"Positive vibes" has become a buzz term of the 21st century, but what does it actually mean? Although the term has been overused, its meaning is something we should all get behind if we want to make ourselves and other people feel great. Whether you call it positive vibes or positive energy, here's how to become a fun and optimistic person that people want to spend time with.

Work on Your Inner Positive Vibes

It's a cliché that you have to be happy in yourself before you can make someone else happy, but there is some truth to it. Positivity is contagious, so if you can work on your inner feelings of joy and connectedness, this is what you will project to the world.

There are many ways to bring about positivity in your own life, but the main staple of the practice is to focus your energy (How to Develop a Positive Personality). Try to find or create positivity in everything you do. Observe your behavior and habits – do they feed you positive energy or make you feel bad about yourself? Try to set a small intention behind every action, even if it's something as small as taking a shower to cleanse and care for yourself or reading a few pages of a book.

This doesn't mean you have to be perfect or feel great all of the time. Whatever you have going on in your life, if you can find a way to move through life more positively, you will find you can create your own positive karma (How to Create Positivity in Life When You Have a Mental Illness).

Look for Positive Energy in Others

Far too often when we're talking to someone, we're focusing our energy on self-criticism or thinking about what we'll say next. Check your responses next time you’re in a social situation. Instead of looking inward, focus on what makes them great, and you will automatically reflect their positive vibes.

If you find yourself stuck for conversation, ask lots of questions and give thoughtful, engaged responses. Don't be afraid to give a compliment either – it shows you appreciate and admire someone, which will, in turn, make the other person feel good. This is a helpful tip if you have anxiety or low self-esteem as it takes the heat off you, but you will naturally radiate positive energy.

Learn Positive Body Language

According to scientists, humans are primed to respond instinctively to body language cues. Negative body language, such as crossing your arms, putting your hands in your pockets or slouching, can, therefore, make you seem withdrawn and closed off.

If you want to give off positive vibes, demonstrate your openness to the world by keeping a good posture. Stand with your shoulders back and your arms uncrossed, and don't be afraid to make eye contact. This positive energy will make you look self-confident, even if you’re feeling anything but.

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Bad thoughts and OCD can be scary but having them doesn’t make you a bad person. Left unchecked, however, OCD can have real-life consequences. For instance, although you are unlikely to act on the negative thoughts, you may develop subtle ways of coping with them, such as avoiding triggering situations or self-medicating to escape. You may also become depressed or overly anxious because of how OCD and bad thoughts affect your life. There is another way, however.

Bad Thoughts and OCD: Will I Act on Bad Thoughts?

OCD often presents as a stream of unpleasant thoughts you can’t get out of your mind. These thoughts often involve inappropriate sexual feelings or thoughts about hurting those around you. While these thoughts can be scary, there is no evidence to suggest that you will act on them – people with OCD rarely do. In fact, those with OCD are usually the least likely of all people to inflict harm on others.

If you have OCD in this form, you may have bad thoughts about family members or loved ones. These thoughts are usually extreme and out of character, but they can be triggered by stressful periods in your life. For instance, if you have just had a baby you might envision driving your car off the road with your baby in the backseat; if you have experienced a bereavement, you might have bad thoughts about God and OCD that undermine your faith. These thoughts can be extremely unpleasant and upsetting. They can often make you feel that you are mad or bad – but this isn’t the case. You are simply unwell ("I Think Bad Thoughts: What Can I Do?").

Overcoming Bad Thoughts in OCD

OCD and recurring bad thoughts are one and the same. You cannot overcome the intrusive thoughts without treating the underlying cause – the OCD itself. OCD is a recognized disorder that medical professionals know how to manage. Unlike several decades ago, there is widespread understanding of OCD and the impact it can have on a person’s life, so you don’t need to feel shame or stigma.  

Even if OCD has taken a terrible hold over your life, the good news is that there are various treatment options available.

