105 Best Positive Thinking Exercises

Introduction

In a world often characterized by challenges and uncertainties, the power of positive thinking exercise has emerged as a beacon of hope and resilience.

Who wouldn’t want to feel good? Everyone wants to feel happy, comfortable, hopeful, upbeat, and generally optimistic.

But days are so irregular sometimes. In a matter of minutes, something could occur that throws off our happy mood. Then, what should we do?

This is the main topic of this post. We’re going to learn some positive thinking techniques today that we can use to lift our spirits and elevate our ideas.
However, I want to clear something up before I start. This blog is not just for positive sentiments.

I will never recommend you to get away from sorrow.
I believe it is a crucial component of a fulfilling existence and leads to true satisfaction over a long period of time.

We cannot strive for or expect to feel joyful and upbeat all the time. Never forget that variation is what makes the human experience fundamentally unique.

Thus, certainly, we will feel a wide range of emotions. However, we may develop our ability to stabilize ourselves.
Positive thinking activities can help us when we recognize that we’ve been negative, and stuck and that we need to change.

• I’ve put together a list of incredibly easy and uncomplicated positive thinking exercises and activities that might help you feel happier and more at ease.

Following are the simple Positive Thinking Exercises

Learn from the past

• No matter how awful things turn out, the past is behind you, and you are unable to alter it.
• Positive ideas regarding the future should always take the place of any negative beliefs you may have about the past.

Remember things could be worse

• Even when things seem to be going worse than better, keep in mind that things may always be worse, and express gratitude for all the positive things in your life.

Give yourself credit

• Sometimes when we’re angry or dissatisfied, we only focus on our flaws and shortcomings rather than praising ourselves for the things we do well.
• Let your accomplishments fill you with confidence, even if you have made mistakes in other domains.

Make a mental dump

• A brain dump is incredibly beneficial when you feel like your mind is overflowing with concerns and ideas.
• It’s up to you now how you want to go about doing that; you may record your voice, write it down (which is how I like), or just chat to yourself in the mirror.
• It’s necessary to release everything and create a lighter mental state.
• I have often felt lighter after writing pages and pages of concerned scrawls. It’s a healing encounter.

Take up a hobby you enjoy

• What activities do you find enjoyable? Taking care of your plants, taking your pets for walks, watching The Office, doing sketches in your sketchbook, or anything else may be it.
• Allow yourself to do something you enjoy when you’re feeling down. Allocate time for your interests. That was all we wanted to do when we were younger. Now, let’s do that more.

Engage in board game play

• It has been demonstrated that playing board games and even video games can assist in lowering stress and increase feelings of enthusiasm and peace.
• This is also a great way to spend time with friends and family and a lot of fun.

Make a physical movement

• The suggestion that exercise enhances our mood and mental health is supported by data.
• Exercise improves mental health by reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and depression as well as by raising self-esteem and cognitive function.
• It has been demonstrated that aerobic activities, such as jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, can lower anxiety and sadness.
• Take a stroll, jog, or ride your bike, enjoy the fresh air on your face, and allow it to lift your spirits.

Assist someone

• “I’ve found that working is the best remedy for worry. Helping someone who is even more exhausted is the finest way to combat stress
• Serving others brings me happiness. It refocuses our attention on improving the lives of those around us rather than on ourselves.
• We gain from having a certain level of selflessness, as it lessens our problems and allows us to help others.

Give in to nostalgia

• Recollections have great power. Our past lives are permanently imprinted in our memories.
• Turning the pages of the old photo albums you have stored there is a terrific exercise.
• You may find that the purity of that era and the delicacy of your memories help you feel better.

Play affirmations that are uplifting

• Another option you might want to try is listening to some relaxing and comforting affirmations.
• Saying encouraging and empowering things to yourself in reaction to a circumstance or emotion is known as a positive affirmation.

Amazing things are going to occur for me.

• I am able to inhale deeply.
• Every breath makes me feel more powerful.
• I’m capable of anything.
• I just need to give it my all.
• Anything is possible for me to become.
• I’m content with who I am.
• I have confidence in myself.
• I’m pleased with myself.
• I’m worthy of happiness.

