Teach yourself positive thinking

The human brain keeps a record of unhappy experiences in order to help prevent us from repeating previous mistakes. The downside of this is that we adopt a primarily negative mindset and may become too afraid to take risks. Yet in order to be successful, you need a dose of optimism and the courage to embark upon an uncertain journey.

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An article at entrepreneur.com offered the following advice on how to become a positive thinker.

1. Cast off your negative instincts

Achieving success with a negative mindset is extremely difficult. You need consciously to focus your mind on positive thoughts. Start simply by calling a short time-out and taking some deep breaths to get some fresh air into your lungs.

2. Focus more on pluses

Analyse your own thought patterns. You may be concentrating too much on the possibility of failure. Instead, you should seek positive aspects in everything you do or plan to do. Start by making a mini-list each day of little things that have worked out well. Such lists may serve as an inspiration later.

3. Turn things around

Inevitably there will be moments when your mind will want to return to its previous negative setting. Remind yourself how harmful negative thoughts can be, then look at what is troubling you from a different, more positive angle. Once your brain gets used to this new way of thinking, life will be much easier.

4. Project optimism

Doing good deeds for others, no matter how small, will make you feel good yourself and take your mind off your own problems for a while.

5. Positive awareness here and now

Don’t put things off. Introduce positive thinking into your everyday life by learning to recognise your own emotions. Focus on reasons to be thankful, what brings you pleasure and what you could do to make other people feel happy. Once your brain is attuned to this way of thinking, your overall outlook on life will be much more optimistic.

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Article source Entrepreneur.com - website of a leading U.S. magazine for entrepreneurs
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