Life can be tough and it’s certainly not all about sunshine and rainbows. However, learning how to focus on the good things in life can be a powerful tool to change your perspective even if you can’t change your circumstances.
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Let’s face it – there are people out there who seem to have everything – a family, money, good health, a good job, etc – and yet still Focus on the negative. This isn’t good for anyone.
There are also individuals who don’t have a lot and still actively look for things to be grateful for every day.
If you too can try to focus on the good in your life you can literally create a meaningful life you fully love.
What does it mean to focus on the good?
Focusing on the good means actively making a choice to seek out the good things in life.
This means not paying attention to the negative, bad things in your day-to-day and instead looking for ways to have a positive attitude and outlook.
Instead of thinking about worst-case scenarios, someone who focuses on positive things will practice having a positive mindset, even when negative experiences arise.
Why You Should Focus On The Good
Simply put, focusing on the good allows you to:
- Appreciate the little things in life
- Be proud of your accomplishments
- Cherish the positive moments
- Support our mental health
- Create a sense of calm and inner peace
- Have strong relationships with people you care about
- Better coping skills during tough times
Being able to focus on the good is literally a recipe to have a good, meaningful life.
According to MayoClinic,
“… having a positive outlook enables you to cope better with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress on your body.”
15 Ways To Focus on The Good Things In life
Focusing on the good things in life of course takes practice. You won’t just wake up one morning and be able to create good vibes out of difficult situations.
There are however many strategies you can try to cultivate a positive state of mind – and that’s exactly what we’re going through below!
“When you focus on the good, the good gets better.”
– Abraham Hicks
1. Embrace The Simple Pleasures
A simple way to get started with positive thinking and focusing on the good is to seek out and embrace the simple pleasures in life.
Whether that’s learning to appreciate the little things like the taste of your morning coffee or
2. Practice Daily Gratitude
There is actually a lot in life to be grateful for. The question is – are you actively seeking these things out?
Take a moment and ask yourself the following questions:
- What small things make you smile?
- Who makes your life easier?
- What things do you take for granted that others can only dream about?
How can you practice gratitude? Try the following:
- Gratitude journaling – here’s a gratitude journal I created with some powerful journal prompts.
- Go on a gratitude walk
- Give this 30-day gratitude challenge a try
Trying a simple exercise like one of the above is one of the easiest ways to see the bright side of things and focus on the good.
Just one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day.
– Dalai Lama
Try some gratitude writing prompts.
52-Week Gratitude Journal
In this gratitude journal, you’ll discover…
Things to be grateful for in various areas of your life – ultimately growing personally, professionally and in your relationships.
Blessings from your past and in your present.
You can take control over the happiness and contentment you feel.
3. Notice When Negative Thoughts Come
Negative thoughts lead to negative emotions, so it’s important to notice when negative thinking emerges.
Once you’ve noticed negative thoughts…
- The next step is to write them down in a journal. The habit of writing these negative feelings down helps you release them.
- Now I encourage you to write 3 things you’re grateful for – to help you shift to positive thinking
4. Add Fun Things To Monotonous Tasks
We all have things we don’t want to do in our day – dishes, cleaning, driving, working out – or just things that are a little boring.
So, the key is to layer in something you love while doing these tasks.
- Listen to a great playlist while doing the dishes
- During morning traffic listen to an audiobook or podcast
- Use a foot massager while writing a social media post
- Read a good book while waiting to see your doctor
- On a sunny day, take calls from outside while you walk
- Have your favourite espresso drink during a boring meeting
5. Avoid Social Media accounts that bring your mood down
You know the accounts or influencers I’m referring to. Every time you scroll by their content you feel a pit in your stomach.
So stop following.
Instead, think about only following accounts that create positive thoughts and feelings for you.
6. Look For The Silver Lining
Even when going through a hard time, it can be really helpful to look for the silver lining or the positive side of things.
