Unless you have a natural bend towards the positive, it takes work to cultivate a positive life. When you're looking to feel encouraged and motivated to be the best version of yourself, this also requires effort. In order to live a positive and encouraging life, consider some of the best ways to get started.

1. Watch the Company You Keep

Whether you realize it or not, the people around you have a direct impact on the quality of your life. If the people around you are constantly negative and focus on gossip, decrease their access to your personal life. This doesn't mean that you have to cut everyone who vents every now and then.

One of the best ways to determine whether a person needs to be close or not involves paying attention to how you feel when their number pops up on your phone. If you're hesitant to pick up the phone or you're excited to connect, this can be an indicator that this person brings positive energy to your life. Be intentional about seeking out people who lift you up and encourage you.

You also need to do the same for others. If you find that you're getting into a lot of arguments with others, chances are you need to work on your inner healing to make sure that you're bringing positive energy to a space.

2. Monitor Your Media Diet

Your media diet matters. If you constantly scroll and feel a sense of jealousy or worthlessness, chances are you need to either log off a social media app or unfollow a lot of accounts that bring certain energy out of you. If you don't want to completely cut social media out of your life, become intentional about following accounts that focus on positive thoughts, mindsets, and life-enhancing skills. Follow people who inspire you to be a better version of yourself. Look at people who are living a positive life as an example of the ability to get it done.

3. Work on Your Inner Healing Journey

Inner healing is important because most people have experienced some sort of trauma in their past. Whether it happened in childhood or not, most people have something that can potentially hold them back. The key is to determine what that trauma is, address it and heal.

One of the best ways to work on your inner healing journey involves seeing a therapist. Seek out counseling in Alpharetta, GA, or wherever you reside in order to get a professional's perspective on tools and tactics you can use to grow as an individual. As you address your mindset, thought processes, and past traumas, you'll be able to develop a mindset that's inspired and motivated to experience a brighter future.

4. Become Solution-Oriented

If you constantly focus on the problem, you only experience and recognize even more problems. When you focus on finding the solution, you'll be able to quickly rebound from potential challenges. When a problem arises, try not to spend too much time sulking. Sure, it's okay to grieve, cry and express emotions. Just don't stay down.

Once you take a chance to process your emotions and feelings, become focused on finding a solution. When you're solution-oriented, life has a way of presenting solutions. Problems will always present themselves. When you’re focused on finding solutions, problems lose their power to ruin your life.

5. Create a Life You Look Forward to

One of the reasons why a lot of people tend to plateau and don't experience much in their lives is because they're passive. They allow life to happen to them. They're hoping and wishing that something would happen for them. However, if you want to live a positive life, you have to make decisions. You have to take action. You'll need to chase your own dreams and create a life that you can look forward to.

If you'd love to travel, make plans to make that happen. If you want to make new friends, set up a plan in motion to put yourself in settings where you can meet new people. Don't sit around waiting for life to happen for you. Instead, take life by the reins, create a plan and develop a life that you can actually look forward to.

Conclusion

Once you get started on your journey of positivity, obstacles will come. Challenges will arise that allow you to strengthen your emotional muscles. When you combine these tools and your own consistency, you'll look up and realize you've developed a life that's both positive and encouraging.