Want seven easy fixes to become a positive person? Few people are willing to go on a spiritual journey to become a positive person because at times it seems like a tremendous amount of work. Inspired by Jim Carrey who spent years on his spiritual journey, why not learn what he has to teach and save yourself years of searching? Here are the seven ways to be a positive person. (You need all seven to be a truly positive person, but point 1 and point 7 are the most important.)

1 – Gratitude Is Your Most Neglected Tool

Want to be positive all the time? Learn how to be grateful. People who are grateful are positive almost semi-continuously because they appreciate what they have . They appreciate the fact they can draw breath without pain, that they can eat, that people love them, and that they have the capacity to think and grow.

Ingratitude is actually the source of most misery in the world . People would not steal if they were grateful what what they had earned, and people would not cheat on their spouses if they were grateful for their love. It is very difficult to remain positive if you are miserable, and misery is caused by ingratitude.

2 – Don’t Make A Point Of Being Positive, But Make A Point Of Pulling Yourself Out Of Being Negative

They say the best way to spot a liar is to look for signs a person is telling the truth rather than trying to look for signs that the person is lying. Take a similar back-to-front approach when it comes to being positive. Pull yourself out of a negative funk rather than trying to be positive all the time.

Both Sean Stephenson and Tony Robbins say that they overcame their darkest days by allowing themselves to feel sad and negative, but not allowing themselves to stay in that position.

3 – Ask Yourself What You Have Learned From Every Event

It is difficult pulling yourself out of a negative funk. You may not feel like plastering your face with a fake smile or looking on the bright side. If that is the case, it is time to get intellectual about the situation and ask yourself what you can learn from recent events. What you learn may not help you in the future, but it certainly will not hurt you. Force yourself to learn from what has just happened, even if all that you learn is that life tries to trip you from time-to-time.

4 – Believe But Verify Rather Than Being A Tireless Skeptic

Part of being positive is learning to look on the bright side, but the world is a harsh and dangerous place where looking on the bright side may leave you in danger. We are skeptical by nature because our minds are looking for danger. Instead of losing your skepticism, you need to believe but verify.

If your daughter says she is going to sleep at her friends all night, then believe her and send her on her way, but verify what she said either beforehand, or after. Don’t forget that you can verify after an event, and you can do it casually. For example, you may see your daughter’s friend when she drops her daughter off at school, where you can walk over, say hi, and say, “I hope my girl wasn’t too much of a pest when she slept over at yours on Saturday.”

5 – Pray To A Creator

Follow a religion if you wish, or pray to whatever it is you think created our universe. Pray with nothing more than a thank you for your existence. Don’t treat your prayers like a Christmas wish list, simply pray by saying thank you and maybe list the things you are specifically thankful for.

Before god haters start ripping this article apart on the comments section, this point is not pushing any sort of religion, you can make your own religion up if you wish, and the creator you choose can simply be an entity that humans are unable to define.

How does praying to a creator help make you a more positive person? Not only do you receive a divine sense of unexplainable warmth, you also take the focus off you and your problems and turn your attention to “Life.”

6 – A Slap On The Wrist Whenever You Do Not Look On The Bright Side

Some people are negative by default. They always look on the nasty and dark side because that is what they are used to. The idea of being optimistic appears girly, silly, weak, or childish. If you find yourself looking on the dark side, then slap yourself on the wrist. Actually give yourself a physical representation of your choice to stop being negative.

Whenever you notice yourself taking a negative path, slap yourself on the wrist because it will create a series of habitual memories in your mind that force your brain to take notice whenever you are negative. It makes it more difficult for you to be negative by accident or by default. This is not a punishment, it is a way of helping your mind recognize when you are being negative by default.

7 – Love, Money, Compassion And Equality Does Not Defeat Evil – Courage Defeats Evil

The most obvious question is, “How can I be positive in a world so rotten?” The answer is “Courage.” People may tell you that love will save the world, or understanding will change the world, or that people are good by nature and it is just their surroundings that make them bad. All of this is lies. If you want to live in a world where you proud to be positive, then be courageous and reward others for being courageous. Be proud of your courage, even if it puts you at physical risk.

A person who seeks out racists is not courageous, but a person who speaks out against something wrong even at the “risk” of being “called” racist is courageous. A sexually assaulted woman is not courageous if she forgives her attacker, but she is courageous if she presses charges, stands in the courtroom, and refuses to allow the man to get away with his crimes. A courageous person is not somebody who tries to fight a pitiful person, it is the person who dives into a pitiful fight to try to break it up.

Courage is powerful, and when courage is added to gratitude, you have all you need to be a positive and happy person.

William Grigsby is an HR expert at assignmentmasters. His passion is to show that each person is unique and can independently achieve success by applying efforts every day.William was writing in this space for 2 successful years.

Feel free to follow him on Twitter @willgrgsb