Staying focused on positive thinking is more important now than ever before. We are all facing uncertainty and challenging times, which can lead to frustration and negative thoughts.
The Coronavirus and our Mindset.
The problem many are facing now is how to stay positive and not get bogged down with the situation. It’s hard if you have lost your job, are on unpaid leave, or income streams have dried up. How can we be expected to stay positive when it looks like the world is falling apart?
There are many things we can and must do to stay healthy and safe. I’ve laid out all the precautions I take in a previous blog post called Boost Your Immune System. Please re-read that post; there’s a lot of valuable information in there. Following this advice could save you from getting sick, now and in the future with any other virus that may come our way.
The Positive Mindset.
Trying to stay positive is one of the most critical things we can do right now. It’s so easy to slip into the negative mindset and see everything as doom and gloom. The thing is, things will get better, and in the meantime, we have to do our best to remain positive. That’s why I practice positive thinking to build and keep a positive mindset every day, no matter what may come my way.
What is Positive Thinking and how does it work?
Like everything else, you have to learn and train yourself to practice positive thinking. It doesn’t just happen by saying, okay, I’m going to think positively now. It’s much like yoga, meditation, tennis, swimming, skiing, and any other activity. If you don’t do it often, you won’t get good at it. Think about it, so many of us spend so much time on our bodies, learning the activities mentioned above but little or no time on training our minds. Our minds are mostly on autopilot, telling us what to do next on our “to-do list.”
We tend to let our minds wander and play games with us. Especially if you are dealing with difficult issues, such as financial uncertainty, relationship problems, illness, tragedy, or have lost your job.
All of this makes your mind race around, usually thinking the worst, making you feel negative and let down. A vicious circle of bad to worse can develop, and if you don’t fight it, your mind will win and force you to think negative thoughts and to worry all the time!
And that’s why I love the practice of positive thinking. Once you train your mind to think positively, no matter how hard it may be, you will always win over your mind, and can stay focused on the positive! Being able to remain positive is powerful, as it allows you to make better decisions and therefore deal with situations in a much more productive way. Staying positive will help you create a better outcome every time.
How to practice Positive Thinking.
1) Exercise.
Keeping a daily exercise or movement routine helps you stay clear-minded and focused instead of getting yourself all worked up and irritated. Make sure you get some sort of light daily exercise and try to focus on enjoying it while you do!
2) Calming Exercises.
Gentle yoga, meditation, or simply walking in nature or around your back yard will help calm your mind. I find meditation, as well as deep and slow breathing exercises very helpful. I don’t make a big deal of it; I’ll just take some time whenever I feel like it and will breathe deep or slow and focus on calming my mind.
3) Mind Training.
In mind training, you positively talk to yourself. It is affirming that you are doing well and setting yourself goals to get better at what you do. It’s easy to do, as long as you actually take some time and do it.
There is nothing weird or spiritual about this practice, but it does make you listen to yourself and say things that you want to hear, which is comforting and positive in itself. Once I’ve completed my daily mind training, which I do first thing in the morning, I find that I can keep those thoughts with me for the day.
It even helps if you are stressed with work, driving, or get annoyed at someone. If that happens and I feel myself going off a bit, I’ll slow down and remind myself what I said earlier. That calms me down and makes me think positively again.
The Bottom Line.
My simple advice is; focus on being positive no matter what. It takes some practice and time, but it’s well worth it. If you’re feeling down and negative about your current situation, or are worried about the future, make an effort to learn positive thinking. It will help you clear your mind and deal with everything much more effectively.
You can read 35 tips on Positive Affirmations from The Huffington Post here.
Stay Strong, Stay Firm, Stay Reliable, Stay Calm, and STAY POSITIVE! I look forward to your comments and questions.
Thanks for reading.
Rob
Former Olympic Athlete & Certified Health Coach
“It is my mission to educate people on how to lose weight, how to build a healthy, strong heart, body, and mind, supporting a longer life.”
