Having an optimistic outlook has physical, mental and emotional benefits. Steal these tips for staying positive even when times are tough.
We probably don’t need to convince you that having a positive outlook on life is a good thing. After all, who doesn’t want to be happy? But you might be surprised to learn just how good positive emotions are for your body and mind.
For example, several studies show that having an upbeat mental attitude is linked to health benefits such as:*
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“Positivity maximizes health outcomes at every level,” says Michele Ford, PhD. She’s a licensed psychologist and psychology professor at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. “People with a positive mindset live longer and more healthfully, even with illness. And they have a lower risk of depression.”
When you spend time with upbeat, supportive people, you feel a sense of connection. Social connection is good for just about every part of your physical and emotional well-being, says Nancy Haugen, PhD. She’s a clinical psychologist in San Francisco and an associate professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.
What’s more, being around positive people gives you a chance to feel inspired by their feel-good moods. Then you can borrow their strategies for coping with difficult situations, Ford says. That friend who does goofy dances with her dog after a stressful day? She’s on to something.
Here are six ways to boost your mood, and your well-being:
“The vast majority of the data your body deals with comes from inside you, including the senses,” says Haugen. So pause occasionally and ask yourself: What am I hearing right now? What do I see? Feel? Smell? Taste? “The body is always present. But the mind often isn’t,” Haugen says. Focusing on your senses can help ground you in your body and in the present moment. That has a calming, rebooting effect.
Volunteering has been shown to have a positive effect on people’s sense of happiness and satisfaction with life.* It comes back to that feeling of social connection that builds when you work side by side with others toward something good.
Plus, regular volunteering has a stress-busting effect that helps improve emotional well-being.* Those are just a few great reasons to sign up to volunteer at a community center or nonprofit. Choose one that has special meaning to you. Perhaps there’s even one that has helped you out in the past and you’d like to give back.
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Keeping track of the people and things you’re grateful for can help lower symptoms of depression and deliver more peace of mind.* “Keeping a gratitude journal changes how you feel,” Haugen says. There’s something about writing down what you’re thankful for that flips a switch in your mind from negativity to positivity, she says. Look for positive moments every day. And take a moment to write them down and be thankful for them. Small stuff totally counts. Some examples:
You’ve felt it before — that little mood lift that comes from doing a kind deed for someone. So what if you kept the acts of kindness going for seven days straight? You’d increase your sense of happiness and well-being, according to a study.*
The researchers found that it doesn’t matter whether you’re being kind to someone you know well or a stranger. However, they did find that more is better. The more kind acts someone performed, the more their happiness grew. It can be a small act, like paying a compliment or calling a friend who’s having a hard time. “Even if it’s just a smile, being kind is one of the things that gives you the biggest bang for your buck in terms of your well-being,” Haugen says.
Research has found that getting regular exercise promotes positive emotions. On the flip slide, people who have better moods are more likely to be more active. In other words, exercise and a positive outlook tend to go hand in hand.* “Exercising helps you feel empowered,” Ford says.
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When you’re facing a challenge or dealing with a setback, don’t let negative thoughts or fear of failure hold you back. Instead, take a moment to think about your past successes and other problems you’ve overcome, Ford suggests. Remembering the inner strength that has helped you in the past can give you the confidence you need to tackle what’s next. It can help to use positive affirmations, says Ford. Some examples:
Don’t just say it once — repeat the affirmation several times to yourself. That works to train your brain to believe what you’re saying. And when you believe you can do something, you’re more likely to act like you can do it, too.
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*FOR THE HEALTH IMPACTS OF MOOD: Positive Affect and Health: What Do We Know and Where Next Should We Go? Annual Review of Psychology. January 2019. Accessed September 6, 2024.
*FOR THE BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING: Lawton RN, Gramatki I, Watt W, et al. Does volunteering make us happier, or are happier people more likely to volunteer? Addressing the problem of reverse causality when estimating wellbeing impacts of volunteering. Journal of Happiness Studies. March 2020; 22: 599-624. Accessed September 6, 2024.
*FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VOLUNTEERING AND STRESS: Han SH, Kim K, and Burr JA. Stress-buffering effects of volunteering on daily well-being: evidence from the national study of daily experiences. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B: Psychological Sciences and Social Sciences. October 2020; 75(8): 1731-1740. Accessed September 6, 2024.
*FOR THE MENTAL HEALTH BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE: Diniz G, Korkes L, Schiliró Tristão L, et al. The effects of gratitude interventions: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Einstein (Sao Paulo). July 31, 2023. Accessed September 6, 2024.
*FOR ACTS OF KINDNESS AND HAPPINESS: Rowland L and Curry OS. A range of kindness activities boost happiness. The Journal of Social Psychology. May 2019; 159(3): 340-343. Accessed September 6, 2024.
*FOR THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MOOD AND EXERCISE: Leibow MS, Lee JW and Morton KR. Exercise, flourishing, and the positivity ratio in seventh-day adventists: a prospective study. American Journal of Health Promotion, January 2021; 35(1): 48-56. Accessed September 6, 2024.
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