5 Positivity Tips to Become More Positive Today

Looking for positivity tips? We all know we should look on the bright side and cherish what we have, but on our hardest days that feels impossible. With or without the mental health challenges many of us face, the world can seem like a negative place. When you switch on the news, it's easy to forget that the planet is filled with good people as well as bad. Sometimes you need to step back from the TV, put down your smartphone and look within yourself to adjust your worldview. Here are five positivity tips to help you feel better about life.

Positive Life Tips to Follow Today

We all know there are positive life changes we can make to improve our physical and mental wellbeing in the long term (How to Develop a Positive Personality). However, sometimes we need an instant tonic to make us feel better in the moment. With this in mind, here are five positive life tips to follow today.

1. Write a Gratitude List
   
   Research shows that journaling for mental health has calming and therapeutic effects on human emotions. However, you don't need to commit to writing in a diary every day to reap the benefits. Next time you feel negativity creeping in and you have a spare five minutes, write a gratitude list. The list can include anything and everything you're grateful for at that moment, such as a hot cup of coffee, a supportive text from a friend or a roof over your head.
   
   It may feel counterintuitive to write about gratitude when you're feeling sad or angry, but doing this exercise regularly will train your brain to focus on positive thoughts.
    
2. Nourish Your Body
   
   A recent study in Australia found that eating a healthy, balanced diet not only improved the participants' physical health but also led to a boost in mood and mental wellbeing. In the study, the increase in life satisfaction (after switching from a diet with almost no fruit and vegetables to one that included up to eight portions a day) was found to be similar to what an unemployed person feels after finding a job.
   
   No one’s suggesting your diet has to be perfect, but striking a balance is key. Try to fit as many fruits and green vegetables into your meals as possible and you should quickly see an increase in your energy and positivity levels.
    
3. Listen to Something Happy
   
   Sometimes you just need to get out of your head and listen to something that makes you feel good. In the moments where it feels like everything is getting on top of you, try calling a friend, put on your favorite song or plug yourself into a podcast. There are tons of great mental health podcasts available on iTunes, such as Mentally Yours, Fearne Cotton's Happy Place and The Mental Health Foundation Podcast.
   
   Avoid anything too heavy, such as news or current affairs. Just let the positive waves wash over you until you feel ready to take on the world again (Positive News: How It Affects You and Where to Find It).
    
4. Get Closer to Nature
   
   "I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." –Henry David Thoreau.
   
   Many of us are drawn to city life, without realizing the full impact it has on our mental health. A recent UK study showed a “protective effect of greenness” on mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder and anxiety, indicating that those living in leafy communities were 4% less likely to suffer from mental illness than those living in cities.
   
   Nature is good for our minds and our bodies but doesn’t mean you have to move to find happiness. Taking a walk through your local park or spending more time in your garden could do wonders for your mental health.   
    
5. Read a Book
   
   The positive effects of reading on society are well-documented, but can books actually make us happier? According to findings from the University of Liverpool's Centre for Research, it can. The study in question found that regular readers experienced better connections with others, more happiness within themselves and better satisfaction with life overall than non-readers.
   
   It doesn't matter what you read, as long as it has the power to make you feel more positive about life, feeds your mind with valuable information or provides some much-needed escapism.

Positivity Tip: It's Not About Having a Perfect Life

One of the most important positivity tips to bear in mind is that being positive is not about projecting a perfect life (How to Give Off Positive Vibes, Positive Energy). Rather, it's about choosing to see the good in life even though it's challenging at times.

Positivity means finding something to celebrate, even on your worst days – whether that's a beautiful line in a book, a spring flower blooming or curling up to watch your favorite movie on the couch.

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