How does positive thinking help with depression?

We can all look for ways to think positively when feeling depressed or down. Sudden bouts of the blues can strike anyone at any time. Often these feelings can stem from a sudden occurrence, be hormonal or because of an underlying health condition. Whatever is causing your mood change or the feelings of depression you may be suffering from, we all know they can bit quite debilitating and can have an effect on all areas of our lives.

Often, we can fall very easily into one of two categories, a glass-half-full person who always seems to see the best of a situation or a glass-half-empty type who always imagines the worst-case scenario.

When you generally fall into the first camp, feeling depressed can be very hard as it isn’t your natural state. Of course, that’s not to say people who look more on the negative side of life find this easier, more that they are more accustomed to these feelings.

When people are in this state of being, positive thinking is often called upon to give them a mental boost and lift their feelings.

Positive thinking or looking optimistically at a situation helps when feeling down and depressed because it helps you to see the good things in life. This practice can help you to focus on the good around you, which doesn’t mean you aren’t aware of the reality of a situation, but more that you are looking for the positives in any situation. This can help lift your mood and stop you from feeling depressed or negative.

How to stay positive during difficult times

Everyone will have times when they have to face up to difficult situations. Life is always half good and half bad. We all need to be aware of and face up to this.

When you accept this, it makes the bad situations easier to cope with. Knowing and understanding bad times will appear but will also pass can help you to adjust to them when they arrive.

The key to staying positive during difficult times is to understand and be sure they will pass.

Knowing you are going to get through difficult situations or circumstances which are making you depressed helps you to stay positive. It can give you the focus you need to get through.

You can look for the positives around you and can concentrate on them to take your mind off depressing thoughts you may be having.

How do I get my happiness back?

Your thoughts are always going to affect the way you feel, it only ever works this way. Many believe their feelings are independent of everything else going on in their lives, but it is the thoughts they are having on a day-to-day level that will affect how they feel.

Therefore if you want to stop being depressed and down and want to start feeling happy again, you have to change the thoughts you are having, it is the only way to make a change.

Your thoughts will impact everything in your life, from the clothes you wear to the job you do and your friends. When you look at it at this level, you can begin to see and understand the enormous role your thoughts play in your life and their effect on your mental well-being.

Changing your thoughts and life is the way to get your happiness back.

23 Inspirational Tips

1. Concentrate on loving yourself

When you think about yourself, what are the thoughts you have? Are they kind, loving thoughts or do you beat yourself up and run yourself down?

I would guess if you are feeling depressed and down then you are probably having negative unproductive thoughts about yourself.

You need to start building yourself up and have loving thoughts in order to feel happier about your life in general.

Concentrate on loving yourself and see how this makes you feel. The more you love and appreciate yourself, the happier you will become.

2. Observe your body when you're feeling bad

If you are feeling bad, you are having negative thoughts. Observe why you are having them. Do you have aches and pains?

Are you unhappy with how you are looking? Begin to really observe yourself and start analysing how you are thinking about yourself in minute detail. You could be having thoughts subconsciously that are throwing up negative feelings which have put you in the place you are.

3. Start forming actions that stop your negative thoughts

Once you become aware of the negative thoughts you are creating then you can start to formulate actions to stop them. You could begin by using a physical action whenever you catch yourself having a negative thought. Place an elastic band around your wrist and whenever you catch yourself having a negative thought snap the elastic band.

This simple action is very effective at bringing to your attention the thoughts you are having and the way they are making you feel. It can also help you to identify any triggers that could be creating the thoughts.

4. Use the power of gratitude to change your mental state

When you practice gratitude, you will always feel happier, it’s a fact. You can’t be grateful and unhappy at the same time, your brain doesn’t work like that.

If you are having negative thoughts or are feeling depressed do a quick mental list or written list of everything you are grateful for.

It could be your health, money, friends and family, your job, your pets, where you live or the food you have to eat. Once you begin to complete your list you will begin to appreciate how much you have in your life to be grateful for and a shift in perspective will take place in your mind, helping you to feel happier and more contented with all you have.