Sure, this might not be possible with everything (for example serious health problems, death of a loved one, etc), but here are some examples you might consider:
- You lose your job, but you hated it anyway – and now you can have a fresh start and find something you really love
- Someone betrays you – they were toxic anyway, so now it’s time to focus on the people who love you for you
- You don’t get that job promotion – now you can give yourself permission (without feeling guilty) to decide what your next step is
- Groceries are way to expensive right now – use this as an opportunity to find new (less expensive) foods and to make
7. Spend Time With Optimistic People
Spending quality time with positive people makes such a massive difference to your overall happiness.
As Tony Robbins says…
“Who you spend time with is who you become! Change your life by consciously choosing to surround yourself with people with higher standards!”
So, spending your limited time with people who have a positive outlook is the key, Their positive outlook is infectious.
8. Create a Daily Routine You Love
When you have something to look forward to during various parts of your day it becomes much easier to focus on the good things in life.
So, add things to your daily routine that bring more joy to your day. You can do this by adding in small things you love.
For example:
- Make time for a hobby you love
- Read a chapter of a book on your lunch break
- Get outside and walk around the block for a quick break
- Talk to your bestie on the phone every morning – I do this!
- Schedule time for daily self-care
9. Look For The Good In Others
I’m a firm believer that most people want to be good, even if they’re not great at it.
Especially look for the good in others if you don’t get along with them well. This works great with co-workers.
- The first step is to try and understand where someone is coming from, even if you don’t agree with them.
- Then once you understand a person’s motives, think about why this is important for them.
This is a great way to strengthen relationships as well as see the good intentions of others.
10. Seek Out Good News
This can mean following Social Media Accounts that bring you joy. I’m a huge animal lover so for me this is The Dodo.
We are so lucky that we can curate the news we want to see.
So, actively seek out YouTube channels, TV shows and social media that focus on sharing good news stories.
11. Turn Off (Or Tune Out) Bad News
If you are highly sensitive to negative news and events look for ways to eliminate them.
For example:
- Turn off the negative news in the morning
- If a friend is going on about negative news, kindly ask if you can change the subject
- Stop following social media accounts that share bad news
12. Always Support Your Mental Health
When you look after your mental health you’ll find it easier to see the good in things.
This is much more difficult if you’re struggling with a mental illness – so seek help. Talk to your doctor or a therapist about getting support.
13. Focus On Having a Growth Mindset
Having a growth mindset means you can set your mind to something, work hard at it and make it happen.
Some people just see the obstacles to getting what they want, but “in a growth mindset people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work – brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” (Carol Dweck)
How can you develop a growth mindset?
- Always learn something new
- Get constructive feedback from others
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – you will learn from them after all
- Set SMART goals – learn more about this here + grab a free SMART goals template
14. Avoid Toxic People
If there are people in life who bring you down, make you question yourself and drain you everything time you interact with them – this is a toxic person.
Do your best to limit interactions with this individual and if it’s not always possible (family), try setting some boundaries with them.
15. Use Positive Affirmations
Affirmations are little positive statements you say to yourself to give you motivation in all areas of life. They are great to reduce negative self-talk and to be kinder to yourself.
You can use affirmations for self-love, career, relationships, to support your mental health and so much more.
Learn more about affirmations here > What Are Affirmations & How To Use Them
Final Thoughts & Next Steps
I hope these examples of how to focus on the good have inspired you.
As a next step, start by trying one or two of these strategies above to help you benefit from the power of positive thinking.
Some of the ways to focus on the good will come more naturally to you, so if there is something you don’t love – move on to the next strategy.
Here’s to creating positive energy in your day to day
Related resources to help you focus on the good:
- 52-Week Gratitude Journal with Writing Prompts
- Building A Happy Week Self-Care Worksheets
- 225 Things To Be Thankful For In Life
- 40 Inspirational Gratitude Quotes & Sayings
About Yolanda
Website Owner / Content Creator
I’m passionate about helping you live life to the fullest so you can choose to find happiness and purpose. Learn how to CREATE THE LIFE YOU LOVE with intentional living and discovery of the simple things life has to offer. Learn more…
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