Psychological research has shown over and over how important a positive outlook is for success in life, from reaching career goals to managing your personal relationships. Your attitude shapes and underlies your reactions to the curveballs life throws on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, it’s easy to allow your attitude to slide into negative and cynical thinking without even noticing that it’s happening. The news is always full of stories of tragedy and injustice. Social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, but it’s all too easy to be sucked into the online drama. Because of this, it’s important to consciously cultivate your positive mindset each and every day.
Here are five things Byron Johnson practices daily to keep his mindset facing a positive direction.
1. Begin Your Day with a Positive Mindset Routine
The way that you start your morning helps determine your mood and outlook for the entire day, so you can’t let your mornings just happen. You have to take control of a specific routine that allows you to frame your day. Byron Johnson believes that a positive morning routine can include different components, but they should include aspects touching your physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
On the physical side, start the day with food and drink that you enjoy and that nourishes and energizes you. For some people, this can mean a simple cup of coffee; for others, it could mean taking time the night before to prepare overnight oatmeal or cut up fruit for a smoothie. For mental stimulation, skip the news and read a few pages of an inspiring book. This could be anything from a religious text to a business or self-help book, or even some poetry. To nurture your spiritual side, spend a few moments in prayer, reflection, or meditation.
2. End Each Day with Gratitude
You will be amazed at how much it helps your positive outlook when you dedicate time each day to counting your blessings, not in a vague way but in taking the time to specify them by name and in detail. This can take the form of a gratitude journal, where you can write down several things each day that you are thankful for. You could also do it inside your head as sort of evening meditation – just be sure to describe what you are grateful for in specific words, not just a general warm and fuzzy feeling.
This is a habit Byron Johnson does to allow his waking moments of each day consciously thinking positive thoughts. It’s a lovely final note to put on your day, even one in which you have faced struggles and hardships, and it’s a step toward beginning the next day on a positive footing.
3. Think of Your Challenges in Positive Terms
It’s easy to keep a positive attitude when everything is going smoothly. But even when things go wrong, like losing out on a job opportunity, suffering a financial loss, or having a relationship end, you can train yourself to look at these as opportunities for a new direction or challenge, rather than on dwelling on what you have lost.
This does not mean living in denial or suppress negative emotions. Rather, recognize and acknowledge feelings of frustration, anger, and sadness. Examine your emotions and allow yourself to fully feel them rather than trying to avoid them or power through. Then make an equally conscious decision to turn and look for the positive aspects of your situation, and work to hold that frame as you move forward.
4. Make Sure Your Inner Self-Talk Is Positive
Like everyone else, you have an inner mental voice that talks to you, judging and offering a constant stream of feedback on your actions and decisions. How does that voice speak to you? Too many people speak to themselves in the imagined or the remembered voice of a critical parent or boss, even calling themselves harsh names like “Stupid” or “Idiot.”
It’s especially insidious because that voice is so constant and has been there for so long that you don’t even really “hear” it most of the time. If you are unsure whether you are too harsh, imagine overhearing a person saying those words aloud to someone else nearby. If you would feel angry at the speaker and protective of the person being spoken to, your inner voice has become a bad influence in your life.
One of the best things Byron Johnson does to shape his positive outlook is taking control of that voice. When you catch your inner critic saying something mean or overly critical, immediately turn it around and consider what the most encouraging and supportive person in your life would say to you at that moment.
If you really struggle with a cruel inner critic, try actually writing positive feedback to yourself in a journal. Imagine a daily progress report written by the most enthusiastic and positive teacher and tell yourself the things you did well that day. Use phrases like, “I was really proud of you when you did X” or “It was great how you did Y.” It can feel a little silly, but it will help retrain you to build yourself up rather than tearing yourself down.
5. Avoid Negative People Whenever Possible
It’s not possible to surround yourself with only positive people at all hours of the day. There are always family members or co-workers who have nothing good to say, just a stream of gripes and complaints. What you can do is take control of the situation and limit the time spent talking with them about negative things. Some people can be turned to positive topics by gently steering the conversation. In other cases, you may have to set a limit on how long you will interact with them at any particular time.
To save your energy for the negative people you must deal with, limit your exposure to random negativity. It’s easy to sit in front of the television or click on link after link online, so that before you know it you have spent an hour or more ingesting dark news, reality-show, and drama, or “comedy” that relies on cruel mockery. A few moments here and there are not harmful, but a steady diet will warp your outlook. Consciously evaluate what you decide to take in as entertainment or information and decide if it’s something that you actually need in your life.
Shifting your mindset from negative to positive can have a dramatic impact on your well-being. Staying positive triggers optimism in your mind and spirit, and can also help you achieve your goals. Byron Johnson spends a lot of effort to cultivate positive thinking while he watches his life changed for the best.
About Byron Johnson
Byron Johnson is a founder, entrepreneur, and CEO known for founding a number of businesses which include an insurance agency, construction and remodeling company while also investing in some commercial real estate. Since relocating to Tampa, FL in late 2007, Byron opened his first Liberty Tax Franchise in 2012, and in 2014, founded Star Nsurance, a respected Auto insurance company in the heart of Tampa servicing over 10,000 active customers.
Byron Johnson also owns Embassy Construction and Remodeling, a top-notch contractor for home improvement and remodeling needs and is also an owner of a 50+ unit commercial property located in the up and coming Seminole Heights area close to downtown Tampa.
To give back, Byron Johnson has a popular YouTube channel where he shares free tips and valuable insurance info daily. You can find him under the name “Cheap Car Insurance Guru” YouTube channel.
Byron Johnson also has a passion for playing poker. He has played poker competitively since his college days back in 2003. Recently, in February of 2020 he won a major WSOP event (World Series of Poker Event) bringing home a prestigious Gold WSOP championship ring. For more information on Byron Johnson, visit byron-johnson.com or follow him on social media.
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