Let’s say you are facing some adversities in your life, and you are tired of the constant complaints and worries that seem to be the recurring theme in your life. Something in you tells you that you are deserving of something greater, so you yearn for a change and try to shift your perspective — in a way that can transform your life.
So you decide to adopt a technique a friend shared to weather those storms — developing a positive attitude.
You consider this because you realize it has the potential to pave the way for a remarkable transformation in your life. But before you decide to dedicate a whole year to this, you are curious to find out if it’s worthwhile.
I tried this for myself and I will break down what I realized:
Week 1
Approximately a week into the journey of developing a positive attitude, changes seemed pretty subtle. I was conscious enough to realize when my thoughts weren’t helping and tried to replace them with more optimistic ones.
I began to start my day with gratitude exercises, which helped set a positive tone. Throughout the course of my day, I found myself approaching challenges with a more solution-oriented mindset, and my interactions with others become a bit intentional and more meaningful. If the tone of the conversation didn’t help me become better at something, I gave an excuse to just leave. I had an ounce of hope and life started to become amazing.
Month 1
After a month of trying this new habit, the positive attitude became more ingrained than the very first week. I was quick to turn the negative tone of a conversation into a positive one the moment people I realized people’s situation(s) gave them a pessimistic view of life. Also, in the face of setbacks I became more resilient. At this point, I reminded myself of the fact that life doesn’t happen to me but for me. I’ll say my overall mood improved, and I realized the power of staying calm, doing my best, and trusting the process. I became more interested in seeking out inspirational material, and joined online communities to further ingrain this habit. At this point, I could tell people realized something different about me — in a positive way but just can’t describe it. They prolly think you found a secret code to unlocking happiness.
6 Months
At this point, I overcame setbacks to the point where I personally realized a significant transformation. I developed a habit of focusing on solutions rather than dwelling on problems. I became extremely cautious of the relationships I built. The best part is they improved since the conversations I had with others led to some personal growth. It became easy to attract like-minded individuals. At this point, I became so proud and confident in the person that I am that I decided to set and create a plan of action to achieve my goals. I focused more on the work rather than talking about wanting to start it. In the course of the journey, adversities along the way became opportunities for growth. The question changed from “Why is this happening to me?” to “What is this trying to teach me and what can I do right to avoid this in the future?”
1 Year
After a year, I realized that most of my accomplishments was as a result of this and expressed gratitude for being able to develop this habit. My sense of contentment and inner peace surged in a way I can’t describe in words. Like I alluded to in the six month mark: I viewed challenges that once seemed insurmountable as stepping stones to my personal growth. I felt less stressed, which meant a significant improvement in wellbeing — mentally, emotionally, and spiritually — was achieved. At this point, most people in your circle realize that this is who you are; it doesn’t seem like you’ve put on a facade; my positive attitude became a core part of my identity which permeated every area of my life. At this point, people who want to become friends with you do so because they’re trying to develop this habit.
Final thoughts
I’ll try to keep things brief but all I can say is developing a positive attitude can definitely lead to profound changes in your life — even within the first month. So based on my experience, will I recommend it? Yes, a 1000%. It might not seem easy at first — given the magnitude of the challenges that you may be facing — but by beginning with small, daily efforts, it gradually permeates every aspect of your life. Embracing positivity can empower you to overcome adversity, cultivate resilience, and ultimately live a happier and more fulfilling life. Hope you found this helpful.
The key to life when things get tough is to just keep moving. Just keep moving.
Tyler Perry