Any Merry Little Thought

"Think of a wonderful thought, any merry little thought. Think of all the joy you'll find

When you leave the world behind

And bid your cares goodbye

You can fly, you can fly,

You can fly! "

- Peter Pan the Disney Movie

Everyone wants to experience Happiness, but do we have to wait till our goals and dreams have all come true before we feel happy?

Do our circumstances define our attitude toward life or are we able to take control of our own feelings and bend them to create that positive attitude that makes our world so much brighter ?

Though most people would probably agree we can control our feelings to a certain extent and stay positive through life's ups and downs- we don't always practice that. So here are some tips to remind us all to practice the ART of a positive uplifting attitude.

Tip #1 Use Science: 

Research shows when we think negative thoughts our serotonin levels actually dip and result in us feeling less happy. Conversely when we are thinking positive hopeful thoughts about the things we enjoy and appreciate in our life we actually have an increase in endorphins. Just by purposefully thinking happy thoughts you feel happy.

Ok makes sense, but isn't it cool that the way we are thinking makes a large enough difference in our endorphins level as to be construed as scientifically significant? 

It's like Peter Pan- they couldn't fly unless they thought of a happy thought and had pixie dust. But I'm going to suggest that our minds our powerful enough to let us fly sans pixie dust. 

Tip #2 Start Being Positive Now!

 

Most people try to remain positive, but I think in the back of our minds sometimes we start to look toward the future as the time when we can really be happy. We start to let our current circumstances be excuses for our complaining and dissappointment. Ie: I'll be much happier next month when my paycheck comes in, or things will be better next year when I'm graduated ...

 

This is a slippery slope because that tomorrow comes, but we find another tomorrow to delay our positive thinking to.

Instead: 

Don't wait for things to all work out before you develop a positive attitude. Work on being positive now and new doors will open for you! 

Tip #3  Capture Your Happy Thought

Remember the Peter Pan example? Well if Peter Pan were here right now telling you you had to think a happy thought to fly what would you think? Remember it's got to be a very strong happy thought for you to fly. 

To give another literary example in Harry Potter wizards and witches must find a very strong happy memory to perform a patronus. What would yours be? The happier the memory the stronger the patronus. And a patronus is really just a lot of light that is powerful enough to push out the darkness of dementors. I bet J.K.  Rowling was thinking about the power of positivity as she wrote on patronuses. 

 Ok capture that thought or memory and then think it daily. 50 times a day would be an awesome goal, but maybe start just with 1-5. First thing in the morning when you wake up would be great. Many successful people claim they've made a huge difference in their success when they start thinking great things first thing in the morning. 

Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.

- Alice , yes The Alice

Tip #4 Start Your Day in Positive, NOT neutral

Most of us start our day in neutral. If you aren't already a positive person naturally then neutral slowly slips into reverse or negative. As your day goes on little annoyances occur. Thoughts begin to spring into your head about what you have to do and what you don't like about your life and yourself, until you are in a rotten mood again. 

Instead: 

Start your day purposely thinking positive thoughts. You can start with your happy thought or memory you captured in step 3 and just dwell in its happy feelings for a few minutes.

Another good option is to wake up with positive mantras . Try saying "Today is going to be a wonderful day." " I love my life!" "This year is going to be the best year yet."

It may feel fake or untrue at first, and if it does that's a sign you are living in negativity, but keep saying it until you believe it.

It's amazing the healing power of aligning yourself with the truth.

The bottom line: 

You were made to be a force for good! Your life has a positive purpose and letting negativity bring you down will distract you from. You have control over your thoughts and feelings and you can chose to find your happy thought. Think on your merry little thoughts daily, then you will fly. Practice daily and your patronus will spring forth like a bright light defeating the dementors of your life.

Like magic when your outlook changes your whole life will too.