Taking control of your life involves many steps. But a good plan is a productive place to start. This plan will include time management, goal setting, and record tracking.

So, let’s start with a little insight into yourself. Ask yourself – Am I a negative or a positive thinker? What is your outlook on life? It’s a simple question that doesn’t always have a simple answer. So simply, over the next 24-48 hours, see if your responses to questions, opportunities, or obstacles are mostly negative or mostly positive. The majority rules, and that is your outlook. If you have a positive outlook, then charge ahead. If not, then you must reframe, rethink, and or rephrase your answers to be more open and positive.

Without an open and positive attitude – or outlook – your will sabotage any progress that you hope to make.

Like many things, you need to consciously practice being positive. This will benefit you in many ways. Positive thinking allows people to focus on their strengths and accomplishments, which will increase happiness and motivation. Being happier and motivated allows you to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. So, practice positivity and use the following tips to help you take control of your life and be happier, healthier, and more successful.

Tip #1. Take Good Care of Yourself

It’s much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

Tip #2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For

When you believe and act that things in life are right and good, stresses and challenges don’t seem quite as bad, and your positive attitude allows you to focus on solutions instead of being mired down in the problem. Take 60 seconds a day to stop and remind yourself and appreciate the good things in your life. This practice will make a dramatic difference in your daily life and help you achieve your goals.

Tip #3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions

Our fears are usually not the reality. A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume the worst – that others are thinking negatively of us. How many times have you been afraid that a friend or family member is blaming you for something that happened? And how many times was is true? Don’t waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about. If that is the case, then turn a negative into a positive by addressing that problem head-on, accepting responsibility, and making amends.

Tip #4. Refrain from Using Absolutes

“You’re ALWAYS late!”, “You NEVER call me!”? Have you said or heard these from a friend or family member? Words like ‘Always,’ ‘Never,’ ‘All,’ and ‘None’ are absolutes, and thinking and speaking in absolutes makes any situation seem worse than it is. This can program your brain into believing that the person you are addressing or talking about will fail or is incapable of delivering.

Tip #5. Detach From Negative Thoughts

Your thoughts influence your behavior. Negative thoughts can lead to negative responses or actions. So don’t let negative thoughts influence you – take the negative thought OUT of your mental conversation. Then, reframe the thought to a positive one, or at least a neutral one. Then engage a positive thought in its place.

Tip #6. Squash the “ANTs” Automatic Negative Thoughts. 

These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like “Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me,” or “The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!” When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

Tip #7. Practice Lovin’, Touchin’, & Squeezin’ (Your Friends and Family.)

You don’t have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn’t touch!

Tip #8. Increase Your Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

Tip #9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person

Everyone feels good after helping. Help a neighbor or a family member and you will get a surge of dopamine – the ‘feel-good’ hormone – that will make you glad you helped. You can also choose to volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

Tip #10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination

Rumination is when you feel like you are doomed to fail. You become hyper-focused on the negative. Normally, if you think you will fail, you will. So, STOP DOING IT! Rumination is never productive because it’s not rational or solution-oriented – it’s just excessive worry. If you find yourself ruminating, change your thought pattern immediately. Think of something good or picture a positive outlook to the situation. Change what you are doing so you think about something completely different. Or try changing your physical environment – go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

For any self-improvement, you need to follow the advice of Elbert Hubbard who says, “Know what you want to do, hold the thought firmly, and do every day what should be done, and every sunset will see you that much nearer to your goal.” 

Nobody told you that the self-improvement course you have chosen to trek is easy. But with enough willpower and the perseverance to go on, you will finally reach that long-awaited destination of self-improvement, which is a success.

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