Practice self-reflection

• I find great satisfaction in using self-reflection to help me understand who I am.
• It’s a lovely practice to ask oneself questions and work out the answers as you try to respond.
• Self-reflection may help you become clearer as well as feel better. Furthermore, our lives get more complicated and our thoughts become troubled by a lack of clarity.

The following list of journal prompts for self-reflection will get you started:

• What calms you down?
• What gives you a sense of mastery?
• What gives you a sense of strength?
• In what ways do you motivate yourself to attempt something new?
• How can you avoid distractions and maintain your focus?
• How can you turn your envy into happiness when others succeed?
• How can you draw boundaries so you don’t take on the stress and feelings of other people?
• How much do you trust yourself to decide important matters?
• When you commit an error, how do you pardon yourself?
• In what way do you speak out for yourself?

Forgive yourself

• It won’t alter if you constantly criticize yourself for the things that have gone wrong.
• Acknowledge your own forgiveness for your errors and give yourself permission to go forward.

Sing a few songs

• Music exists when neither ourselves nor the people around us understand one another.
• Music is always empathetic. You must have some tunes that you can sing along to and that you know by heart.
• I walk into a room, play certain songs, and sing along with them when I need music to help. It is quite beneficial.
• It is really beneficial to set aside time to engage in a serious hobby like this.

Have a nap

• The doctor says that a good laugh and a long sleep are the greatest cures.
• I concur wholeheartedly. Rest is often what we need. just switch off and just sleep for a while.
• Mental well-being and sleep are intimately related. Thus, take a seat, let go of your worries, and let your body drift off to a blissfully peaceful sleep.

Take a drive

• The picture of a good experience is long, smooth drives, walls of towering trees, the sky peeking through the canopy, nice breezes, and lovely music.
• If you’re the kind of person who enjoys taking long trips, this is an excellent exercise in positive thinking.
• It is not necessary to do anything strenuous in order to think positively; all we need to do is make room for our thoughts and give ourselves permission to breathe.
• A room that is neat and orderly feels inherently happier than one that is crammed and disorganized.

Discover something new

• You might still picture yourself being curious to find out more about anything new that you come across.
• We want to comprehend and have a lot of questions when we are captivated and inquisitive.
• So, is there anything that has caught your attention recently and you’d like to find out more?
• For instance, I’ve recently started taking a Coursera course on sustainable development and using Procreate to learn how to create patterns.
• Give it a go. It’s amazing how many learning opportunities the Internet provides.

Keep a thankfulness diary

• It has been demonstrated that people who routinely express thankfulness for the good things in their lives are generally happier, which lowers stress and depressive symptoms.
• Additionally, keeping a thankfulness book is among the best advices for developing appreciation.

You can try the following thankfulness journaling prompts:

• Write about a moment when you burst out laughing.
• Give thanks to a friend who is close to you yet lives far away.
• Which gift do you think is the best you have ever received?
• Write about a movie that made you feel something, along with why.
• Write a biography of a person you greatly respect.
• Thank you for a restoring stroll through the outdoors.
• What qualities of yourself are your favorites?

Practice deep breathing

• It has been demonstrated that deep, slow breathing improves mental and emotional well-being.
  An age-old breathing method called pranayama comes from Indian yoga traditions. It entails managing the length and style of your breath.
• Additionally, pranayama was shown to lower perceived stress levels in young, healthy adults in a 2013 study. According to the researchers’ conjecture, pranayama enhances your stress response by calming your neural system.

Take in guided meditation recordings

• Meditations with a guide are beneficial. They can totally change our mental state in five to fifteen minutes, which makes them an excellent positive thinking practice.
• A calm mind and a profound sense of relaxation can be achieved through meditation.
• We eliminate the information overload that accumulates throughout the day and adds to our stress when we meditate.

Practice self-hypnosis

• A highly conscious state of mind that is receptive to commands is produced by self-hypnosis.
• This implies that you’ll be more receptive to advice that can make you happy and, ideally, healthier.

