How to Achieve a Better Perspective In LIFE

1.) Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress

Positive thinking helps with stress management and can even improve your health. Practice overcoming negative   self-talk with examples provided.

2.) Understanding positive thinking and self-talk

Positive thinking doesn't mean that you ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.

Positive thinking often starts with self-talk. Self-talk is the endless stream of unspoken thoughts that run through your head. These automatic thoughts can be positive or negative. Some of your self-talk comes from logic and reason. Other self-talk may arise from misconceptions that you create because of lack of information or expectations due to preconceived ideas of what may happen.

If the thoughts that run through your head are mostly negative, your outlook on life is more likely pessimistic. If your thoughts are mostly positive, you're likely an optimist — someone who practices positive thinking.

3.) Identifying negative thinking

Not sure if your self-talk is positive or negative? Some common forms of negative self-talk include:

• Filtering. You magnify the negative aspects of a situation and filter out all the positive ones. For example, you had a great day at work. You completed your tasks ahead of time and were complimented for doing a speedy and thorough job. That evening, you focus only on your plan to do even more tasks and forget about the compliments you received.

• Personalizing. When something bad occurs, you automatically blame yourself. For example, you hear that an evening out with friends is canceled, and you assume that the change in plans is because no one wanted to be around you.

• Catastrophizing. You automatically anticipate the worst without facts that the worse will happen. The drive-through coffee shop gets your order wrong, and then you think that the rest of your day will be a disaster.

• Blaming. You try to say someone else is responsible for what happened to you instead of yourself. You avoid being responsible for your thoughts and feelings.

• Saying you "should" do something. You think of all the things you think you should do and blame yourself for not doing them.

• Magnifying. You make a big deal out of minor problems.

• Perfectionism. Keeping impossible standards and trying to be more perfect sets yourself up for failure.

• Polarizing. You see things only as either good or bad. There is no middle ground.

4.) Focusing on positive thinking

You can learn to turn negative thinking into positive thinking. The process is simple, but it does take time and practice — you're creating a new habit, after all. Following are some ways to think and behave in a more positive and optimistic way:

• Identify areas to change. If you want to become more optimistic and engage in more positive thinking, first identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about, whether it's work, your daily commute, life changes or a relationship. You can start small by focusing on one area to approach in a more positive way. Think of a positive thought to manage your stress instead of a negative one.

• Check yourself. Periodically during the day, stop and evaluate what you're thinking. If you find that your thoughts are mainly negative, try to find a way to put a positive spin on them.

• Be open to humor. Give yourself permission to smile or laugh, especially during difficult times. Seek humor in everyday happenings. When you can laugh at life, you feel less stressed.

• Follow a healthy lifestyle. Aim to exercise for about 30 minutes on most days of the week. You can also break it up into 5- or 10-minute chunks of time during the day. Exercise can positively affect mood and reduce stress. Follow a healthy diet to fuel your mind and body. Get enough sleep. And learn techniques to manage stress.

• Surround yourself with positive people. Make sure those in your life are positive, supportive people you can depend on to give helpful advice and feedback. Negative people may increase your stress level and make you doubt your ability to manage stress in healthy ways.

• Practice positive self-talk. Start by following one simple rule: Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Be gentle and encouraging with yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.

Negative self-talk                                         Positive thinking

I've never done it before                         It's an opportunity to learn something new

It's too complicated                                 I'll tackle it from a different angle

I don't have the resources                      Necessity is the mother of invention

I'm too lazy to get this done                    I'll re-prioritize

There's no way it will work                     I can try to make it work

It's too radical a change                           Let's take a chance

No one bothers to communicate            Open the channels of communication

I'm not going to get any better at this   I'll give it another try

If you tend to have a negative outlook, don't expect to become an optimist overnight. But with practice, eventually your self-talk will contain less self-criticism and more self-acceptance. You may also become less critical of the world around you.

When your state of mind is generally optimistic, you're better able to handle everyday stress in a more constructive way. That ability may contribute to the widely observed health benefits of positive thinking.

In my older years I have started following some of the practices of certain Indian guru's. One of my favorites is Sadhguru from Mysore a small town in India. One of the many teachings that I love of his is 10 keys to life.       When I discovered these in 2021 it helped me make sense of so much of my life. Here they are:

1) Take responsibility for your life - No one can do it right but YOU!

2) Cultivate Inner Well-being over Outside Success

3) Live in the Present Moment - Nurture mental clarity and Emotional balance

4) Embrace the Power of Yoga beyond Exercise - This one aligns your body, mind and energy. THIS IS A HARD ONE

5) See Life as a Celebration - Enjoy and celebrate all moments!

6) Understand the Nature of the mind - Learn to control & manage your mind (YOU have to have one to do this! LOL)

7) Connect deeply with Nature - watch the birds, enjoy and love the sun, feel the wind, play in the rain.

8) Avoid Seeking External Validation - Do things for YOU, to make YOU happy, for YOU to feel satisfied

9) Live Simply & Mindfully - Less makes you happier

10) Pursue Growth, NOT Perfection - this one is hard since everything and everyone arounds us strives to be perfect