10 Powerful Ways To Focus On The Good Things In Life

For years, I have always thought that focusing on the good things in life was nothing but toxic positivity. I thought it was just a way of denying reality or minimizing the challenges that we face every day. To me, to focus on the good things in life meant always striving to be positive and maintaining this cheerful facade, even when we are struggling in life.

It was only when I hit my rock bottom that I realized how crucial it was to focus on the good things in life, not as a means of denying my struggles, but as a vital tool in helping me stay strong while navigating through them. It was during the lowest point of my life that I realized that this approach is not about ignoring the bad.

Acknowledging and appreciating the positive aspects of life does not invalidate the struggles that we face, it actually helps us cope with them. While doing this did not solve all my problems, it did give me the strength and hope that I needed to keep going and to keep pushing through regardless of all the adversities that I was facing.

But to be honest, focusing on the good things in life is often easier said than done. Especially when life seems to keep hitting you with one problem after another, finding the good during that period of our lives just seems impossible.

Yes, it can be difficult but it is certainly possible. In this post, I will be sharing with you the steps I took that helped me focus on the good things in life despite the seemingly endless challenges that I faced.

I’m hoping that some of these steps will resonate with you and help you find the strength, hope, and motivation that you need to keep going.

How To Focus On The Good Things In Life

1. Complain Less

Are you also guilty of constantly complaining about every little inconvenience? I definitely am and this bad habit was magnified when I was going through difficulties.

When I was navigating one of my lowest points, I allowed myself to be consumed by everything that was going wrong with my life. I thought that focusing my attention on all my problems would motivate me to work even harder but doing this just made me bitter and angry.

Every day, I would complain about even the smallest inconveniences, and this negativity began to affect not only my mental health but also my relationship with others. It was like I was caught in a never-ending cycle of downward spiral.

The more I complained, the more problems seemed to pop up and the harder it became to find the hope and strength to keep trying and to see any good in my life. I learned that constant complaining wasn’t actually solving anything. It just made everything more overwhelming to the point that it paralyzed me and kept me from actually doing anything.

And honestly, it was just adding to my misery. I know that complaining can be a great avenue for us to vent out and release our frustration. But the problem really starts when complaining becomes our go-to response to every situation, even the smallest inconveniences.

We have to keep reminding ourselves that there is a fine line between healthy venting and constantly complaining. I’ve learned the hard way that complaining too much can only make us feel even worse and even more hopeless.

The thing that really helped me slowly break free from this habit was allowing myself the chance to pause and reflect.

Every time I wanted to complain, I stopped and thought, “Is there something I can do about this?” Doing this helped me focus on finding solutions to my problems instead of just talking about them.

2. Focus On What You Can Control

Learning to accept what is beyond your control and focusing only on what you can is a crucial step in helping us focus on the good things in life. I have always been what you may call a “control freak”.

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I’ve spent so much time and energy trying to micromanage every little aspect of my life.

I’ve always had this notion that as long as I continue to do this then I’m preventing things from going wrong. I thought that if I just kept trying to control everything, then nothing bad would happen.

But this is just not true because the reality is, that no matter how hard we try, we just can’t control everything. Constantly trying to do so will only lead to more stress, frustration, and disappointment.

Spending so much time and effort trying to control every little aspect of my life was not only mentally exhausting but it was also making me so unhappy and miserable when things didn’t go as planned.

One of the best things that we can do to help us focus on the good things in life and find hope even in our most difficult days is to understand and accept that some things are just out of our hands, it doesn’t matter how hard we try to control it, and you know what? That’s perfectly okay.

Instead of spending so much time and effort controlling the uncontrollable, let’s focus our attention on what we could actually change and influence.

Learning to slowly accept what I can’t control has felt so freeing. It helped me focus on the present and appreciate the good things in life, instead of worrying about every possible thing that could go wrong.

I know that doing this is not easy and let me tell you, I am certainly far from mastering it but we just have to keep reminding ourselves that life will always be full of unexpected twists and turns and you know what, sometimes things work out in ways we hadn’t planned but were just as good or often even better.

3. Practice Positive Self Talk

I know that most of us are guilty of being our own harshest critic. I certainly am. For years, I believed that being my worst critic was the best way to push myself to achieve success and change my life for the better.

