult to be unhappy when you’re thinking about good times or happy memories!
Have you tried to implement positive thinking into your daily routine? You may have tried but haven’t had much success. You might also be looking for some good tips on how to think happy thoughts.
If any of this sounds familiar, you’ve come to the right place. Training your brain to think positively isn’t something that happens overnight. You need consistency!
Let’s discuss why you should think happy thoughts and look at some practical tips you can use to help you.
Why Should You Try To Think Happy Thoughts?
A more positive outlook is great for you and your mental well-being! Here are some of the benefits of positive thinking:
Reduced Stress Levels
When you’re focused on negative thoughts, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by stress. Negative thoughts can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure, anxiety, and depression.
On the other hand, thinking happy thoughts can help reduce your stress levels. If you can find ways to think positively even during tough times, you’ll be better equipped to handle whatever challenges come your way.
Improved Physical Health
It’s not just your mental health that benefits from positive thinking. A Harvard University study found that optimists are less likely to die from heart disease, cancer, stroke, respiratory disease, and infection than pessimists.
Other research has shown that people who think positively are more likely to enjoy better overall physical health, including having stronger immune systems, faster recovery from surgery, and less pain from chronic illness.
Longer Life Expectancy
A recent study found that people who had a more positive outlook on life tended to live 11-15% longer than those who didn’t.
The study followed a group of individuals throughout their lifetimes and found that the optimists in the group were also more likely to reach the age of 85 than the pessimists.
So, not only can positive thoughts improve the quality of your life, but can also help you live longer!
Improved Resilience
When facing challenges, dwelling on negative thoughts and giving up is easy. If you want to be more resilient in the face of adversity, thinking happy thoughts can help.
Positive thinking allows you to see the good in every situation and find ways to overcome challenges. You’re more likely to think of creative solutions and persevere when things get tough.
11 Tips On How To Think Happy Thoughts
Now that we’ve discussed some benefits of positive thinking, let’s look at how you can start thinking happy thoughts.
1. Practice Positive Self-Talk
The things that we say to ourselves have a significant impact on our thoughts and emotions. The words we choose to use in everyday life play a huge role in our happiness.
If you constantly tell yourself that you’re not good enough or can’t do something, it will be harder for you to think positive thoughts.
So, replace negative words with positive words. Instead of “No,” say “Yes.” Instead of “I can’t,” say “I can.”
Stop negative self-talk and say positive affirmations instead. Substitute “I’m not good enough” with “I am capable and can learn and succeed in any situation.”
It may initially feel strange, but speaking more positively will eventually become second nature. And when you start talking to yourself in a positive way, you will notice that your thoughts and emotions change for the better.
2. Find Humor In Everyday Life
One of the best ways to think happy thoughts is to find humor in everyday life. Laughter is one of the best coping skills to have. Life can be challenging and stressful, but if you can find something funny in even the most mundane situations, it can help to give you a much-needed boost of happiness.
Humor can come from any situation, from a funny conversation you overhear to an ironic occurrence that makes you giggle. So, take the time to look for humor in everyday life. Look around, observe others, and find the funny moments waiting to be noticed. Learn to laugh at yourself and the situations you find yourself in, and it will be easier to let go of negative thoughts.
3. Hang Out With Happy People
The people you spend the most time with can significantly influence your mood. If you want to think happy thoughts, surround yourself with positive people.
If you’re around people who are always complaining, you’re likely to start feeling negative yourself.
But if you spend time with positive, upbeat people, you’re more likely to feel happy and optimistic. This is true for partners as well! You need to be with someone who makes you happy.
Positivity is contagious, so choose your company wisely and make an effort to spend more time with people who make you feel good. Remembering your time with them will also give you more happy thoughts to reminisce about!
4. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgment. You can do this through meditation, yoga, or simply by paying more attention to your breathing.
When you are mindful, you are better able to control your thoughts. You will also be more aware when a negative thought pops up so that you can deal with it more constructively.