Positive Thinking At Work

Be constructive

• Self-criticism that is harsh and unfounded will not only make you unhappy, but it will also prevent you from getting better.
• Be constructive in your self-criticism so that you can advance and gain knowledge.

Visualize a successful outcome

• Visualizing yourself finishing a project successfully or receiving the promotion you want can sometimes be beneficial.
• You may get encouragement from this and feel better about the circumstances.

Sit up straight

• It won’t help you feel better to slouch in your chair and ignore whatever is upsetting you.
• Try sitting up straight in your chair to see if it helps you think better.

Surround yourself with positive images

• Turn your desk into a cheerful, personal retreat.
• To make your space peaceful and inspiring, hang images of the things that bring you joy or serve as a reminder of your objectives.

Relax and let things happen

• Oftentimes, letting issues unfold naturally is the best course of action.
• Reminding yourself that things frequently seem more serious than they actually are may help you to de-stress and unwind.

See it from another point of view

• Try to think differently by trying to see things from the perspectives of your supervisors, coworkers, or just an unbiased person.
• You can learn from it what went wrong and why other people might be offended.

Keep track of your thoughts

• Try recording your negative thoughts as soon as you notice them.
• You might notice a pattern and discover strategies to change the way you view unfavorable circumstances or yourself.

Don’t dwell

• So you were wrong. Everyone experiences it.
• Avoid thinking back on your errors. Go on to other endeavors and make peace with yourself.

Stop being your own worst critic

• Nobody else is more adept at making you feel awful than you are.
• When you feel like you’re at your lowest, try not to be too hard on yourself and focus on what is good about you.

Look at yourself rationally

• It’s simple to be hard on oneself when you make mistakes at work, no matter how minor.
• However, consider standing back and assessing the circumstances. It can turn out that what you once believed to be a major issue is actually not that important.

Believe in yourself

• Do you want to get promoted? Want to acquire that massive account? If you have faith in your ability, it might come to pass.

Avoid negative coworkers

• Positive attitudes can be ruined by coworkers who always highlight the bad aspects of everything.
• Talking to people you know would just make you feel worse should be avoided.

Truly believe you are the best at your job

• A negative mindset and a persistent search for shortcomings in your job increase the likelihood that you will perform poorly.
• You’re far more inclined to put in the time and effort necessary to become an expert in your work if you believe you are good at it.

Look for opportunity

• Every setback presents a chance for growth.
• Take some time to consider how you may use your professional disappointments as stepping stones to future success.

Personal and Family Life

Try these positive thinking strategies if you’re having trouble being upbeat about yourself or about problems in your family.

Remain in the company of positive thinkers

• Seek out positive people and family to surround yourself with, as positivity spreads easily.

Thank god your life isn’t dull

• You would probably start to grow bored with your existence if nothing good or unpleasant ever happened to you.
• Consider everything that comes your way an opportunity to learn and grow as well as a means of staying occupied and engaged in life.

Examine the overall scene

• Does the parking ticket you received bother you? Of course.
• Later this week, will you still feel guilty about it? This month? Acquire the ability to let go of things that are unnecessary.

Give up on the past

• Why should you concentrate on it when it won’t affect your future? Make a conscious effort to divert your thoughts if you catch yourself dwelling on the past.

Take advantage of other people’s perspectives

• Do you have a friend who always seems to know exactly what to say to reassure you that everything will be okay?
• Find solace in the people in your immediate vicinity who possess optimistic outlooks and can uplift your spirits regardless of the circumstances in your life.

Create a mantra for yourself

• Whatever you decide to say to yourself, turn it into a mantra that will serve as a constant reminder to be optimistic and seize life’s opportunities.

Look for a sharing partner

• Being reminded that you are not alone can be comforting.
• Talk to a friend, a family member, or even a mental health professional about your bad sentiments.
• After you’ve spoken to someone and gotten things off your chest, you’ll probably feel better.

Take a kind action

• Do you want to feel better? Consider trying to be kind to someone you care about.
• Being kind to others will make you feel good, and you might even brighten someone else’s day.

Give yourself a treat

• Indulging in your passion is one method to serve as a reminder of all the wonderful things in life.
• Give yourself time to unwind, whether it’s with a new video game, a massage, or a box of chocolates.