• Medication: Your doctor can prescribe SSRIs to treat the symptoms of OCD, especially if the symptoms are making you feel depressed. Your doctor may also suggest anti-anxiety medications to help you manage your response to the obsessive thoughts.
• Behavioral treatment: CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) is a form of psychotherapy that has been found to be highly effective in treating OCD. It can help you tackle intrusive thoughts and find additional coping strategies.
• Lifestyle changes: Your doctor may suggest you make positive lifestyle changes, such as attending a support group or a finding a creative outlet for your anxiety.

It’s important to note that OCD cannot be overcome alone. It has become far more recognized and treatable, but you still shouldn’t try to treat your OCD without the help and support of a mental health professional.

That said, there are some self-help books out there which are incredibly useful, many of which focus on the CBT model. If you’re someone who finds reading facts and real-life stories useful, finding blogs and books written by other people with the disorder may be helpful. Below, you will find some recommended reading.

Recommended Reading

Adam, D. (2015). The Man Who Couldn't Stop. London, UK: Picador.

Brosnan, L. (2007). Overcoming: An Introduction to Coping with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. London, UK: Robinson.

Challacombe, F., Dr. (2011). Break Free from OCD: Overcoming Obsessive Compulsive Disorder with CBT. Chatham, UK: Vermilion.

Gordon, B. (2017). Mad Girl. London, UK: Headline.

OCD and negative thoughts can seriously affect the way you live your life. Although OCD is often conflated with a need for cleanliness or a preference for order, in reality, the disorder is a lot more complicated. While some people with OCD clean themselves or their surroundings excessively, the illness is typically characterized by obsessive, recurring thoughts and compulsive behaviors. These symptoms can occur in a variety of different ways, and cleanliness is only one of them. Let's examine common patterns of OCD and negative thoughts and learn practical ways to overcome them.

OCD and Negative Thoughts: Obsessions and Compulsions

OCD and negative thoughts usually exist together, but not always. Although having negative thoughts does not mean you have obsessive-compulsive disorder, a diagnosis of OCD does not exist without negative thoughts. The negative thoughts you experience when you have OCD are different from the negative thoughts we all deal with, as they are often irrational, relentless and accompanied by compulsions ("Bad Thoughts and OCD: Should I Be Worried?").

Nobody knows exactly what causes OCD, though it is known to have various biological and psychological factors. Psychologists have studied this problem for decades, and it is far more common than most people realize. Everybody has unwelcome thoughts – it is just the nature of human thinking – but people with OCD tend to get stuck there. It is then that the intrusive thoughts become obsessions ("I Think Bad Thoughts: What Can I Do?").

OCD and Negative Thinking: The White Bear Effect

If you have OCD, you may struggle to dismiss bad thoughts, which leads to anxiety. You might start to avoid situations because you don’t trust yourself to act on these thoughts, even though you have never acted that way before. However, the more you try to stop having OCD and negative thought patterns, the more pervasive they can be. This is known as thought suppression or “the white bear effect.”

"Try to pose for yourself this task: not to think of a polar bear, and you will see that the cursed thing will come to mind every minute."

This observation comes from Fyodor Dostoevsky's Winter Notes on Summer Impressions (1863). However, researchers have found it applicable to modern psychology – particularly for those with OCD who try to suppress unwanted thoughts.

Overcoming OCD and Negative Thought Patterns

By now, we know that suppressing bad thoughts and OCD is not the answer. Instead, psychologists advocate a variety of techniques to disrupt the OCD bad thoughts anxiety cycle. Dissecting the obsessional thought is one way to take away its power, but it does take practice and perseverance.

If you have OCD and negative thoughts, try noting down your obsessional thoughts next time they arise. Track your emotional response, along with any behaviors that occur, such as frequent hand-washing or compulsive checking. Next, present a challenge to the thought in the form of reason or rationality. For now, it doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not.

