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Adopt These 11 Vital Habits of Positive People For a Happier Outlook

Surrounding yourself with positive people can inspire you to adopt their positive habits and lead to a more positive attitude. Check out these 11 characteristics of a positive person, and learn how to embrace them today!

Surrounding Yourself With Positive People is One of the Most Positive Things You Can Do

Positive habits | you are responsible for your own happiness | mental attitude | Surround yourself with positive people. Image shows a group of young adults jumping for joy.

If you’re not naturally positive yourself, you may have notice that the characteristics of a positive person are contagious, and being in the company of people with these traits builds you up.

But how can you effectively learn from them in such a way that you can adopt their positive habits and establish a positive attitude yourself?

This post will show you how to act more positively, and how with continued effort, that can spill over into authentically feeling more positive.

You Are Responsible For Your Own Happiness

You can achieve a positive mental attitude with a sunnier outlook, as soon as you’re ready to start trying.

Do you sometimes find yourself stuck in a negative chain of thoughts, and unsure how to break the cycle?

Or perhaps you have a preconceived idea that if only x, y, or z would happen, then you could be more positive and happy.

Well, it’s a common enough misconception – but the good news is that actually, you are responsible for your own happiness – happiness is a choice.

Positive Habits Beget a Positive Attitude

By looking to the habits of positive people, you can achieve a positive mental attitude with a sunnier and more optimistic outlook, as soon as you’re ready to start trying.

While this may sound a little intimidating, it shouldn’t. The purpose of this statement is to galvanise you to believe that you hold the power to change your fate, if you so wish.

If you’re not happy with your current circumstances, it’s up to you to change them.

Having said that, one of the best ways to become more positive, is to spend time with people who are naturally positive – or have worked hard to become so! They can teach you a lot.

Woman smiling at sky.

Why You Should Surround Yourself With Positive People

Positive people have a positive mental attitude, and it’s impossible not to be positively influenced by them.

In the same way that negative people are draining and bring you down, the optimism of positive people is infectious.

You could say that surrounding yourself with positive people is a form of self-care.

What Is a Positive Mental Attitude?

A positive mental attitude describes a person’s natural bias towards glass-half-full mindset. It’s looking for the best in every situation, and believing that every cloud has a silver lining if you’re open to that outlook and prepared to find it.

It’s refusing to dwell on the negatives we all experience in life, instead focusing in the good; resisting self-pity, and practicing gratitude; rebuffing pessimism and embracing optimism.

The 11 Vital Characteristics of a Positive Person

Here are the aspirational qualities and traits you will find in positive people, and how to emulate them for your own success.

1. Positive people understand that a positive mental attitude is different to happiness

We all have bad days – all of us. But the special thing about positive people is that they believe it will get better, and that’s what they choose to focus on.

Happiness is a choice; positivity is a mindset; gratitude is the path to both.

Instead of wallowing they look for the positives in their situation and how they might be able to improve it – which often leads to happiness.

Woman with arms outstretched to the sky, and demonstrating a positive mental attitude.

By the way, it’s fine to have a good cry or indulge yourself in feeling shitty sometimes – for a bit. But not for too long. 

2. They know that happiness is a choice

This may sound simplistic, but while making the choice is simple, that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

Happiness is a choice; positivity is a mindset; gratitude is the path to both.

Even those who’ve been raised around negativity and have been influenced by it can change their disposition to a more positive one; it just takes some practice…

3. Positive People Practice Gratitude – and Self-Care

Behind the scenes you’ll find that those with a sunny perspective on life often work at maintaining their optimism, and the best way to attain and retain a positive attitude is to practice gratitude.

It may not come naturally to begin with, but the more you do it the easier it becomes – and the more it fosters positivity. 

A woman holding a pen and about to write in a notebook. There are flowers on the table.
Writing gratitude lists can be incredibly powerful.

Likewise, positive people also appreciate that you can’t pour from an empty cup – we can’t expect to feel positive whilst neglecting our own basic needs, so self-care is extremely valuable in the quest for a more positive and fulfilled life.

Positive individuals are excellent at taking responsibility for their own happiness.

If this is something you’d like to begin working on, why not download some of our wellbeing journal printables?

You’ll find gratitude lists, colouring pages, and other activities to promote positivity, all endorsed by This Morning’s resident psychologist, Emma Kenny.

4. Positive People Are Experts at Reframing

Positive individuals are excellent at taking responsibility for their own happiness.

Once a person accepts that their outlook and mood is largely in their own hands, they’re empowered to take the required steps to be more positive. Reframing is a very powerful tool in this process.

Positie people are open and willing to learn and improve.

5. Positive People Choose to Give the Benefit of the Doubt and Avoid Judgement

Positive people tend to assume the best of people, until they’re given a reason not to.

While often slow to judge, they’re also able to recognise and acknowledge when they do, analyse why, and commit to learning a lesson from their experience.

None of us are perfect – even the most positive people in the world make mistakes. But instead of being closed off, critically, they’re also open and willing to learn and improve.

Positive People Hugging and Laughing
Wand to adopt a positive mental attitude? Surround yourself with positive people!

6. Positive People Are Self-Aware

Self-awareness is simply having a deep understanding of yourself, particularly what drives your emotions, thoughts, and behaviours – and it can be incredibly powerful.

That’s not quitting, it’s self-preservation.

It can help you to identify triggers for negative thoughts and feelings, and eliminate them before they become problematic…

7. A Positive Person Understands the Difference Between Quitting and Letting Go

Sometimes the wisest thing to do is accept that a situation – or even a person – is bad for our mental health. That’s not quitting, it’s self-preservation – and it’s not only okay, it’s vital for our wellbeing and positivity.

Forgiveness is not about exoneration.

8. Positive People’s Self-Worth Does Not Come From Outside Validation

Embracing the knowledge that you are responsible for your own happiness can be empowering. Image shows a pensive woman drinking coffee.
You are responsible for your own happiness; happiness is a choice – and sometimes letting go will help you to maintain positivity.

Positive people appreciate the value in the idiom:

Other peoples’ opinions of you are none of your business.

It’s a tough one to wrap your head around, but when you do, it’s incredibly liberating. If you can go to bed at night with a clear conscience, that must be enough. 

And if you can’t, you know there’s work to be done…

9. Positive People Are Masters in Forgiveness

Repeat after me: forgiveness is not about exoneration; it’s about freeing yourself from bitterness, so that you can move on truly, and freely.

10. Positive People Do Not Compare

Comparison is the thief of joy. 

The 11 vital habits of positive people - plus how you can adopt them. #positivity #positiveliving #positivemindset #positiveattitude #positiveliving #healthyattitude #mentalhealth #positiveoutlook #positivemindset

If you are struggling here, go back to practicing gratitude for a while and remembering what wonderful things you have in your life to be grateful for.

This will naturally lead on to reframing, and your mindset will begin to shift towards a more positive outlook.

11. Positive People Want Others to Do Well and Be Happy

And finally, only miserable people don’t wish the best for others!

While none of these things are great secrets, along with the knowledge that your happiness is your own responsibility, they can be difficult life lessons to learn and accept, and even harder to live by.

That’s why journaling is so incredibly powerful – it helps to keep you laser-focused in terms of self-awareness, and facilitates the process of analysis and self-improvement. 

Ultimately, it can help to bring peace to an otherwise chaotic life.