5. Keep a busy schedule so as not to dwell on negative thoughts

An active mind never has as much space for negative thoughts as a mind with nothing to do. If you find your recurring depressing thoughts, try to keep yourself busy so you have less time to dwell on unhelpful thoughts. Plan your days so you always have something to occupy your mind. Think about taking up different hobbies, seeing people who make you feel happy, exercising, getting outside in nature or anything which makes you feel happy, and good about yourself.

6. Surround yourself with positive people

The people you spend your time with will have a big influence on how you feel.

When you surround yourself with happy, optimistic people who always see the good in life, their thoughts and behaviour will influence you meaning you will feel the same.

Of course, this also works for people who are negative and spend their time moaning and complaining. They too will have an effect on you also but not in a way that will be helpful or productive.

Make sure you surround yourself with positive people who are going to lift you up and help you to see the good in your world.

7. Use powerful visualization techniques

Visualization is a tool many people use to bring what they want into their lives and has been used with great effect. The saying “What you think about you bring about” is used by people who are advocates of The Law of Attraction in manifesting their wants and desires into their lives.

You can bring good or bad into your life, depending on what you think. If you are feeling depressed, it is because of the thoughts you are having, so start visualising what you want. Think about what would make you happy, what would lift you from your depression, and what you need to do to bring about these changes in your life and then concentrate on these thoughts until you have brought them into your world.

8. Start talking to yourself in a really positive manner

Listen to the way you speak to yourself. Is it kind and loving or harsh and critical?

Would you speak to someone you care about in the same way you speak to yourself or would you be horrified at how you would hurt them?

Why do you speak to yourself in an unkind and unloving way?

When you begin to listen to the words you use internally, you will begin to have some understanding as to why you are talking the way you do.

Begin to take note of the harsh words and make a real effort to change the way you speak to yourself. Start to build yourself up and tell yourself your good qualities and the value you have in life.

The more you talk to yourself and think in a kind and caring way, the happier and more contented you will begin to feel.

9. Every time you have a negative thought, replace it with a positive one

Once you are aware of any negative thoughts you are having, try to replace them immediately with positive ones. Have a list of affirmations you can use so you are never stumbling to think of a replacement. For example, if you tell yourself you are stupid and can’t do anything, replace it straight away with a thought such as “I am a competent and intelligent person who completes any task I set myself.”

The more you start to replace negative thoughts with positive ones, the easier it will be and the happier you will feel.

10. Start a positive thoughts journal

Write down what you are thinking to help you to understand your thoughts and to navigate through them. Journaling is an incredibly powerful tool for you to understand what you are thinking and why.

When you keep your thoughts locked inside your head, it can be very difficult to separate them, writing them down allows you to really read and understand them, any triggers which may bring thoughts on and how these thoughts affect your life.

The more you journal, the more you will be able to re-evaluate your thoughts so they serve you better.

11. Start to question the truthfulness of your negative thoughts

Are the negative thoughts that are making you feel depressed true thoughts? Do they have any validity? To understand and eradicate your thoughts, you need to question the truthfulness of them. Are they imagined thoughts? Is it the opinion of someone else?

Start questioning the thoughts going through your mind so you can ascertain how accurate these thoughts are. Only when you have done this can you begin to change the thoughts you are having into more positive ones.

12. Think about how you can turn every potential negative situation into a positive one

Are you someone who is prone to always view a situation in a negative way? Do you worry or jump easily to the wrong conclusion in every situation? If you are faced with a negative situation or perceive something to be negative, think about how you can see the positives. For example, imagine a situation where you discover that a day trip has to be cancelled by a friend. Would you automatically think they don’t want to spend time with you or that you will be at a loose end? Instead of turning this situation into a negative think about all of the things you could do with your free time. Meet up with someone else, have a self-care day, and do some reading, exercise, gardening, or other activities you have wanted to do for a while and haven’t had the time to do. This is turning the situation into one which will flood you with positive thoughts.

13. Get a greater perspective on anything you perceive as negative in your life

Spend some time really examining areas in your life which you perceive to be negative. It could be the car you drive. Is it really as bad as you think?

So often, we perceive something in a negative way because we constantly compare it with something bigger and better or newer and shinier.

This is a skewed way of looking at everything in your life. Reassess your attitude and perspective and see if you can’t turn negative assumptions into positives.

