Positive thinking is the foundation of a joyous living. It allows us to acknowledge and appreciate the blessing of life. And empowers us to overcome the pain of rough and unpleasant experiences. It is an attitude that helps an individual to overcome fears. And it also reduces the mental blocks that hinder one’s progress.
For teenagers, it is important to think positively. Because negative thinking can hold them back from realizing their true potential as students.
We all know that our approach to life determines our success. But many of us struggle to instill this sense of positivity in our teenage kids.
If you are one of those parents,
Try these positive thinking strategies for your teenage kids
1. Recalling positive experiences
Remembering positive experiences can be a great way to remove negativity from one’s mind. It makes us capable of coping with unpleasant times. And helps in creating positivity in our lives. This activity is believed to be a perfect stress buster. Because it promotes overall well-being and resilience
The idea is to focus on positive emotions from the past. Which helps in broadening one’s cognitive perspectives by bringing back happy memories from the past. This activity also promotes better decision-making and well-being. And in this way, it helps to reduce the mind’s overall stress - Source- U.S. National Library of Medicine.
Encourage your teenage kids to remember and recall the good experiences from the past. And it will make them more happy and satisfied with all that they have in life.
2. Positive reinforcement
Next in line we have, positive reinforcement. It is an age-old way of promoting desirable behavior. And helps in motivating teenagers to stay optimistic about themselves and their situations in life. Our adolescents are living in a competitive world today. Hence, this power of optimism is great to instill a sense of confidence and positivity in them.
Reinforcement also helps the teenager to stay motivated to perform due to the attached reward system. Hence, they focus, learn and perform better through the extrinsic motivation provided to them. Positive thinking strategies in teenagers also help them to develop a sense of self-esteem. And in this way, they become more confident and accept themselves with their emotional intelligence. Appreciate the child enough. And praise him/her for the smallest of achievements. This practice will beat their negative thoughts and build a positive behavior pattern in them.
3. Work on the attitude
With every negative experience, there is a learning in life. Encourage your teenage kids to look for the brighter aspects of things that did not go well as per their expectations. Let them speak about these experiences. And pinpoint whatever that incident/happening taught him/her.
Develop an attitude to learn from each experience in life. Because even the darkest of clod has a silver lining! These activities will instill strength and foster resilience in your kids. And they will gradually learn to face challenges and feel a sense of purpose in everything.
4. Recreation
Recreation is another good way of fostering positivity in teenage kids. Arrange some meaningful activities for your kids. And let them have a good time to reduce their overall academic stress. Pleasurable activities like nature walks, trips to amusement parks, family lunch, listening to music, or playing sports are perfect to channelize their energy. These instill a sense of positivity in them. And again it will promote physical and mental health.
Let the kids experience authentic happiness. And you can record these moments to cherish them later in life. Enjoyable activities can be made even better by inviting friends and family to join in. Because it will simultaneously help in your child’s social development.
5. Learning environment
Talking about positive thinking in teens, we cannot ignore the role of a positive learning environment. Make sure your teenage kid is enrolled in the right school. Do not let the child struggle in schooling. Because it will add on to academic stress. And gradually he/she will become more pessimistic and distressed in life.
A positive learning environment is a must for your teenage kids. Hence, be careful about your choice of school, and cross-check the offerings of the institution before finalizing it.
6. Promote positive thinking patterns
It is possible to eliminate unhappiness by embracing positive thinking patterns. Get your child in a habit of visualizing each scenario positively. And also discuss the rewards/appreciation etc. attached with it. Let the child imagine the great results followed by a task. And promote this type of thinking in every possible manner. Channelize the thought processes as per positive results. And discourage any actions, beliefs, or statements that are negative in nature. In short, try to promote self-reflection in the child. And nurture a ‘never say die’ spirit to combat the challenges of life.
7. Make use of positive quotes
A simple quote pinned on the child’s study table can be inspiring for him/her. Make use of colorful sheets or purchase readymade quotes (like posters or charts) to instill positivity in the child.
And complement these attempts (to spread positivity) with your behavior at home. Always try to practice what you preach. And exhibit positive behavior in every sense of the term. Be a role model for the child and work on your emotional intelligence to set the right example. Another important thing about your behavior is the selection of words with your teenage kids. Avoid the use of any negative verbiage in your language. And ensure that you do not spread the negativity of your workplace or relationship stress to your kids.
Final Thoughts:
Positive thinking is a powerful tool that protects your loved one from the barriers of negativity. It instills the much needed self-confidence in them. And makes them more capable of thriving ahead seamlessly. The intensity of positive emotions lead to positive thinking in your teenage kids
So use these strategies and witness their transformation into happy a positive adults to be!
Thanks for Reading
Edwin Lim
Nov 27, 2022