Here is an example:

Obsessional thought: If I step on the pavement cracks, someone in my family will die.
Emotional response: Fear, loss of control, anxiety.
Compulsive behavior: Avoiding cracks, bargaining (e.g., "Keep my family safe, and I will never step on another crack again.")
Rational thought: I can’t influence fate by putting my feet in a particular spot; this is not the way the world works.

Doing this exercise won't change your OCD and negative thought patterns overnight, nor will it cure your disorder. However, activities like this can help you keep control over your symptoms and keep OCD and obsessive negative thoughts at bay. With the help of your medical practitioner or therapist, you can then start to overcome OCD and negative thinking.

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A positive attitude is something we all strive for, but positivity examples aren't exactly abundant in modern life. From the news cycle to TV dramas, it's not sex that sells according to marketers – it's negativity. As human beings, we're often motivated by our worries and fears. We may not be consciously aware of it, but advertising companies and TV networks are, which is why it can be hard to find positivity examples in the media.

It takes work to counteract the fear-mongering headlines we see on a daily basis (Positive News: How It Affects You and Where to Find It). So here are five powerful positivity examples to help you maintain focus on the good, as well as the bad.

Positivity Examples: How You Can Improve Your Attitude

Adopting a more positive approach to life can benefit you in several ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, positivity can lower your stress levels and lead to better overall health. Positivity can also help you cope better with challenging experiences, such as change, loss and depression (Positivity for Depression: Is That Even Possible?). Here are five powerful examples of positivity to inspire you.

Examples of Positivity

1. Awareness
   
   Being aware of your positive and negative emotions is the first step toward changing your outlook. It's important to note that positivity is not a natural state of being. Rather, it is a series of actions performed deliberately to change the structure of your brain. In other words, positivity is a choice.
   
   That doesn't mean that positive people never experience negative emotions – they just tend not to dwell on them. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is one way to change your destructive thought patterns. Seeing a therapist, buying a book on CBT or taking an accredited CBT course online are all ways of learning about CBT and bringing its benefits into your life.
    
2. Self-confidence
   
   You may have noticed that positive people often exude self-confidence that doesn't appear false or egotistical. That doesn't necessarily mean those people love everything about themselves, just that they refuse to engage in negative self-talk.
   
   Many of us who suffer from mental health conditions have had constant negative thoughts about ourselves or acted in self-destructive ways since we were young, so it can be hard to change the habits of a lifetime.
   
   Practicing self-care and acceptance leads to self-confidence, however, which will better equip you to deal with setbacks in life. An example of this positivity in action might be to practice a "loving kindness" meditation. Alternatively, you can boost your sense of self-worth by doing charity work or taking up a new and fulfilling hobby.
    
3. Resiliency
   
   According to LiveStrong, resiliency is "…the willingness to stay engaged rather than become isolated during hard times."
   
   Although cutting yourself off from the world is a natural response to anxiety or depression, it is usually counterproductive. Choosing to participate in life and connect with those around you will help you make it through the tough times. It can even offset the symptoms of many mental health conditions, including major depression.
   
   As human beings, we cannot find mental wellness without social connections. What's more, spending time with others (especially those who build you up or make you feel positive) will challenge your negative thoughts and help you become more positive than if you isolate yourself. If you don't have friends or family nearby, consider joining (or starting) a mental health support group in your local area.
    
4. Hope
   
   If hope is the belief that life can get better, then hope is the most pertinent positivity example there is. Without hope, positivity cannot exist. It's not easy to feel hopeful when you're under considerable stress, but according to research hope is brain protective – meaning it helps us stay resilient through challenging times and significant life changes. So how do we harness it?
   
   There is no one way to feel more hopeful about the future. Usually, it is a combination of support from loved ones, faith (whether spiritual or not), gratitude, compassion and self-care that boost health and happiness.
    
5. Optimism
   
   Optimism doesn't deny the presence of negativity in the world – it just acknowledges that feelings aren’t permanent. Although optimists are generally thought to be "glass half full" kinds of people, they tend to take a more balanced view than those who dwell on the negatives (How to Develop a Positive Personality).
   
