With all that happened in the last year, everyone is keen to get the new year started off on a good note. Apart from setting some resolutions, many people also swear by the power of “positive thinking” going into every new year.
Of course, there is always going to be debates on whether positive thoughts alone can change your life but everyone, including the skeptics, would admit that having a positive mindset in life is not such a bad thing after all. Among the things you need to do to get a successful “mindset switch” is noting all your bad habits of 2020, make a commitment to stop them, and set achievable goals to that effect.
For a start, here’s a simple guideline on how to achieve any form of positive new years resolution:
Have a positive start to every day
Make a promise to get into a positive mindset right from the moment you open your eyes every morning. This is key, as letting your thoughts stray to other worldly things (like your job, school, family, etc) could get you into a negative mood and potentially mess up your day.
If you find it hard to focus your thoughts on positive stuff, try reading some positivity and mindfulness books and practicing the commonly mentioned mental exercises. Yoga also helps in training the brain to focus on one thing at a time.
Adopt Positive Habits
Having a positive life does not start and end with what you feed your mind. What you do with your body also influences how your life pans out in the short and long terms. So, make a commitment to adopt good lifestyle habits like drinking lots of water, eating healthy, working out, and getting plenty of sleep. Admittedly, these are hard to get started with, but just like with bad habits, good habits are also easy to develop and get used to.
Appreciate Everything Good in Your Life
In our constant cravings for better things in life, we forget to acknowledge and appreciate the little, good things in our lives. In the new year, try taking a few minutes every day to acknowledge and extend gratitude to the universe for every good thing in your life. Be thankful for your family and friends, appreciate your good health, and celebrate that little pay rise, even though you think you deserve better.
Cut Off Negative People
I know this has become somewhat of a cliché but you really need to cut off anyone who constantly brings you down in the next year. Yes, it is natural to expect your closest friends and family to support your goals and desires to be a better person, even when it means you can’t spend a lot of time together. And if you don’t get this kind of support from people around you, you may want to reconsider their position in your life.
Be Consistent!
Consistency is always a problem for most people, and especially when it comes to new year resolutions. Think about the resolutions you had in the last couple of years – going to the gym more often, learning a new craft, avoiding junk food, etc – and how you abandoned them just a few weeks into the respective years.
This year, make a point of sticking with your positive mindset goal even when satisfactory results are not forthcoming. In those moments you feel like giving up, remind yourself that even if you are not where you want to be, you are not where you were either so you’re better off.