14. Take up regular exercise to get the endorphins flowing

Exercise is so good for so many reasons. Apart from the amazing physical health benefits you can get from exercise, there are enormous mental health benefits as well.

When you find your thoughts turning to a more negative side, think about getting some exercise going in your life.

Whether that is going to the gym, running, swimming or a brisk walk in nature, anything which gets the endorphins flowing will boost your thoughts into more positive ones.

15. Only concentrate on the things you can control in your life

A fact of life you will never escape is that there are only ever certain areas you will ever have control over.

Why spend your time worrying and creating negative thoughts over something you will never be able to control? This is a total waste of your time and energy. Instead, focus only on the areas in your life in which you do have control and focus on them in a positive way.

16. Accept certain situations as just the ups and downs of life

Some things in life are, unfortunately, just going to happen, and there will be nothing you can do to prevent them.

All you can do is change your thinking towards them. In life, you are always going to have good times and bad times and neither will always be with you. There will always be ups and downs, this is something you have to accept and learn to cope with.

Try not to let downs in life overtake your thinking in a negative way. Instead, try to be positive and believe better times will be on the horizon, this is the way of life.

17. Make sure you smile more and bring more fun into your life

“It’s always easier with a smile” is often a sentence you will hear a personal trainer use when someone is being put through their paces physically and they are correct.

Life is always easier when you smile and make an effort to bring more fun into your life. Often negative thinking is formed habitually, you can end up thinking negatively because it is just something you do.

Try to consciously think about smiling more often and doing more of what brings you joy.

18. Think about all your good points and all the things that make you truly unique

If you think negatively about yourself, you are going to feel bad. Make a commitment to yourself that instead of constantly viewing your negatives you are just going to concentrate on your positive points. Start making a list of all of your good points and repeat them to yourself. Are you a good listener? Are you a kind person to be around? Do you make other people laugh? Whatever your good qualities, repeat them over and over to yourself.

19. Redesign your personal and career goals and create a plan to achieve them

Start setting some goals both personal and professional to make yourself feel good about what you have going on in your life.

Often negative thoughts will be centred around lack or disappointment. Not feeling good enough about what you have or haven’t achieved.

By setting goals and reaching them you will have healthier, happier thoughts about yourself.

20. Become solution orientated not problem orientated

Always concentrate on the solution, not the problem in life. When you approach life from a solution-focused perspective you will always be thinking from a more positive point of view. Make sure this is how you always view any issues or problems you have.

21. Stay socially connected

Spending time with other people who are happy, positive and life-affirming is good for you.

Other people will always rub off on you so make sure you spend time socially in the company of other people. This can help if you are someone who really dwells on negative thoughts.

Being out and about with other people can really help you to take your mind off what you are thinking.

22. Think about starting a new hobby something you can get really excited about

Having a passion in life will help to keep positive thoughts in your mind and eradicate negative thinking. I am sure you have had many things to be passionate about in your life and can remember how good you used to feel because of it. Whether it is a new hobby or you are re-visiting an old pastime, keep passions alive in your life to improve the quality of your thoughts and boost your mood.

23. Become really organised in your life

When you are organised, you will have less stress and anxiety which will, in turn, cut down on negative thinking and feelings of depression.

A clean, tidy home will help you feel better about your life. You will be more organised, can be more productive and it has health benefits too.

You can sleep and eat better and be less likely to suffer from other health problems. You will be calmer and more relaxed, which will improve positive thinking and happier moods.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways you can think positively when feeling depressed.

Although it can be difficult at times to deal with negative thoughts, there are many tricks and tips you can do daily to help change your thought processes.

Positive thinking isn’t a complete cure for anyone who suffers from severe depression. In these situations, you will always need to speak to a professional to get help but if you are suffering from feeling depressed and would like to try being proactive then the tips above can be very beneficial.

Making a few simple changes to your daily routine, being more aware of your thoughts and actions, and looking after your physical and emotional health can all be ways to eradicate negative thinking.

Taking time out for yourself to focus on your life, your thoughts and the way you react to them can make a huge difference. Start prioritising yourself in your life and looking after your mental well-being. You are the only person able to do this so make yourself important in your life.

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