   Therefore, one way to become more optimistic is to take ownership of the things in life you can control and let go of those you can't. An example of positivity in action here might be to list everything in your life that makes you unhappy and split it into two parts: things you can change and things you can't.
   
   Under the components of your life that you can change, list a few practical steps you could take to improve the situation. For example, if you don't like your job, your list here might include points such as "update my resume" or "talk to my boss". And the things you can't change about your life? Visualize them as different colored balloons and imagine yourself just letting them float away.

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How do you become more positive when depressed? It sounds like a trick, right? Many people see depression as the opposite of positivity, without realizing that positive thinking is one of the best defenses against depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. Admittedly, “bad” depression days are often so bad that all we can do is survive them, and that’s okay. Sometimes, you just have to wait for the storm to pass. However, a little positive thinking can make the process a little easier. If you’re wondering how to be more positive when depressed, stick around while we delve into the issue.

Positive Thinking and Mental Health: Does It Really Work?

When people talk about treating depression, they often refer to medication and therapy. While both of these approaches work for many people, they aren’t always enough on their own. Managing depression requires a careful balance of support, medical advice and self-help. One of the ways you can help yourself is through the power of positive thinking.

Positive thinking doesn’t mean you must adopt a sunny attitude all of the time. Smiling, laughing and “looking on the bright side” can feel downright impossible during a bout of depression, and failing at any of these things can make you feel worse instead of better. However, sewing small seeds of positivity can help you adopt a healthier mindset over time ("How to Develop a Positive Mental Attitude Despite Depression").

And it really works. According to Mental Health America, researchers found that people who kept track of their gratitude once a week were more upbeat and had fewer physical complaints than others. The same study also found that people who obsessively repeated negative thoughts and behaviors were able to change their unhealthy patterns with regular positive thinking exercises.

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Tips for Positive Thinking When Depressed

If you’re wondering how to become more positive when depressed, you may need some actionable tips to get started. Here are some ideas.

• Keep a positivity journal: Positive thoughts can be few and far between when you have depression, so each time a happy or hopeful thought comes into your head or someone pays you a compliment, write it down in your positivity journal. Even if it’s something as small as seeing a beautiful flower or receiving a supportive text from a friend, keeping a record of your better moments will serve as proof at a later time that happiness is possible.
• Take a challenging situation and visualize the most positive outcome: Next time you feel hopeless in the face of adversity, imagine the most positive outcome. For example, you might resent having depression, but imagine that one day you could use your story to help others – to start a support group or write a book – or to grow your own company, as Blurt founder, Jane Hardy, did. How might that feel?
• Ask yourself if your negative beliefs are really true: Next time you observe a negative thought entering your mind, ask yourself: “Is there basis for this thought?” For example, has anyone ever told you that you were a terrible friend/mother/spouse apart from yourself? If so, is that person’s opinion the only one you truly value? What about all the times you’ve been supportive or helpful to the people in your life? Hold your negative thoughts up for inspection and you’ll soon see which are worth your attention.

Building healthy habits can be hard at the best of times. During depression, however, it often feels easier to hide under your covers and let the negative thoughts take over than try to change your patterns.

Try to challenge yourself during your stronger moments to try to find something – anything – to feel positive about. Not only is this kinder to yourself, but over time you can actually reconfigure your brain to focus on the positive aspects of life as well as the negatives.

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We all want to learn how to think positive. However, in the wake of mental health difficulties, everyday challenges and exposure to bad news, positive thinking can feel impossible ("How to Focus on the Positive When Your Mental Health is a Mess"). Positive thinking exercises can be beneficial in enhancing our self-confidence and helping to banish negativity. Here, you will find positive thinking exercises and tips to help you learn how to think positive.

How to Think Positive: Positive Thinking Exercises

Do you have constant, recurring negative thoughts? Many of our thoughts and behaviors feel automatic, but they are actually thought patterns your brain has learned over time. The good news is, just like negativity, positivity quickly becomes a cycle. What’s more, positive thinking actually creates new neurons and pathways in your brain. Here are some positivity exercises and tips to help you get started.