Acknowledge your blessings to yourself

• Remind yourself of these things, no matter how tiny you may think they are:
• your family, your friends, or even the fact that you have food to eat every day.

Express gratitude

• The majority of us simply take for granted all that we have to be thankful for.
• To enhance your own optimism, express gratitude to the people in your life who provide you joy and well-being.

Think of good things to say about the people you love

• Relationships can be strengthened by making others feel good about themselves and by focusing on the positive rather than the bad.

Don’t give blame

• Thus, the water bill remained unpaid. You can become enraged and pick a quarrel with your partner or housemate
• Alternatively, you might accept it, move on, and cooperate to find a solution.

Play around

• Nothing will improve your attitude and way of thinking more than giving yourself permission to be playful and to connect with your inner kid.

Having fun and relaxing

• Spend less time in your spare time focusing on previous offenses.
• Try focusing on the positive instead of the negative by using these useful suggestions.

Go through a book that inspires you

• If you’re struggling to find inspiration in your own life at the moment, consider drawing inspiration from the lives of others by reading uplifting and inspirational books.

View your preferred corny film

• Watch your favorite movie or just your favorite parts to get a fast pick-me-up.
• You’ll chuckle or grin and go past whatever was bothering you.

Away from the news for a while

• There is always something gloomy to read in the news.
• Take a night off from watching the news and do something fun if you’re already in a foul mood.

Take part in some exercise

• Exercise releases feel-good chemicals into your body.
• To lift your spirits, go for a walk around the block, go for a run, or participate in a sport.

Play something positive

• A good way to improve mood is with music.
• Play some joyful music when you’re relaxing at home or while you’re driving your automobile.

Keep an eye on your thoughts as they arise

• Do your negative ideas take precedence over everything else while you’re just sitting there thinking?
• Keep an eye on your thoughts while you’re sleeping and practice focusing them on more positive memories.

Take part in pursuits that advance your objectives

• Spending the weekend baking cookies will only entice you to stray from your low-calorie diet if you’re attempting to lose weight.
• Alternatively, get your heart rate up by hiking, playing tennis with a friend, or just moving about.

Pay attention to your breathing

• Try focusing solely on breathing when everything seems like too much to handle.
• It will help you de-stress, get rid of some of your tension, and concentrate on the things in your life that are more positive.

Pay attention to all the joy in your life

• Even if you work 40 hours a week at a desk, you probably also like and enjoy some enjoyable activities in your life.
• When you’re feeling low, concentrate on these things and take some time to come up with inventive and amusing methods to pass the time.

Investigate your surroundings

• By embracing your sense of adventure, you can divert your attention from your unpleasant emotions.
• Explore a previously unexplored area of the city, go on a day trip to a nearby winery, or simply spend time thinking about the pleasant memories associated with items in your home.

Get pumped

• Try to identify one thing that you are thrilled about for Monday, even if there are a million things you are dreading doing.
• One small thing can make a significant difference in how you feel and approach the day.

Look for a reason to chuckle

• If you haven’t had any particularly humorous moments during the day, consider an amusing recollection that always makes you smile.
• It’s difficult to be unhappy while you’re smiling and laughing.

Count down to complete calm

• Everybody has experienced moments when they feel like they want to blow out because they are so angry or furious.
• You should pause and begin counting if you see yourself approaching this stage.
• As an added bonus, consider counting while you gradually relax each body part to ensure that you are fully at ease and able to think clearly.

Believe

• Among the many advantages of meditation is the potential to promote optimistic thinking.
• You may get rid of a lot of negativity that could be bothering you by unwinding and emptying your mind.

List 100 activities that you find enjoyable

• Do you currently feel as though your life is one giant, terrible sinkhole? Take a seat and attempt to jot down a list of your favorite activities.
• Your life doesn’t have to be as horrible as you think it is when you take pleasure in simple pleasures like a hot shower or a snowy stroll.

Make something

• Working to build something instead of being negative can help counteract the harmful thoughts that negativity inspires.
• Create art or illustrations, make new curtains, construct a model, or even assemble a puzzle.

