Practical Tips For Staying Positive & Optimistic
Winter months can make us sleepier, down, or more sluggish. If we tend to power through this natural time of rest, we will likely begin to feel the effects early in the year. Effects like the beginnings of burnout, overwhelm, confusion, discontentment. Before we succumb to any of that, this is a great time of year to check in with the state of our minds and make any necessary mindset shifts that could help us emerge in spring with more energy, clarity and optimism.
March is the time of year in the northern hemisphere when, even if it’s still cold or snowy, we begin emerging from winter. Sometimes it’s just a mental emergence; we begin to awaken out of the wintry fog. Other times we can see it happening around us in nature. As life begins to rumble beneath the ground, making its way upward and outward again, and as buds begin to appear on otherwise bare branches, we see reflected back to us our own chance to be in a gently wakeful state as we live a happy, balanced life.
At this point in the year, it’s helpful to remember that spring is always around the corner.
In an effort to help you function from a place of santosa (contentment) and experience fuller happiness, today I’m offering these practical tips for getting—and staying—positive and optimistic.
As you read on, you’ll learn 3 tried and true practices
to help shift your mindset for the better:
Breath of Joy (what it is, and how to do it)
Mindfulness For Practical Life (by way of breath / by way of body)
Trusting (prompts for practice)
BREATH OF JOY…
Getting out of our heads and into our bodies is one of the quickest, most effective ways of shifting our mindset and priming ourselves for being positive and optimistic. My favorite yoga practice that always brings me the instant gratification of heightened energy, clarity and happiness is Breath of Joy! It’s a simple practice you can do any time you need a pick-me-up. Breath of Joy is especially helpful to me when I hit an afternoon slump, when I’ve been sitting still in my body but working my brain for a long period of time and I need to shake off the stagnation, or any time I feel my emotions or thoughts waning toward anger, resentment, confusion, judgment, negative self-talk, or sadness.
If you’re new to Breath of Joy, watch my video here to learn the basic moves. You can follow along with it for the first few passes and then do it any time you need to. It’s a little whacky looking at first, but you’ll get it quickly! It’s sure to give you a clearer, more joyful mindset. Once you get the hang of it, I suggest practicing 10 rounds at a time.
MINDFULNESS FOR PRACTICAL LIFE…
One of the greatest tools derived from yoga and meditation is present moment awareness, otherwise known as, practicing mindfulness. Want to change your mindset? Give yourself the gift of present moment awareness!
When you’re stressed, you’re likely future tripping or dwelling on the past. You are not present. You may find yourself mentally spinning, as if in an eddy, wanting that which is impermanent to be permanent. You’re caught up in your thoughts, not your present reality.
STEP 1— ATTENTIVE BREATHING
If you’re feeling particularly anxious and like you “can’t breathe”, skip this step and go straight to step 2 below. Then return to this. Typically we start with the breath to calm us down, but having had panic attacks before, I know sometimes we need to go through the gross body and thinking mind before we can truly slow, and pay attention to our breath.
Usually the first, very accessible way to get present is to utilize the breath. Try taking a deep breath through your nose and, if only for the moment it takes to breathe one breath in and out, BE HERE NOW. Be fully present with your breath. For this moment, pay attention only to your breath. Let everything else besides your breath fall away. Be sure to breathe through your nose and not your mouth. Nasal breathing centers the nervous system.
Bring yourself to full present moment breath-awareness by asking these questions:
What does the breath feel like?
What does it sound like?
What muscles activate in my body as I breathe in and out?
Where am I holding tension in my body?
How does it feel when I slow the breath and consciously release that tension?
Do I feel completely full when I inhale, or could I take in more breath?
Do I feel completely empty when I exhale, or could I send out more breath?
You have time to do this. You deserve this. I mean really, it’s just one breath!
I have the sneaking suspicion however, that once you get truly present with one breath, you will continue to breathe this way for several more… and your mindset will change to a more calm, optimistic one.