• Write a list of all the times when life did work out; when everything went exactly as planned. Meditate on these thoughts for a few minutes.
• Balance your negative thoughts with positive ones. Each time a negative thought enters your brain, challenge yourself to come up with something positive to counteract it.
• Make a list of all the negative patterns you are willing to abstain from. This list might include watching distressing news programs, interacting with negative comments on social media, associating with negative people or overfilling your schedule. When you have completed your list, try changing one behavior at a time, and give yourself a specified time period (minimum one week). Once the time period is up, see if you notice any changes in your thought patterns.
• Plan an alternative to negativity. Negative thoughts are bound to pop up occasionally, so plan an activity to distract yourself if and when they strike. Journal about your feelings in a diary, call a friend, go for a walk, complete 10 minutes of yoga, or listen to relaxing music ("How to Create and Keep a Positive Mindset Despite Mental Illness").

More Positive Thinking Tips

Need more tips for positive thinking? Next time you feel negative or unmotivated, try one of the following positive thinking activities.

• Forget the fruit; sow the seed: What can you do today to work on your mental health? When you’re depressed, you may feel demotivated to go to the gym or spend time with friends, even though you know doing these things may make you feel better in the long-run. Sometimes, however, it’s just too much. For now, focus on sowing tiny seeds toward your future happiness. Instead of simply hoping that your situation will change, you will feel confident knowing that you have sown the seeds of positivity.
• Try a digital detox: Take some time away from social media, be it a few hours, a day, or a week. Social media can be inspiring, but it can also have the opposite effect. Next time you’re caught up in someone’s social media feed, observe the reaction in your body: how does it make you feel? Do you feel pent up and anxious or creative and inspired? If it’s the former, you may need to limit your screen time or rethink who you follow ("Positive News: How It Affects You and Where to Find It").
• Distract yourself: When was the last time you truly got last in a task? According to Calm founder Michael Acton-Smith, “The right sort of work can help to nurture and feed your sense of calm, because when you’re engaged in something you are good at, you enter a state that psychologists call ‘flow.’”
• Spend time in nature: In both his bestselling memoirs, Reasons to Stay Alive and Notes on a Nervous Planet, the writer Matt Haig explores the idea that the prevalence in mental illness is partly a reaction to our lives evolving faster than our brains. In the age of social media and laptop entrepreneurs, it’s easy to forget that we evolved in the natural world and that all this time spent indoors staring at screens probably isn’t good for us. Next time you feel negative or stressed, go for a simple walk, preferably somewhere green, and see how it lifts your mood.

“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.”
William Shakespeare.

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Looking for positivity tips? We all know we should look on the bright side and cherish what we have, but on our hardest days that feels impossible. With or without the mental health challenges many of us face, the world can seem like a negative place. When you switch on the news, it's easy to forget that the planet is filled with good people as well as bad. Sometimes you need to step back from the TV, put down your smartphone and look within yourself to adjust your worldview. Here are five positivity tips to help you feel better about life.

Positive Life Tips to Follow Today

We all know there are positive life changes we can make to improve our physical and mental wellbeing in the long term (How to Develop a Positive Personality). However, sometimes we need an instant tonic to make us feel better in the moment. With this in mind, here are five positive life tips to follow today.

1. Write a Gratitude List
   
   Research shows that journaling for mental health has calming and therapeutic effects on human emotions. However, you don't need to commit to writing in a diary every day to reap the benefits. Next time you feel negativity creeping in and you have a spare five minutes, write a gratitude list. The list can include anything and everything you're grateful for at that moment, such as a hot cup of coffee, a supportive text from a friend or a roof over your head.
   
   It may feel counterintuitive to write about gratitude when you're feeling sad or angry, but doing this exercise regularly will train your brain to focus on positive thoughts.
    
