Embrace positivity and joy and reap the benefits, from simply feeling better to experiencing improved health. Seniors Guide writer Terri Jones shares seven ways to accentuate the positive, even if optimism isn’t your default state!
You probably know someone who is always upbeat and tries to find the positive in everything and everyone. This positivity not only is pleasant to be around, but it also comes with many benefits for the person with the sunny disposition, including lower blood pressure and stress level, a better functioning immune system, and increased resilience to setbacks. A 23-year study of 600 aging Ohioans even found that those who expressed positivity about getting older lived a median of 7.5 years longer than their peers!
While some people are just born optimistic (research has shown that about 50% of your temperament is determined by your genetics), others work very hard at it. If you don’t naturally have a positive outlook on life, here are ways to accentuate the positive in your life:
Strategies to help accentuate the positive
1. Give back
Volunteering your time and talents to those less fortunate than you can serve as a wakeup call about your own good fortune. Plus, doing good feels good and even has health benefits. A hug from a child you have helped or learning the outcome of a project with which you’ve been involved can make you recognize the impact you can have and lead to greater positivity in your life.
2. Play with kids … or just act like one!
It’s hard to be negative when you’re spending time with kids. Their excitement and joy can be downright contagious! But if you don’t have any children in your life, think back to activities that you used to enjoy when you were young, like riding a bike, putting together puzzles, or playing arcade games. Then indulge yourself in these simple pleasures as often as possible. The bliss you feel when reliving these small moments from your youth can spill over into your day-to-day life.
3. Do what you enjoy
It’s also important to devote time to your adult passions. Activities that you enjoy – like woodworking, knitting, hiking, or learning a language – can remove you from your everyday routines. They can also help reduce your anxiety and depression and, in turn, foster a rosier perspective. Psychologist and art therapist Dr. Cathy Malchiodi found that creativity, in particular, plays a powerful role in increasing positive emotions. A 2016 study in “The Journal of Positive Psychology” supported Malchiodi’s findings, determining that “spending time on creative goals during a day is associated with higher activated positive affect (PA) on that day.” Get bonus points when you can do those activities with others!
4. Thank and compliment people
Instead of being angry at the doctor for keeping you waiting or a customer service person’s lack of service, try to find something that these people did well and thank them for helping you. It’ll make their day and brighten yours in the process. With practice, it’ll become second nature to treat people with positivity all the time.
5. Agree to disagree
When you start to believe that everyone who holds a different opinion than you is ignorant or worthless, you’re contributing to the culture of contempt that is so pervasive these days. Instead, try to listen to and recognize the good in everyone – especially those with whom you disagree. Taking a positive, empathetic approach doesn’t mean you have to agree with everyone. It just means you must hear their opinion and respect it.
6. Practice gratitude
Take a few minutes each day to feel grateful for things you have – whether in the form of an affirmation, a prayer, or simply quiet time while you make your breakfast or walk your dog. In time, your gratitude will shift your perspective, and when bad things happen to you, they won’t feel as devastating because of all the positive things that surround you and your newfound ability to accentuate the positive.
7. Grin and giggle
One of the quickest and easiest ways to feel more positive is to smile and laugh on a regular basis. Real life isn’t always so gleeful, so you may have to actively seek out reasons to put on a happy face. Go to a comedy club or listen to stand-up comedians on TV or radio. Learn a line dance. Play with puppies. Do goat yoga. Try ziplining. Talk to a child. Or just call your favorite funny friend and enjoy a chuckle together. You might not be able to wipe the smile off your face!
Positive thinking isn’t about being a Pollyanna. Completely ignoring the negative and smiling through the gloom isn’t always possible, realistic, or wise. However, when you have a positive outlook on life, you know you can deal with the bad that comes your way, move past it, and maybe even learn from it. That’s what accentuating the positive is all about!