STEP 2— JOURNEY AROUND THE BODY
The quickest path I’ve found to become presently aware, is though the body: Notice your body in this moment. I’m talking about noticing your body position, where and how you are holding yourself in space—not what you look like. Name what you notice in nonjudgmental terms. There is no right or wrong, good or bad. There just is, what is. How are you feeling physically? What sensations are you aware of? Where are they?
Take some deep, slow breaths, close your eyes and, with no judgment whatsoever, just awareness, take yourself on a journey around your whole body. Relax each part of your physical self as you bring your attention to them. Don’t skip any part of your body. Be sure to relax the muscles of all the little forgotten parts—like your earlobes, the back of your neck, the back of your knees—just as much as the parts you're usually more aware of like your arms and legs
Let go of every distraction around you and stay focused on the state of your body and your ability to relax it in this moment.
Once you’ve brought awareness and relaxation to each part of your body, land on your mind. Notice any thoughts or busy chatter in your mind. Notice the mind’s general focus (or lack thereof). What are you thinking about? What are you paying attention to? What’s your general demeanor? Are you thinking positively, negatively, or indifferently in this moment? Again, there is no right or wrong, good or bad. There just is, what is. What’s the energy level and emotional state of your mind in this moment? Try to relax your mind just as you relaxed your muscles. Let go of any and all thoughts from before and choose your next thought with wisdom and consciousness.
You get to choose what your mind focuses on!
You get to choose how you’re going to respond (feel) in any given moment!
Working with our minds is challenging work, but it is worth the time and effort. It’s the stuff of magic on earth because it’s so transformative!
A TRUST PRACTICE…
When all seems glum or overwhelming, seek first to trust that all is well. To remain hopeful is to remain in a mindset of trust.
I find positive words to be a big part of my healthy, happy mindset practices. You can use the prompts below as actions to take, affirmation statements, or journaling prompts.
It takes effort for a while, and can feel awkward or clunky at first. It will eventually become second nature to the practiced mind to skip right to a place where you trust yourself to get through things that have gone awry and be better for them, and where you trust that you are always being guided. To get there, try these prompts when you’re called to:
Trust that you are loved and supported. You might repeat to yourself, “I am loved and supported!”
Trust that good things are coming and good things are happening now. You might say to yourself, “I may not know what they are, I may not see them in this moment, AND, good things are available to me. Good things are in the works! Good things are happening!” As if magically, when I do this I become aware of good things in the world around me, and in my life. Once that awareness comes in, possibility comes back and I become capable once again of solving my problems (or at least seeking out useful help). You might also try listing out the good things you become aware of through this practice and reading them often, adding to your list as you notice more.
Trust in your amazingness — you are such brilliant design, capable of shifting your thoughts from negative ones to positive ones. “I am capable! I am human and that inherently means that I am an amazing being!”
Trust that the world is always healing, always in good hands. Even when we don’t see or grasp the healing, or when we fear for the greater good, there is healing happening now. There are good people everywhere who want what’s best for everyone. When we look from that lens, we either find or we create healing, so trust in your ability to look for the healing opportunity in every situation.
Trust the people in your life who always have your back, who always speak the truth to you. When you’re unsure, go to them and listen with your whole heart.
Trust the sweet, little signs coming to you. The pages you automatically open to in a book, the object that falls at your feet, the bits of nature that catch your eye as if for the first time ever. Listen for the messages that rise up through you and trust your intuition.
All of these tips are practical applications of ancient teachings that hold true to this day. All of them take some practice, and not one of us is perfect at them every single time. We will all find our positive mindset dwindle at some point. Humans are beautiful, perfectly imperfect beings in that way. We are all also capable of reining our thoughts in and directing them toward a more positive, optimistic view… it just sometimes takes some know-how, practice and reminding.
Try these methods and let me know how they work for you. I hope every word here serves you well and leads you back to your inherent happiness. May you live a life of positive optimism!
NamastYAY!
Maggie