2. Nourish Your Body
   
   A recent study in Australia found that eating a healthy, balanced diet not only improved the participants' physical health but also led to a boost in mood and mental wellbeing. In the study, the increase in life satisfaction (after switching from a diet with almost no fruit and vegetables to one that included up to eight portions a day) was found to be similar to what an unemployed person feels after finding a job.
   
   No one’s suggesting your diet has to be perfect, but striking a balance is key. Try to fit as many fruits and green vegetables into your meals as possible and you should quickly see an increase in your energy and positivity levels.
    
3. Listen to Something Happy
   
   Sometimes you just need to get out of your head and listen to something that makes you feel good. In the moments where it feels like everything is getting on top of you, try calling a friend, put on your favorite song or plug yourself into a podcast. There are tons of great mental health podcasts available on iTunes, such as Mentally Yours, Fearne Cotton's Happy Place and The Mental Health Foundation Podcast.
   
   Avoid anything too heavy, such as news or current affairs. Just let the positive waves wash over you until you feel ready to take on the world again (Positive News: How It Affects You and Where to Find It).
    
4. Get Closer to Nature
   
   "I took a walk in the woods and came out taller than the trees." –Henry David Thoreau.
   
   Many of us are drawn to city life, without realizing the full impact it has on our mental health. A recent UK study showed a “protective effect of greenness” on mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder and anxiety, indicating that those living in leafy communities were 4% less likely to suffer from mental illness than those living in cities.
   
   Nature is good for our minds and our bodies but doesn’t mean you have to move to find happiness. Taking a walk through your local park or spending more time in your garden could do wonders for your mental health.   
    
5. Read a Book
   
   The positive effects of reading on society are well-documented, but can books actually make us happier? According to findings from the University of Liverpool's Centre for Research, it can. The study in question found that regular readers experienced better connections with others, more happiness within themselves and better satisfaction with life overall than non-readers.
   
   It doesn't matter what you read, as long as it has the power to make you feel more positive about life, feeds your mind with valuable information or provides some much-needed escapism.

Positivity Tip: It's Not About Having a Perfect Life

One of the most important positivity tips to bear in mind is that being positive is not about projecting a perfect life (How to Give Off Positive Vibes, Positive Energy). Rather, it's about choosing to see the good in life even though it's challenging at times.

Positivity means finding something to celebrate, even on your worst days – whether that's a beautiful line in a book, a spring flower blooming or curling up to watch your favorite movie on the couch.

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Could starting a positivity journal change your life? Maybe. It can certainly change your perspective. Still, journaling is a habit that many of us pick up and then later abandon, either because we are too busy or because we feel better and self-care is no longer a priority. However, experts have shown that keeping a journal is beneficial for all areas of health and wellbeing. Therefore, if you struggle with a negative mindset, keeping a positivity journal could be the key to achieving a more optimistic mindset.  

What Is a Positivity Journal?

A positivity journal is just like a regular journal except the pages are devoted to positive thoughts and events. Positive journaling has many cathartic benefits, which is why it is advocated in certain modes of therapy. However, being positive doesn’t mean you should ignore the negative moods and experiences in your life – just that you should try to balance them with positive ones.   

What’s the Purpose of a Positivity Journal?

Journaling is a useful self-care exercise, but you don’t want to be staring down at a jumble of all your thoughts and feelings when your mind feels fractured. When anxiety or depression strikes, it helps to look at something beautiful and inspiring. This is why walking in nature, listening to music or staring at a classical painting is so calming. Your positivity journal is an embodiment of all things positive. It’s a positive reminder that however hard life gets, there is always joy to be found.

10 Positive Thinking Journal Prompts

The positivity journal has become increasingly popular in the self-help community. This means there is an abundance of journal prompts and resources online for anyone just getting started. Here are some ideas to help you get started.