I thought that by being tough on myself, I would stay motivated and focused and that would keep me from failing and making any mistakes.

I didn’t realize that by relentlessly putting myself down, I was also diminishing my confidence, self esteem and self worth. It took a real wake up call for me to finally accept the fact that this constant negative self talk was actually doing more harm than good.

If you’re guilty of also constantly beating yourself up, please know that you deserve to be kind to yourself. You deserve to treat yourself with the same compassion and understanding you would so easily offer to a loved one.

Constant negative self talk does not only harm our mental health and confidence, but it also narrows our perspective in life, making us only focus on our flaws and failures.

We have to remind ourselves that practicing positive self talk and offering ourselves compassion is not about being self indulgent. It’s not about ignoring our mistakes or avoiding responsibility.

It is about acknowledging our flaws, mistakes, and shortcomings without harsh judgment and understanding that these are just part of being human.

Positive self talk is about shifting our mindset of constant self criticism to one of constructive self encouragement. It’s about recognizing your efforts and learning from your mistakes instead of beating yourself up over them.

Human as we are, we all have flaws and shortcomings but that doesn’t mean that we are no longer worthy of kindness, love, and understanding. It’s time to stop being our worst enemy and start being our own best friend.

Learn how to start loving yourself more by taking this 30 day self love challenge.

4. Recognize Your Efforts And Celebrate Small Wins

It’s easy to take our efforts for granted, especially when we are being hit with one problem after another. It’s easy to ignore everything that we have accomplished and overcome and focus solely on the challenges and setbacks.

But recognizing our efforts and celebrating even the smallest wins is vital for maintaining motivation and helping us focus on the good things in life. I know that doing that is not always easy, especially when our progress feels slow or insignificant compared to the goals and standards we have set for ourselves.

If you feel this way, please know that progress, no matter how small, is still progress. Every step forward, no matter how tiny, is still a step in the right direction.

We have to remind ourselves that big achievements are often the result of many small and seemingly insignificant steps. So please, remember to pause and give yourself credit for all the hard work that you’re doing.

I know that life can often be difficult and challenging and yet, you are still fighting, that alone speaks volumes of your resilience and strength.

Know that every time you choose to get back up and keep going, even during the darkest days, is a testament to your invaluable strength and unyielding spirit. Please give yourself a huge pat on the back.

Please know that you are more than just surviving, you are fighting, learning, growing, and becoming stronger every single day. Continue to believe in your abilities, focus on your progress, and know that every challenge that you overcome is another step towards your growth.

5. Gratitude Journaling

Gratitude journaling is a powerful tool in helping us focus on the good things in life and develop a more positive outlook. I wasn’t really keen on the benefits of journaling, especially gratitude journaling. I thought that it was just another self help fad that wouldn’t really make a difference in my life.

It was actually when I was struggling so badly that I decided to try this. Every day felt like I was constantly hit with one problem after another and one disappointment after another.

I was so consumed with negativity to the point that I started feeling more and more hopeless and defeated every day.

It was an act of desperation to find even the smallest sliver of hope and positivity that pushed me to try gratitude journaling. I started writing three things I was grateful for every single day.

And let me tell you, most days I struggled to write anything at all, especially on days when everything in life goes wrong but I continued to push myself and I wrote even the smallest things, like good weather or the comfort of my bed.

Over time, these seemingly insignificant things started to add up and it served as a reminder, especially during those hard days that I was still blessed and that there was still hope.

It helped shift my perspective from focusing on the things that were going wrong to appreciating the things that were going right, no matter how small.

Somehow gratitude journaling became one of the ways for me to keep holding on to the light even in my darkest days. It wasn’t just about writing down positive things, it was more about actively searching for them in my everyday life.

Doing this helped me find the strength and hope that I needed to keep going and to keep trying despite all the challenges that I was facing.

If you want to give it a try, start by writing down just one thing you’re grateful for each day. Remember, it doesn’t have to be something big or extraordinary. The key is to stay consistent. Make it a daily habit and soon you’ll start noticing more and more things to be grateful for.

6. Practice Kindness

Being kind to others and to ourselves is an essential step in helping us learn how to focus on the good things in life. In today’s world, where negativity and hate often seem loud, it’s vital to remember the power of kindness.

