Positive thinking is the practice of maintaining a mental attitude that opens possibilities for positive results, according to Remez Sasson, contributor to the Success Consciousness website. The mind finds the opportunities and circumstances it expects to find. When you develop positive thinking, you train your mind to notice circumstances that will benefit you and positively impact your life. Although positive thinking can be challenging, particularly when you encounter negative circumstances, certain strategies can help you improve your positive thinking skills.
Thought Awareness
People rarely notice the thoughts that enter their minds, because they are often preoccupied with work and other responsibilities. As a result, people do not challenge negative thoughts, which are often inappropriate, notes the Mind Tools website. To become more aware of your thoughts, write them down as they occur. You can also log stressful thoughts into a stress diary and review them at the end of the day--this will give you a clearer picture of whether your thoughts tend to be positive or negative. This gives you the opportunity to identify and challenge negative thoughts, and to eliminate them from your life.
Affirmations
An affirmation is a positive statement that you repeat many times, either out loud or in your mind. An affirmation should be constructed in the present tense, as if the positive event you want to experience has already occurred. For example, if you feel negative because you are overweight, repeat an affirmation such as "my body is thin and healthy." A positive affirmation starts in the conscious mind, but repetition programs the subconscious mind, according to the Success Consciousness website. The new thought pattern then becomes automatic, reprogramming your attitudes without constantly having to work at it. As a result, positive thinking becomes a natural part of your personality.
Practice Rational Thinking
Once you begin to identify the negative thoughts that repeatedly enter your mind, you can hold these thoughts up to rational thinking to determine if they are valid. Rational thinking involves looking for evidence that a particular thought pattern is valid or invalid, notes the Mind Tools website. For example, if you have negative thoughts about a public speech or presentation, you can ask yourself if you have properly researched the presentation material and devoted sufficient time to rehearsal. If so, the negative thoughts are irrational, and you can dismiss them.
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