1. Write down three things you are grateful for today – no matter how big or small.
2. Write down a nice act someone has done for you this week.
3. Write down something nice you have done for someone else, or something nice you could do.
4. Write down three of your worries, then follow up with three actions you could take to resolve them.
5. Think about the people who inspire you and why. Create a mind map.
6. Think about the best day you’ve had recently and write down why you loved it.
7. Think about one thing you’ve always wanted to do.
8. Complete this self-care statement: Today I give myself permission to…
9. What does your ideal morning look like?
10. Name something you’re excited about or looking forward to in the coming months.

Final Tips for Keeping a Positivity Journal

• Go out and buy yourself a new positivity journal. While you can use just about any old notebook to jot down your thoughts and aspirations, having a beautifully-bound journal at your bedside will inspire you to keep up the habit.
• Don’t let negativity spill into your positive space. It’s fine to write about challenges or negative feelings (we wouldn’t be human if we didn’t experience those), but you should try to keep the focus on positive steps you’re taking and the small achievements you’re proud of. Even if you’re feeling self-loathing or critical, challenge yourself to look for the positives. Consider how strong you are for braving your battles.
• Try to incorporate journaling into your daily routine to see the full benefits, perhaps at the same time and place each day.
• If journaling starts to feel like a chore, remember why you started in the first place and adjust your methods. Try a different approach, such as drawing instead of writing, or incorporate colors into your journal practice. You could also combine journaling with another enjoyable habit, such as lighting a scented candle, getting into your favorite pajamas or eating a piece of chocolate.

By keeping a positivity journal, you will see that there is joy to be found in every day – however small or insignificant it seems. By focusing on your gratitude and appreciation, you will find that the more you write, the more positivity you will attract. Call it science or call it magic, positive journaling works – so don’t put off until tomorrow what you can start today.

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Creating a positivity jar is a great way to remember good times. When we are positive and full of confidence, we often want to bottle that feeling to use as a tonic for more difficult times. With a positivity jar, you can do just that. Whether you’re suffering a bout of mental illness or you’re simply feeling low, putting together a positivity jar is a creative and therapeutic exercise. It also gives you a tangible store of memories and positive reminders to access while your mind is on the mend.

What Is a Positivity Jar?

A positivity jar is a container filled with all items, quotes and mementos that make you feel good. When starting a positivity jar, you can use a jam jar, flower vase, or just about any vessel that feels special to you. It’s important to keep your jar within reach so you can fill it up with pieces of positivity whenever the moment strikes. The idea is to gradually add to your positivity jar, then use its contents to boost your mood whenever you feel the need.  

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Kurt Vonnegut

What Goes Into a Positivity Jar?

What you put in your positivity jar is completely up to you. You can either add a positive thought, quote or memory each day, or you can add to it sporadically. What matters is that your jar is filled with words, images and memories that make you feel happy and connected.  

During tough times, it can be hard to summon the creativity for original ideas, so here are some positivity prompts to inspire you ("How to Focus on the Positive When Your Mental Health is a Mess").

• Positivity jar quotes and notes: Fill your jar with positivity quotes and notes to look back on when you’re struggling. You can include messages from friends, cards you’ve been given, quotes from your favorite authors or reminders of the nice things people have said to you. These words and affirmations will serve as positive reinforcement for your brain and, eventually, overwrite your negative thoughts.
• Photographs: Photos can summon a wide range of emotions – love for the people in our lives, sadness for those we have lost, longing for the times that have passed – but they can also be incredibly grounding, connecting us back to our roots. Choose photos that make you feel cradled and safe, such as photobooth reels of you and your best friend, or snapshots of you and your siblings from childhood.
• Books you have read: Jotting down simple notes about books you have read will remind you of all the incredible journeys you have taken in fictional or long-forgotten worlds. You’ll also remember the books that have helped you through life’s challenges, so you can return to them at any time.  
• Goals and aspirations: You may not feel good about your goals and aspirations when times are tough, however, reminding yourself of the times you’ve been excited for the future will help you remember how to believe in yourself. You can also jot down goals you’ve achieved (however small).
• New people you meet: If you’re a writer, keeping notes about the people you meet can be incredibly useful when it comes to creating characters. You can also jot down positive qualities you spot in others to remind yourself that there is beauty to be found in everyone and everything. Keep a note of anyone you find to be particularly inspiring.