It’s about understanding that everyone is facing their own struggles and deserves compassion and support. When we show kindness to others, we are not only helping them feel seen and valued, we are also creating a positive impact that can last a long time.

When I was navigating one of the most difficult moments of my life, the small acts of kindness that were offered to me by other people and even strangers helped me find hope and strength to move forward.

A kind word, a listening ear, or even a simple smile can mean so much when you’re struggling. These acts of kindness not only showed me that there is still goodness in this world but also helped me focus on the good things in life, no matter how small they may seem, instead of dwelling on the negatives.

They taught me to appreciate the beauty in everyday moments and the kindness in people’s hearts. These experiences have inspired me to do the same for others, to be that source of kindness and hope for someone else who might be struggling.

Practicing kindness has also become a way for me to practice gratitude. Gratitude for the kindness that I’ve received and for the opportunities I have to help others. This gratitude helped me to become more aware of all the good things in life that we usually take for granted.

This awareness has made me more appreciative and content with what I have. We all know that life can be overwhelming and difficult, so let’s not hesitate to offer kindness whenever we can.

These simple acts can make a big difference in how we feel and how we see the world.

7. Set Boundaries

How many times have you said yes when you really meant no? How many times have you agreed to do something even when you were already stretched too thin? Learning to set boundaries is crucial in helping us focus on the good things in life.

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I have overextended myself to other people believing that doing this would make me worthy and enough. You see, growing up, I was told that my worth and value were tied to my achievements and to how useful I was to other people.

This belief led me to constantly say yes, to take on more than I could handle, and to constantly put others’ needs before my own. Doing this was not only so exhausting and often left me feeling drained and so unfulfilled but it also left me with so much resentment and frustration.

By constantly overextending myself and neglecting my needs and desires, I was also trapping myself in an environment filled with negativity and stress.

I was always anxious, trying to meet everyone’s expectations, and fearing I might disappoint someone. This constant pressure left little room for me to enjoy life’s simple pleasures or do things that I actually enjoy.

If you’re guilty of this too, please know that your worth isn’t determined by how much you do for others or by your achievements. Your self worth comes from within. It is inherent.

I know that setting healthy boundaries is not always easy, especially when we are already so used to putting others first and saying yes to everything. Setting healthy boundaries can often trigger feelings of guilt and fear of disappointing others.

Know that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable as you start to prioritize your own needs and desires. We have to remind ourselves that doing this is not selfish or unkind. It’s not about shutting other people out entirely.

It is about honoring yourself and recognizing that you, just like anybody else, also have needs that should be met. It is a way of ensuring that your own mental health, emotional and physical well-being are taken care of.

By setting healthy boundaries, you’re not only taking care of yourself, but you’re also creating the conditions where you can thrive and give your best to the world.

Remember, you are worthy of the same kindness, respect, and consideration that you so freely give to others.

8. Limit Exposure To Negativity

When I hit rock bottom, I’ve learned quickly how social media can contribute in making me feel more inadequate and a total failure.

Seeing everyone handle life’s challenges like a pro while I’m here, still figuring out my footing just leaves me feeling so defeated and alone. It honestly felt like everyone just had everything figured out, while I was still here struggling.

This did not only made me feel more hopeless, but it also made me start doubting my capabilities and I started believing that maybe I just didn’t have what it takes to change my life for the better.

I know that social media can be a great source of inspiration and connection, but it is crucial to maintain a healthy balance and perspective with it. Instead of constantly scrolling through feeds full of content that makes me feel more hopeless and alone, I chose to limit my exposure to such platforms.

This allowed me the space to focus on my own life and progress, instead of constantly comparing myself to others.

Also, I made an active choice to engage in content that only encourages me to grow, to be better, and to embrace my journey in life, no matter where I am in it. This helped served as my reminder that regardless of how difficult life may seem sometimes, it is possible to improve your life and be happier.

We have to remind ourselves that it’s okay to take a break from social media and even from the news, especially if it’s already affecting our mental health. The goal here is not about completely eliminating social media or news consumption, it’s about finding a healthy balance that works for you.

9. Practice Forgiveness

Forgiveness is never easy. At least, that is what I felt. Growing up, I was deeply hurt by some people that I love. They made me feel like I always have to earn their love.

They made me believe that without my achievements or if I was not being useful to other people, then I was nothing. I was constantly criticized even as a child and always made to feel inadequate and unworthy.