Picture yourself in a joyful environment

• You may transform any unpleasant scenario you find yourself in into one that makes you grin by using the potent skill of visualization.
• Simply close your eyes and visualize your most comfortable place.

Daily Attitude

If you truly want to alter your perspective on life, try applying these strategies to alter the way you approach issues and perceive the world.

Appreciate the beauty in everything

• Looking around at all the wonderful things in the world may instantly and enlighteningly improve your spirits, even when you’re in the lowest of moods.

Recognize that you are not your ideas

• Acknowledging that you control your ideas rather than them controlling you will help you stop your negative thoughts in their tracks.

Give yourself some time to consider your true desires

• When you start to feel bad about the things you haven’t managed to get done, stop and consider whether you actually desire those things.
• Eliminating negative emotions related to things you don’t actually want can be accomplished by determining what matters most to you.

Embrace the positive aspects of life

• Sometimes we are so focused on the negative things that happen to us that we lose sight of the positive things.
• Sit down for a moment and list all the good things that happened in your day, no matter how little.

Enjoy the excitement of all the opportunities that lie ahead

• There are countless opportunities for you to make changes or face the world head-on, even in the midst of the worst tragedies.

Have faith in the goodness of the world

• You’re not doing yourself any favors if all you see when you look around is misery and sadness.
• If you think the world is a wonderful place, you’ll probably discover a lot more opportunities for good things to happen to you.

Give up offering justifications

• People might find a plethora of reasons to put off doing something, even if it would make them happy.
• When you catch yourself using cheap justifications, stop creating barriers to your happiness.

Avoid taking the easy ride

• Everyone experiences bad things from time to time. It won’t help to feel sorry for yourself or to have other people feel the same way.
• Get back up and go to work creating a happy future for yourself.

Don’t entrust someone else with your future

• You alone are in charge of shaping your future.
• Keep this in mind and take charge of your life’s direction.

Set attainable objectives

• If your objectives are so unreachable no matter how hard you work.
• you will undoubtedly become frustrated with more manageable, smaller goals so that you can wake up every day feeling accomplished rather than disappointed.

Select happiness

• You choose to be happy or miserable every morning when you get up. You’ll lead a far happier life if you choose to be happy.

Have faith in your ability to change

• Everybody has aspects of themselves that they find undesirable and that can occasionally cause them to feel self-conscious.
• If you think you can make a difference, you’ll begin to notice small steps towards success.

Get started right away

• Are you looking to raise the standard of your life? Take action right now.
• Starting now will prevent you from having time to come up with excuses later on.

Feel that you are deserving of excellent things

• You probably won’t experience many positive things in life if you don’t genuinely think you deserve them.
• If you think you deserve nice things to happen to you, they very well may.

Give up allowing your negative ideas to rule you

• Being overly negative can make you feel like you’re not in control of your life and that everything is wrong.
• Stop thinking these negative things and take charge of your emotions.

Smile

• Smiling can sometimes be the only thing that makes you feel good.
• Learn how to put on a joyful front even when your emotions are only mediocre.

Take charge of the choices you make

• Even in situations where you may feel powerless, you are in charge of your life.
• Regain control over your choices by deciding to live a happier, more optimistic life.

Modify your mood

• Some individuals believe that you attract the energy you put out, therefore give up negative energy and adopt a more optimistic mindset.
• It doesn’t matter if it actually works; either way, you’ll feel better.

Keep unwanted people out

• You have the power to decide what good and negative people you allow into your life.
• Try to keep the unpleasant things out of your life as much as possible, even your thoughts.

Make it a habit to think positively

• Don’t limit yourself to thinking positively only during depressive moments.
• Regardless of how you’re feeling, make it a daily ritual.

Make a decision about your motivations

• Consider why you truly desire the things you’ve set out to do in life before getting irritated because you feel like you’re not succeeding in doing so.
• It’s possible that you’re not as devoted to them as you believe.

Examine things with a new perspective

• Sometimes the best course of action is to let a problem go to sleep so that you may examine it the following day when you’re not as sensitive.

