Developing a Positive Mindset can seem to be a very daunting task. But there are some simple ways you can develop this over time that will help you to keep the positivity flowing.

It is becoming increasingly important for us all in this technology driven age to develop and maintain a Positive Mindset. This new technology re-enforces the fact that we need to keep our minds in check to not only keep up with these changes, but also to make sure it doesn’t completely consume us.

With social media playing a huge role in our every day lives, it’s easier than ever to compare ourselves to others. This behaviour and often quite negative self talk, and in turn, mental state caused from social media and our ever increasingly busy lives, can cause us to enter into what seems like a never ending negative spiral downwards.

There’s no surprise that there’s an increase in mental health cases throughout the UK and beyond. This is a subject that I am passionate about alongside the interior design work that I do.

For the last four years or so I have really seen the importance of developing and maintaining a positive mindset. Particularly adjusting from education to working full-time in London, and to different ways of working within practices, it was paramount that a good mindset was developed.

Whilst I continue to strive to developing a Positive Mindset, it is a journey that only you can choose to pursue.

It seemed like an appropriate time to share with you some of my top tips and ideas on how you too can develop a Positive Mindset.

Let’s take a closer look at these ways you can develop a more Positive Mindset.

Identify

First of all, we need to identify why you’re in a negative, or below average, head space and mindset. This may be because of a negative situation you have been involved with, or generally it’s a bit of a rough time at the moment.

Either, is perfectly okay. Hell – however you are feeling right now – is okay. There’s never a right or wrong way of feeling because everyone is different and we all experience, react and deal with situations in different ways.

It really helps to allow yourself some time to understand and identify your thoughts and what is causing them. To do this, I’d highly recommend getting your thoughts down on paper and allowing yourself to release any thoughts you may have bottled up inside.

Try asking yourself the following questions:

• What thoughts do I have when I identify something as bad instead of neutral or good?
• What beliefs do I strive in myself?

Journal

There are always going to be things you think about too much. These are often negative thoughts. Becoming aware of these negative thoughts and what causes them – identify them and the cause – is the first step to over coming them and flipping them into positive ones.

Journalling is one of the easiest and soul fulfilling things you can do for yourself.

Release all the thoughts running through your mind and get them down on paper. There’s something so satisfying and relieving about getting things off your chest and onto paper.

Meditate

Just 5-10 minutes of meditation a day can help relieve stress, anxiety and even symptoms of depression. You can easily add this into your daily routine before getting ready or during the evening before going to sleep.

Although it may seem like a “fluffy” exercise to practice every day, there are ways you can gradually add this into your day. It is definitely worth trying, even if you only have a few days a week you can start implementing it into your routine, try it out and see how it makes you feel afterwards. I can guarantee that it will help to create a positive outlook on the day ahead.

Try guided meditations on YouTube to start off with – these guide you through the breathing techniques and explain throughout about what to focus your thoughts on.

Meditation is about being present in that exact moment in time, allowing us to retreat into calmness. Not only that, it recharges us to a more positive mental state, perfect for starting the day right.

Rid the Toxicity

This may come across like a no-brainer for some, but it’s actually quite a fundamental point to make. They say that “you are most like the five people you spend the most time with.”

Let me repeat that to really sink in:

“You are most like the five people you spend the most time with.”

Take some time to evaluate and reflect on those you spend the majority of your time with. Are these people discussing bright and positive ideas with you or are they complaining or criticising during your time spent with them?

If the majority is the latter, then I seriously suggest Evaluating whether or not these people are contributing to your personal growth. If they are genuinely fun to be around and are supportive of you, try limiting your time spent with them to minimise the negative conversations.

If there are overly negative or toxic people in your life, try to eliminate them from your life. It’s no good for you and your growth if you are consistently surrounded by negativity.

I promise you that you will notice a HUGE difference to your life and the way you see things if you minimise time spent or eliminate negative people from your life. As hard or harsh as this may seem, it is one of the best things you can do for yourself.

Surrounding Yourself Positively

Of course, there is a flip side to cutting the negative people from your life. And that is to surround yourself with positive people instead.

This goes for things as well as people. Are there apps on your phone that don’t contribute to a leading a positive life? Consider a day or two detox from them and reflect on how that made you feel afterwards.

Also, the people or accounts you may follow on these applications (such as Instagram, Facebook or Twitter) – do they leave you feeling happy and positive after you see a new post from them? Or down in the dumps with negative thoughts on yourself?

Consider unfollowing or unsubscribing to those that don’t fuel you with positivity or helpful information.

Review your personal relationships with certain family members and friends. Are there a few that always leave you feeling amazing after spending time with them? Prioritise these people ad make sure you spend more time with them.

Gratitude

Expressing gratitude towards those things or people you are genuinely grateful for having in your life is a sure way of attracting more positive situations back to you.

This works best as a daily, quick 5 minute practice.

What I like to do is have a small A5 or A6 notebook where I can write down at least three things I’m grateful for that day. Usually when I wake up as part of my morning routine, but this can be done at any point during the day too.

This practice of gratitude always leaves me feeling better and more positive about life and whatever is going on at that time.

Give it a go!

Affirmations

Another practice that can be incorporated into your daily routine are Affirmations. This is essentially a form of positive and motivational self-talk.

Often on my way to big client meetings or before a big day at work, I will say out loud a series of positive and motivational speeches in the car to myself.

That sounds absolutely crazy written down like this! But don’t knock it until you’ve tried it because even a simple and stern “today will be amazing” or “everything will work out in the best way possible and it will be a highly productive day” sets you up for a more positive and rewarding day.

Or simply say to yourself as you’re getting ready in the morning, “I can do this”, “I am worth it” or “I am loved” will set you up for a more positive day ahead.

Check out Rebecca Hawkes’ 31 Affirmations to Increase Confidence for some ideas.

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I aim to practice all of the above exercises in order to develop and maintain a positive mindset every day. Of course there will be days where you receive bad news or a negative situation arises, but what is most important in these situations is how you deal with them. And therefore how you can overcome them quickly to regain your positive mindset again.

I hope the above practices will help you too, to develop and maintain your positive mindset in an every-changing and challenging world! Do you practice any of the above already? How do you develop and maintain your own positive mindset?

Wishing you all you positivity in the world,

Jessica xo