Every self-help guru on the planet will tell you that the way to experience happiness, prosperity, and health is through the doorway of positive thinking. And while that’s easy to talk about when all is going great in your life, it may not be much comfort to you if things are crashing and burning all around you.
But the self-help gurus are right about the power of positive thinking. You can begin to take control of your thoughts and guide them in the direction you want your life to go. Your thoughts are the driving force toward your destiny.
Use these simple strategies to head toward the happiness you crave:
1. Smile and be thankful. Much of what you experience in life depends on what you pay attention to. Each day, some things will go right and some things will go wrong. If you pay more attention to the things that go right and dwell on those things, you’ll experience more happiness.
* Smile and greet everyone you meet warmly. Smiles are contagious, and you’ll instantly begin to feel a difference inside yourself.

* Pause throughout the day to think about things that you are grateful for. The more you practice gratitude, the better you’ll feel about life and about yourself.
2. Surround yourself with positive people. Most people who soar to incredible heights of accomplishment in their lives do so because they surround themselves with positive, encouraging people. It’s hard to have a positive outlook when everyone around you is complaining all the time.
* If you surround yourself with people who routinely seek the good inside of you, you’ll begin to do the same. Spend less time with negative people and more time with those who speak words of support into your life. If you do, you’ll experience greater power, self-confidence and joy.
3. Think constructively. For positive thinking to truly make a difference in your life, you must replace negative thoughts as they occur. Most important, however, is the need to get whatever benefits you can out of the negative thought before you erase it from your mind.
* Instead of ignoring your negative thought and hoping it will go away, ask yourself if the critic inside of you is trying to teach you something valuable. Take note of the lesson, and then quickly discard the negative thought. Replace it with a positive perspective on the same situation.
* Whenever you experience negative thinking, ask yourself: “What else could this mean?” If someone treats you unfairly, it could mean that they don’t like you very much. But it probably means they’re just having a bad day. How can you help? Do you see how this question can change your entire outlook?
4. Use positive affirmations. Often, when faced with a stressful situation, we resort to a pattern of thinking and behaving that has become a habit. How do you create new habits that support your success instead of sabotaging it? Positive affirmations are the key.
* Write out the things you want in life and the qualities you want to possess. Write these statements in the present tense, and use positive language. Repeat these statements to yourself over and over again. Do this every day, and before long you’ll strongly believe the words of the affirmation you’ve created for yourself.
* If a habit of thinking is holding you back, what’s stopping you from creating a new habit? Try this today and experience its power for yourself.
The negative thoughts of the critic inside of you serve a valuable purpose. Things aren’t always rosy, and it’s important to learn from your experiences so that you don’t make the same mistakes. However, you can begin to harness the power of positive thinking today. Apply these simple strategies to move closer to the joy and success you deserve.