Overcoming Obstacles

• Everybody must occasionally overcome obstacles in their lives.
• These suggestions can help you get through tough personal objectives or unforeseen issues with a grin on your face.

Until you make it, pretend

• Developing a sense of self-worth and contentment is one strategy for overcoming obstacles.
• You may initially think this feeling isn’t real, but eventually, you’ll start to feel happy and possibly even closer to your objective.

Have faith that you will recover

• People who are unwell may experience fear and hopelessness.
• Nothing will be accomplished by these emotions.
• Focus on improving and experience each moment as though you will soon recover.

Recognize that the challenges are meant to test you

• There will be obstacles in your way while you work towards achievement.
• Recognize that their purpose is to make sure you really want what you’re doing, not to prevent you from achieving your goals.

Imagine yourself at the desired weight

• Even the most motivated people may find it difficult to lose weight.
• Imagining yourself at the ideal weight might serve as an excellent source of inspiration to set you on the path to achievement.

Begin simply

• Working towards a large objective all at once can be demoralizing and overwhelming.
• Take things one step at a time and work towards your end objective until you achieve it.

Never give up on yourself

• Usually, giving up means choosing the simple route out of a crisis. Never let yourself give up on anything you desire, no matter how bad you’re feeling.
• Remaining persistent will ultimately pay off for you in the long run.

Change won’t come easily

• Nobody ever assured you that overcoming challenges or making significant life changes would be simple or painless.
• That is not intended to be. Failure shouldn’t cause you to lose confidence or adopt a pessimistic outlook.

Look for the positive aspects

• There is always a bright side to every situation; you simply need to find yours.
• To get through a problem, try to find the silver lining despite all the chaos surrounding it and concentrate on that.

Recognize that this is a temporary position

• Remind yourself that you will feel better eventually, even if you’re still grieving the loss of a loved one.
• Even though you might always be depressed after a loss, time will only make it easier.
• Remember that every difficult circumstance is temporary and take each day as it comes.

Genuinely think you’ll succeed

• Have faith in your ability to succeed if you want an added advantage.
• You might get the assurance and confidence you need from this to really make a difference.

Accept change head-on

• You and others around you undergo perpetual change as well as the globe.
• Accept these changes and realize that just because something is changing, it doesn’t always imply happiness is over.

Decide to be resilient consciously

• In life, you have two choices: you can let a struggle break you down and cause you to perceive the world negatively, or you can overcome it by finding strength you never knew you had.
• Select the latter; there is always time.

Face it head-on

• Oftentimes, confronting unfavorable aspects of your life is the best course of action.
• Getting a resolution, or at least making progress towards one, can probably lift your spirits in almost any circumstance.

Concentrate on figuring out an answer

• Avoid wallowing in your issues. Rather, endeavor to identify a resolution and bring things to an end.
• You’ll have the ability to take initiative and feel in charge of your life.

Allow no loss to distract you

• Any objective worth pursuing will inevitably encounter obstacles along the road.
• Don’t allow them to deter you from pursuing your main objective.

Remain focused and on course

• It’s simple to be weak and stray from your goals since they seem more achievable at the moment.
• You’ll only feel worse afterward if you give in to weakness.
• Remind yourself to maintain your positive attitude and to follow the program.

Conclusion

• A useful strategy for enhancing physical and mental health is positive thinking. By adding practices like thankfulness journaling into your daily routine, you may teach your mind to see the good things in life—even when faced with difficult circumstances. This routine can eventually result in a happier, more positive mindset, and an enhanced capacity to handle life’s ups and downs with grace and positivity. Keep in mind that the more you think positively, the more it becomes a part of who you are and how you think.

FAQs

References

• Hossain, I. (2019, December 14). 100 Positive-Thinking Exercises That Will Make Any Patient Healthier & Happier. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/100-positive-thinking-exercises-make-any-patient-happier-hossain/
• Tewari, A. (2023, August 24). 15 Easy & Simple Positive Thinking Exercises To Improve Your Mood. Gratitude – the Life Blog. https://blog.gratefulness.me/positive-thinking-exercises/