It’s hard to be positive amid the cacophony of negative news, the meanness of social media and the everyday struggles of modern life. Yet, staying positive has numerous benefits, ranging from better health and greater happiness to higher income and greater resiliency.

Though some part of a positive attitude may be hereditary, it mostly arises from purposeful effort. Here are five ways to grow and nurture a positive outlook.

Five Steps to a More Positive and Happier You

1. Replace Negative Thoughts with Positive Ones. Negative thinking reinforces itself by wiring the brain to think that way. The only way out of this trap is to replace negative thoughts with positive thinking. Make it a daily practice to think and write down what is positive in your life and how you can approach the future with a more cheerful and confident attitude.
2. Make Someone Happy. Nothing lifts the spirit like being kind to someone. Small kindnesses, consistently extended, can spark and sustain personal happiness.
3. Be Grateful. There is much in your life for which you should be grateful: a loving family, wonderful clients, an old mentor, a great country. Keep a journal of what you’re grateful for, and be sure to communicate your gratitude to those that deserve it.
4. Avoid Negative People. People who spend their time complaining can only drag you down and undermine your efforts to stay positive. If you can, eliminate or reduce your exposure to these downers.
5. Be Sure to Fuel Up. Life mostly takes from you: work, children, home. Make the time to refill your tank through activities that replenish your soul and mind, be it a good book, an action movie, meditation or Mozart.

Spread the Positivity to Your Clients

Investors are barraged by negative news: a 20 percent drop in stock prices, slowing global growth, missed earnings and so forth.

Investment professionals, especially the positive ones, can play a valuable role in maintaining their clients’ positive outlook. During stressful times, remain upbeat in communications and focus on reframing the reality with potential dialogue that can look like:

• “Yes, the markets are down sharply, but we anticipated this by having 18 months’ living expenses in cash, which is longer than it takes most bear markets to fully recover.”
• Or, “Yes, the markets are down, but it’s a perfect time to employ cash or reset portfolio holdings to take advantage of really inexpensive, great companies.”

One final, unconventional idea—consider devoting a section of your Web site to highlighting good news so your clients have a life-affirming reason to visit. Sourcing that good news (and there’s plenty) can start at the Good News Network, which has been delivering an antidote to the negative news cycle since 1997.

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