Start Your Positivity Jar Today

Creating a positivity jar is like giving yourself a thoughtful gift. You can include all the parts of your life that make you happy, as well as the inspiration you seek from the outside world. If you know someone who is going through a hard time or battling mental illness, a positivity jar is a wonderful token or gift to help brighten up a dark day.

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Finding positivity in life is tough when you have a mental illness. Some days, you might feel sad and angry that your mental health condition prevents you from living your best life. On other days, you might feel guilty that your illness inevitably affects those around you. Although you may be grateful for what you have, achieving true positivity in life when you are mentally ill can feel completely out of reach.
 
Therefore, it is no surprise that adopting a new perspective on mental illness is no picnic. It requires hard work, effort, and a commitment to being on your own side. Implementing positive life changes can, however, make a huge difference to your quality of life no matter whether you are mentally or physically unwell (Does False Positivity, Fake Positivity Help or Hurt You?).

Will I Ever See Positivity in Life with a Mental Illness?

Feeling positivity about life with a mental illness is less about being resigned to the cards you've been dealt and more about seeing the hidden aces in the deck.  

That's not to take mental illness lightly. Most people living with mental illness suffer physically and emotionally, and many are debilitated by their conditions. But that doesn't mean there aren't things to appreciate and respect about your illness (5 Positivity Tips to Become More Positive Today).

For example, many people go on to make some of their closest friends, start a blog, write a book or connect with others during difficult times in their lives. Mental illness feels isolating, but it can be the total opposite. 1 in 5 Americans suffer from some degree of mental illness during their lifetime, so there are plenty of people out there with whom you can form deep and meaningful connections. One place to start is by joining a mental health support group through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance, or by attending a meet-up in your local area.

How to Bring Positivity into Your Life

Positivity is not some magical feeling you wake up with one day. Finding positivity in life with a mental illness is something you have to work to achieve. Here are some tips to inspire you:

• Rewrite your story: Your story of a life with mental illness is perfectly valid, but it's not the only story, and it doesn't define you. Therefore, it pays to not listen to your own narrative sometimes (Positive Words for People with Mental Illness). Mental illness might make you feel worthless, unloved and weak, but chances are there is at least one person in your life who would disagree with this version of your tale. Listen to their stories as well as your own.  
• Show your mental illness compassion: Just like you would if you had the flu or a broken leg, take care of yourself when you experience a mental health dip. Get to know your symptoms and triggers and commit to working on yourself and improving your mental health. You really are worth it.  
• Find good in the bad days: Don't punish yourself for having a bad mental health day. Instead, do as many things as possible to build yourself back up. Take a hot bath while reading your favorite book or snuggle up to watch a feel-good movie. Cook your favorite meal at home or take yourself out to dinner. When you stop beating yourself up and start rewarding your resilience and courage, the bad days don't seem so bad.
• Make positive life changes: When you're feeling good, think about ways you could bring about a more positive lifestyle. This means building habits that see you through the bad times as well as the good, while helping turn your negative energy into something more productive. Meditative hobbies like writing, journaling, cooking or exercising are ideal.  
• Find your people: Mental illness wants you isolated because that's how it thrives. Therefore, connecting with others who understand and empathize with your condition will loosen its hold over you.

Positivity About Life Isn't a Magical Cure

It's important to point out that the power of positivity alone cannot cure a diagnosed mental health condition. There is no catch-all cure for mental illness. However, positivity in life can be incredibly powerful when combined with a proper treatment plan.

Lastly, remember that your mental illness doesn’t define you, but it is a part of you. Arguably, it is the part you should love and nurture the most. Positive reinforcement will, therefore, help you reframe your own narrative and see that you need and deserve that self-care, whatever that looks like for you.

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