Positive feelings. There are so many nuances to being ‘positive.’ It’s not just about being happy. There’s a wide range of thoughts and emotions that play a massive role in our daily lives.
Positive feelings help us build a more balanced, more optimistic outlook. They help increase our confidence, boost our productivity, and provide us with a more fulfilling lifestyle.
In this article, we’ll review five positive feelings to cultivate as much as possible.
Let’s take a look.
Gratitude
Gratitude tops our list because without it, other feelings sort of fall short.
We’ve all had rough days when we thought our world was falling apart. We vowed we’d never leave our apartments or date ever again or come up with an original idea at work.
Life is tough. No one can disagree with you there. But the difference between those who get to where they want to go and those who don’t is gratitude.
You always have something to be thankful for. So get into the habit of thinking of things that fill your heart with gratitude.
Start your day by thinking of three things you’re grateful for in your life. Then, at the end of the day, think of three more things you’re thankful for.
By constantly reminding yourself of the good in your life, you train your brain to see the good in every situation.
Joy
Joy isn’t just being happy. It’s much more profound. Joy is that feeling you get when you feel safe, excited, and overly content all at the same time.
You can find joy in even the little details of your day. It could be in the delicious meal you’re sharing with a friend or loved one. Or maybe you’re enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon with your family.
These moments deepen our understanding of what really matters in life. Yet, they can be so fleeting that they flash by in an instant. The trick to savoring the present moment is to learn how to soak it in and be completely there in the moment.
Pride
Being proud of your abilities is one of the most underrated positive feelings of them all. People will often tell you that they don’t feel proud of themselves as they do with others.
For example, your child gets an A+ on a school project. How do you react?
Most people would be beaming with joy at the hard work their child did to get that excellent grade.
Now, imagine you submitted a proposal to your boss that got great feedback from everyone at work. How do you feel now?
Surely, you’ll be happy and excited. But would you say to yourself, “I’m proud of myself.”
How about, “I worked hard, and I deserve that promotion.”
We rarely stop and show ourselves the same kind of support and encouragement we show others. That’s why pride is on our list of top five positive feelings you must incorporate as much as possible into your daily life.
Hope
Hope isn’t the absence of fear or anger. It’s only part of what makes up who you are. Yet, in order to live a well-rounded life, your sense of hope has to be stronger than any of those negative emotions.
So, it’s okay to dream of a brighter future. Hope gives you something to strive for and work towards. Then, when you achieve your goals, hope makes all your hard work that much more precious.
Inspiration
Inspiration comes in all forms. It can be you’re inspired by looking at a painting or listening to a piece of music.
Sometimes it doesn’t even have to be that sophisticated. Maybe you saw someone volunteering at a soup kitchen or helping an elderly person with their groceries.
Seeing the best version of someone warms up our hearts and inspires us to do the same. As a result, you feel the urge to find the potential for greatness in yourself as well as others.