Experiencing positive emotions such as gratitude, joy, love, contentment and awe makes you and those around you feel good.
Research shows that positive emotions can help you think more clearly and see more possibilities in life. You're able to respond to situations in new ways and be more creative. Positive emotions have also been shown to improve physical health, promote trust and kindness, protect against depression and help people recover from stress.
Here are some things you can do to feel more positive.
1. Start a gratitude journal
At the end of each day, write down 3 things, big or small, that you're grateful for. These might be experiences, people, feelings, things you enjoy that happened that day or even things you might usually take for granted such as having a roof over your head or food on the table. This will help you focus on the positive things in your life and give you a sense of appreciation and thankfulness. If you don’t feel like writing, you could draw pictures to represent the things or people you feel grateful for. At the end of the week, look back through your journal to revisit and appreciate all the things you feel grateful for.
Read more about gratitude and wellbeing.
2. Spend time with positive people
Mood is contagious, so surrounding yourself with positive people can make you feel more positive too. Spending time with people who can help you look on the bright side can increase your self-esteem and give you the confidence to reach your goals.
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3. Think positively
A big part of thinking positively is about identifying the ‘self-talk’ – the unspoken thoughts running through your head – and trying to turn off or ignore the negative and focus on the positive. For example, if you tell yourself something’s too hard, try breaking it down into smaller, more achievable steps. Or if something feels scary because you’ve never done it before, try telling yourself it’s worth giving it a go and that you might actually enjoy it.
4. Create positive experiences and savour them
Make a point of doing something you enjoy to help yourself feel happy and upbeat. You could also try creating your own positive experience by doing something nice for someone else – it could be for a whānau member, a friend or a stranger. It could be something you plan or something you do on the spur of the moment. Volunteering is also a good way to brighten your day as well as someone else’s. Taking time to enjoy and remember your positive experiences can help you hold on to the good feelings for longer. You could create a reminder of a happy event in writing, with a photograph or with a conversation, that you can share with a friend or return to later.
5. Positively reframe an event
When looking at a situation or event, try thinking of it in a positive way – think of the glass as half full not half empty. If a friend cancels plans with you, instead of feeling upset, think about how you could use the free time to do something nice for yourself. Positive reframing doesn’t change a situation, but it can help turn negative energy into something more productive.
6. Try a relaxation technique
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga and tai chi are a great way to reduce stress and bring positive emotions such as contentment, calmness and peace, into your life. They are also energising and good for your physical health.
7. Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness is about being aware of your thoughts, feelings and body sensations as you experience them. It helps you live in the moment and not get caught up mentally in the past or future. It also helps reduce symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression.
It’s normal to have slightly changing moods. However, if you experience long periods of sadness or depression, please contact your GP or another healthcare provider as you may need medical help. Some other support services are listed below.
You may find it useful to look at some meditation and mindfulness apps.
8. Some ways to get started
So what does it take to try and become more positive? It doesn't have to be hard, try a few of these to get going and they may lead to a more positive you.
- Smile.
- Be friendly to somebody you don't know.
- Motivate somebody else with a positive word.
- Get outdoors and enjoy the nature around you. Read more about how to let nature in.
- Find enjoyment in an unexpected event.
- Accept negative thoughts but don't let them take over. Move on to more positive ones.
- Be happy about somebody else's success.
- Focus on good things, no matter how small they are.
- Think about the here and now rather than dwelling on something negative from the past.
- Find something that makes you laugh – tamariki, pets, a funny book.
- Enjoy and appreciate the friends and whānau around you.
- Watch an upbeat movie.
