How To Change Your Perspective & Be Positive

Feeling like crap is crap, right? Letting negative thoughts consume your mind and feeling stressed on a chronic basis can be tough to handle, and so it's important to know how to instantly change your perspective in order to be more positive and feel happier, as explained by experts in an interview with the Huffington Post. Feeling happier will not only influence your day, as you'll be in a better mood, but it can have great effects longterm, leading to more satisfaction and greater wellbeing longterm. It can also influence others, as people enjoy being around positive elements more than negative, moody vibes.

As a certified health coach, I work with clients on being in tune with their bodies and emotions in order to better control them and manipulate when getting rid of negativity and fostering a more positive attitude is required. No one likes feeling sad and unfulfilled, and it can be quite common in this world's busy, hectic cycle of work, stress, and more work, that is so prevalent. When you notice a bad mood hitting you, look to these 11 ways to change your perspective as soon as possible and start feeling happier and more relaxed with whatever lies ahead of you. Trust me, it'll be worth it for all those peppy, mood-boosting points.

1. Stop Thinking In Terms Of "Should"

In interview with Bustle, Lynne Goldberg, certified meditation coach and co-founder of the OMG. I Can Meditate! app, says that thinking in terms of "should," and how certain things should be, can lead to disappointment. "We all tend to see things from our limited perspective, but our view of how things 'should' be causes most of the suffering in our lives," Goldberg says. Avoid this perception for greater happiness.

2. Consider The Other's Perspective

If you're interacting with someone else, think of his or her perspective and how it compares to your own, advises Goldberg. "For example, let’s say we are expecting to meet someone for lunch at noon and they show up a half an hour late - we may have many different feelings depending on our perspective. We may feel angry that they have disrespected our time, or maybe we feel worried that something bad has happened to them. However, from their point of view, they may have been stuck in traffic or thought noon was merely a suggestion to aim for rather than a time set in stone," Goldberg says.

3. Look For Something Positive

"We recognize that what we look for is what we tend to see," says Goldberg. So, instead of looking for an outcome that is negative or some flaw, look for something positive that can be beneficial or add to your life, rather than diminish an area of its worth. By shifting to search for happiness, you can create it.

4. Think Of The Bigger Picture

Consider the bigger picture when forming a perspective on something, says Goldberg, and think of how this one perspective or area of focus and hold up within the larger picture or real-world effects. "By widening our lens to the bigger picture we begin to see things more clearly. As if instead of seeing the individual walls in a maze, we suddenly see it from above in it’s entirety," Goldberg says.

5. Show Gratitude

According to a 2005 study from the University of Pennsylvania, showing gratitude can make you feel more satisfied with where you are in life and the people and situations you surround yourself with. If you're feeling negative, think of something that you're grateful for in order to focus on something that gives you joy and can banish the worries and moodiness.

6. Smile

As demonstrated in a 2011 study from Michigan State University, even if you're feeling upset, and smiling is probably the furthest thing from your mind, cracking a smile and showing a few white, pearly teeth can be an instant mood booster. It can help you shift your perspective on whatever obstacle you are dealing with in order to feel happier and more optimistic about what's to come.

7. Get In A Workout

According to a 2008 study conducted at University of Bristol, getting in a sweat session can boost mood and happiness levels, and this is a great asset for when you're feeling down and need to shift to a more positive perspective, gain some clarity, enhance your mood, and start to feel more relaxed and less anxious overall. Find an activity that works for you, one that is enjoyable and effective.

8. Help Others

When you're feeling down about yourself, it's easy to put things in proper perspective when you consider how you stand compared to others, those who may be suffering or are worse off than you are, as shown in a 2008 study at The University of California Berkeley. So, giving a little money to others can make us feel more positive. Spend a little to brighten someone's day.

9. Take A Nap

Brandon Berman, Reverie in-house sleep expert says over email with Bustle that getting enough sleep can help you change your perspective to a happier one. "There is a lot of scientific evidence showing that insomnia results in much higher rates of depression and anxiety," Berman says. "As you become sleep deprived, your ability to control mood is reduced. Thinking holistically, in order to maintain a positive outlook, having sleep is a key aspect as it helps to maintain hormone levels that will contribute to a positive attitude, such as serotonin and dopamine." Berman recommends aiming for 7-9 hours nightly.

10. Write Down Negative Thoughts

"Take a look at the beliefs and thoughts you focus on and how they impact your mood," says licensed marriage and family therapist Erika Fay, LMFT, over email with Bustle. "Take note of the ones that make you feel sad, negative or stuck. Writing down these thoughts can be therapeutic, as it's a way of distancing them once written (you can even throw out the paper when done)," says Fay.

11. Say Positive Thoughts To Yourself

"Replace negative thoughts with something more positive," says Fay. "Practice focusing on the positive thoughts. The more you practice, the easier it will be for these thoughts to become second nature." Strive to say at least three positive thoughts about yourself each day, as it can make you feel happier and more confident during the day and help banish negative thoughts.

No matter how you're feeling, or why your perspective is geared towards a more negative outlook, feeling happier and more positive will enhance your wellbeing and make you feel more satisfied with your life and your purpose within it. Remembering that perspectives can change based on personal control is powerful, so work towards striving for positivity as much as possible.

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