Surround yourself with a positive board of directors

(Published 4-6-18) Being positive in your life does matter. Fostering optimism is just like having your very own board of directors. With practice, you can resist worrisome thoughts and perhaps even transform your internal critic into more of a cheering squad; letting the law of attraction take its course.

It's likely our species survived because of our knack for detecting danger. But our worry-filled thoughts can present dangers of their own: Thinking negatively can drag down our moods, our actions and even our health. If you are constantly talking about how much your life stinks, work sucks, and money is tight, guess what you are going to notice more of? Life stinking and sucking more in general, more tiffs with your boss, and financial fiascos. Focusing on negatives isn't just unpleasant, it also can make you less effective in tackling tasks you face.

If you want to feel less negative during the day, create better relationships, and score some amazing career opportunities, then you're going to want to do what you can to attract more positivity into your life. And that usually involves changing how you think.

You may have been running negative messages in your head for a long time. But research shows that you can learn to shift your thoughts and that, over time, you can literally change your brain. Instead of just spinning your worry wheels, consider the following ideas:

· Keep a gratitude journal. Write down anything large or small that makes you smile, including terrific achievements, touching moments and great relationships.

· Share your good news. Studies of people's reactions to positive developments suggest that those who tell a friend about a happy event enjoy it even more.

· Write a gratitude letter. Write a letter thanking someone who had been particularly kind to them and then deliver it in person. The letter-writers enjoyed impressive positive effects even a month later.

TRAIN YOUR BRAIN FOR SUCCESS

It makes perfect sense that the more positive you become, the more likely you’ll persist in life to actualize your goals. Having a positive outlook spurs on more activity that leads to positive outcomes; ultimately no matter what the outcome of your efforts, you will find something to learn and grow from.