This experience not only left deep scars but also so much resentment and anger toward those who hurt me. For a long time, I carried this anger and resentment with me, believing that by doing this, I was protecting myself. I thought as long as I held onto those feelings, I wouldn’t be vulnerable or be hurt again.

But in reality, this mindset only kept me trapped in a cycle of negativity and pain. It did not only affect how I view myself but it also affected how I view life and relationships. It took a real wake up call for me to realize how crucial forgiveness is in helping us truly move forward and heal.

I know that it’s not the easiest thing to do but we have to remind ourselves that the more that we carry anger and resentment, the heavier our burden becomes.

We have to remember that forgiveness is not about minimizing the wrong that they have done or invalidating the pain that you’ve felt.

It is about choosing to let go of the grip the past has on your present. It is about choosing to set yourself free from that burden that you have been carrying for so long and finally allowing yourself the space to find peace and move forward.

Also, I know that often the most difficult person to forgive is ourselves. If you feel this way too, please know that as human as we are, we are all bound to make bad decisions and mistakes, we all have flaws and shortcomings but that doesn’t mean that we are no longer worthy of second chances.

Please know that learning to forgive yourself is not about excusing your actions or neglecting the consequences of your mistakes.

It is about acknowledging your mistakes, taking responsibility for them, and learning from them without continuing to put yourself down. It is about giving yourself the permission to move on, to grow, and to live a life that isn’t defined by your past mistakes.

Learning to forgive not only helps us release those negative emotions that can cloud our perspective in life, but it also gives us the chance to finally embrace inner peace and healing.

10. Stay Present

How many times have you found yourself excessively worrying about the future or ruminating about the past? I’m certainly guilty of this. I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I’ve wasted so much energy feeling so anxious about all the possibilities of what could go wrong or kicking myself over things I did or didn’t do in the past.

Every time this happens, it feels like my thoughts just spiral out of control, trapping me in a cycle of worry and regret. This often just leaves me feeling so overwhelmed to the point that it paralyzes me and keeps me from moving forward.

It took a while for me to finally admit to myself that this was not only so emotionally draining but it was also making me feel even more hopeless, especially when life gets hard.

This only clouds my perspective and forces me to only focus on the negativity and everything that could go wrong. The best thing that we can do to fight this is to learn how to stay in the present moment.

Learning how to do this serves as our anchor, allowing us to remain grounded even in the midst of life’s chaos.

I honestly believe that learning to stay in the present moment acts like a lifeline. Something that prevents us from being swept away by past regrets and future anxieties.

We have to remember that focusing on the present moment is not about failing to plan for the future or ignoring the lessons of the past.

Instead, it is about finding a balance where we acknowledge the past and future but don’t allow them to dominate our thoughts and emotions. It is about embracing each moment as it comes.

One thing that really helped me learn this is by meditating. I was never a big believer in meditation, believing that sitting with my thoughts and feelings was the worst thing that I could probably do but after finally trying it, I realized it was actually the opposite.

Meditation taught me to observe my feelings and thoughts without letting myself be entangled with them. It was not about emptying our minds, which I believed was an impossible thing to do, but about being aware of where your mind is going and gently bringing your attention back to the present moment.

I started doing this for about 10 minutes a day, just to ease myself in. Then, I gradually increased the duration as I became more comfortable with the practice.

Here’s a great post that’ll help you learn how to live in the present moment from Better Up.

Final Thoughts

It’s important to remember that learning to focus on the good things in life is a process, one that requires time and patience. It’s not something that we can just easily master overnight, it’s something that we have to consciously choose to work on every day.

So, please don’t hesitate to give yourself patience and compassion. Know that some days will be easier than others and you know what? That’s completely normal. On days when it feels particularly difficult to focus on the good things in life, be gentle with yourself.

Know that focusing on the good things in life is not about suppressing or ignoring negative emotions or feelings, it’s about balancing them with the recognition of the positive things in our lives, no matter how small. Ultimately, developing this practice is deeply personal, what works for someone may not work for another and that’s okay.

The important thing is to find a way to acknowledge and appreciate the good things in life that really work for you. This is the key to making this practice more effective and meaningful.

So, please don’t hesitate to only choose the steps that really resonate with you and please know that I’m always rooting for you!