5. Be Grateful For What You Have
It’s easy to take the things we have for granted. We often only focus on what we don’t have and what we want. So taking the time to be grateful for what you do have can make a world of difference.
Positive people understand this well. They make it a point to regularly reflect on what they are grateful for. These things can be anything from having a roof over their head to being surrounded by loving family and friends.
When you focus on what you are grateful for, it will be easier to see the good in your life and think happy thoughts.
6. Celebrate Small Wins
When you’re working towards a goal, it’s easy to get caught up in the end result. But it’s important to celebrate your small wins along the way.
Doing this will help you to stay motivated and focused on your goal. It will also remind you that you are making progress, even if it’s slow.
Whenever you achieve something, take a moment to celebrate. This could be as simple as giving yourself a pat on the back or treating yourself to a small reward. Doing this will train your brain to focus on the positive.
And keeping a positive attitude will increase your chances of achieving your goal!
7. Focus On The Bigger Picture And Be Kind
It’s easy to get caught up in the here and now. But when you step back and focus on the bigger picture, it will be easier to see things in perspective.
Remember that everyone is fighting their own battles. And even though someone may seem to have it all together, they may be struggling on the inside. So, be kind to others.
Focus on helping someone else or on an issue bigger than yourself. You’ll realize that your personal problems are smaller than you thought. By helping others, you will also feel better about yourself.
Kindness is contagious. When you perform an act of kindness, it often inspires others to do the same. You can start a chain reaction of positivity and happiness just by being kind.
8. Listen To Uplifting Music
Music can change our mood. Put on your favorite tunes when you’re stressed or overwhelmed, and let the music lift your spirits.
Choose songs that make you feel good or make you want to dance or sing along. The music will flood you will positive feelings and take the focus off of your worries.
Need some ideas for songs to listen to? Here’s our list of the best happy music of the last 50 years!
9. Forgive People
Negative thinking from resentment and anger will only hurt you in the long run. If someone has wronged you, forgive them.
You don’t need to forget what happened or be friends with the person who hurt you. But releasing yourself from the negativity and anger you are holding onto will allow you to move on with your life and be happier. It will also prevent any negative emotions from seeping into your relationships with others.
When you let go of these negative thoughts from your mind, you’ll have space to fill with positive and productive ones.
10. Limit Your Time On Social Media
Social media can be a great way to keep in touch with friends and family. But it can also be a source of negative thoughts.
If you compare your life to the lives you see on social media, it’s easy to think you’re not good enough. You may also feel like you’re not doing enough or don’t have enough.
Remember that social media isn’t always an accurate reflection of real life. People tend to post the best parts of their lives, not all the ups and downs. Also, fake photos, videos, and stories have become increasingly easy to create with artificial intelligence. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Unplug from social media and focus on yourself. Do something fun, spend time with your loved ones, or take a break and relax.
11. Do Something You Love Every Day
Doing something you love makes it easy to feel happy and fulfilled. So, make it a point to do something you love every day.
You can do anything from reading a book to going for a walk outside in nature. It doesn’t matter what you do. Just make sure you do something that makes you happy.
Making time for things you love will make you feel more positive and content with your life. You’ll create more happy memories to look back on and have something to look forward to every day.
Final Thoughts
It’s normal to have negative thoughts from time to time. But you can become happier if you learn to become a positive thinker!
The good news is that there are many things you can do to start thinking more positively.
In general, be proactive about your state of mind. Live in the present, be mindful, and cultivate gratitude. Fill your life with people and things that make you happy, and avoid anything that stresses you out or makes you feel down.
Most importantly, be patient with yourself. It takes time to change the way you think. But if you’re persistent, eventually, you will start to think more happy thoughts. And, the more you exercise positive thinking, the easier it will be to do it automatically. So keep at it and enjoy the process!
For more happy thoughts, visit the a little dose of happy blog!
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