We’ve all likely heard the saying, “positivity breeds positivity.” And many of us have probably witnessed evidence of its truth in our own lives.  

But positivity does much more than just spreading positive thoughts. In fact, a study done by Harvard Business Review found that people with positive outlooks are overall more successful (and happy) than their pessimistic counterparts.

But what does it mean to be positive? Is it all about having a good attitude and seeing the bright side of every situation?

According to the Harvard Business Review, being optimistic is not about wearing rose-colored glasses and ignoring reality when it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. On the contrary, they define optimism as “the expectation of good things to happen, and the belief that behavior matters, especially in the face of challenges.”

In short, they believe that optimism is a combination of being a realist and seeing things for what they are, but maintaining the belief that things can always get better.

They also believe that optimism can be achieved through practicing gratitude, seeking progress (not perfection), and making the effort to connect with others on a deep and meaningful level.

So, how can we, as writers, practice more positivity in our daily lives?

In this great article from Boom Positive, they explain that one of the most powerful ways we can demonstrate positivity and optimism is through our language, both written and spoken. According to the author, “It is essential to learn how to replace negative statements and expressions with more positive ones and see how you will change your own worldview.”

This doesn’t mean that everything we write has to be filled with happy words like “laughter,” “joy,” or “love.” It just means that we should make a conscientious effort to choose words that have positive characteristics or portray positive emotions, such as happiness, dedication, motivation, and inspiration.

It also means we should replace negative words and phrases like “I can’t” with more positive things like “I won’t,” or “I have to” with “I want to.”

By making small changes in the way we write and speak, we can before more efficient and positive communicators. In addition, as Boom Positive explains, “Positive words will shape your mind, alleviate stress and improve your general well-being.”