A Checklist For Keeping a Positive Attitude

A positive attitude doesn’t happen on its own. A positive attitude is the result of your beliefs, expectations, habits, and focus. A positive mental attitude can have a positive impact on your relationships, creativity, career, and overall enjoyment. You’re more capable when you feel good and have high expectations.

Use a checklist to help you maintain your positive attitude:

1. Take a smile with you everywhere you go. Smiles are free, feel good, and can lift your mood. Science has shown that your physiology and body can lead your emotions. Smiling can enhance your mood and your outlook regarding the future.

2. Create a morning routine that focuses on happiness. You have a morning routine to get yourself cleaned up and out the door on time. Build a routine that boosts your attitude too. Consider the things that fill you with a feeling of positivity.

• Take a walk.
• Read something inspiring.
• Eat a healthy breakfast.
• Listen to inspiring music.

3. Ask yourself optimistic questions. Questions change your focus. Ask positive questions and you’ll receive positive answers.

• What’s great about this situation?
• How can I use this to my advantage?
• Whom do I love?

4. Spend time with others that have a positive attitude. It’s challenging to maintain a better attitude than the people you spend time with. Seek out others with a positive attitude and spend as much time with them as you can.

5. Create a gratitude list. It’s easy to focus on what you don’t have in life. Change your focus and remind yourself of all the great things you already have. Each morning and evening, rattle off a list of the people, things, and experiences that make you feel grateful.

6. Think happy thoughts. Left to its own devices, your mind will run wild. It’s so random, that you’re bound to think negative thoughts some of the time. You can control your thoughts. Keep them positive.

7. Make exciting plans. It’s easier to be happy with a few exciting things planned for the near future. Planning a trip to Paris would be nice, but simple things work well, too. A planned trip to the movies or the spa with a friend can make the week more enjoyable. Have something you can look forward to each week.

8. Remember happy memories. When you’re feeling down, remember some of the good times you’ve had. Spend a few minutes remembering your senior prom or the first time you bowled 300. Five minutes remembering positive experiences can get your attitude back on track. What is your happiest memory from childhood? What about the last five years?

9. Enjoy the simple things. Many of the simple things are the most meaningful. Playing with your child or enjoying an ice cream cone can be as enjoyable as making a million dollars or scuba diving in Hawaii. Enjoy the simple things you do each day.

10. Change your expectations. Part of unhappiness comes from unreasonable expectations. Life isn’t supposed to be easy. Sure, you’ll have many easy days. But you can decide to find happiness in the challenging days, too. What you consider to be a “good” day or a “bad” day is influenced by your expectations.

11. Do something nice, anonymously. It’s thrilling to do something nice for someone without their knowledge. You feel like a superhero. Mow your neighbor’s grass or send someone flowers. Give a gift card to the elderly couple down the street. Do something and keep your involvement a secret.

Go over this checklist each day and check off the items you accomplished. Soon, these activities will become a habit – and so will your positive attitude!