Generating the feelings of appreciation is one of the most powerful ways to shift your counsciousness from seeing the negative to seeing the positive. When you consciously take time in your day to appreciate, your whole world will open up. I say my thank yous when I wake up in the morning and when I go to bed. I also have a thank you song I sing in my head through out the day. The song is just the words thank you, sung to whatever melody I'm feeing. This makes me smile. Also, by setting aside time in your day for thankfulness, you are also adopting a new positive habit. Approximately eighty percent of our days are habitual, so if you can fill your day with positive thoughts and things you will have a positive day. With appreciation and the great suggestions from the other Inward Questers, you'll be sitting back, and enjoying before you know it. And one more thing, if you haven't already done so, I suggest turning off the nightly news and the commercials on TV. This form of media is able to place all kinds of unwanted "negative" seeds in your subconscious. If it's really that important it's going to be the talk of the town anyway.

I hope this message finds you in the vortex,

Thank You.

Smile for 60 seconds straight and watch what happens. And whomever is reading this, you try it too. It is pretty cool.

Love Your Smile,

Michael

Try thinking about what makes you feel good and focus on that. If you are unable to do that you can try watching a comedy show that makes you laugh or take an outing to a place that you can really appreciate. This will help you to shift your thoughts to things that make you feel good and from there you can start focusing on what you want.

I am currently working on basically the same thing in my life.

Some of the things I am doing right now that may also be helpful to you:

-Realizing more and more that God is within me, not just "knowing" it after reading something.

-Reading books on religious topics from authors that were not considered too extreme. (i.e. currently - C.S. Lewis, "Screwtape Letters", I know I'm going to get a comment on that one)

-Meditation and exercise.

-Monitoring and controlling my thoughts (very hard work)

-Trying to be more social and enjoy the company of others. When a bunch of us are feeling good and having fun I have to say this is the most effective fix for the present moment.

-Also, quiet down the mind.

-When negative thoughts come, a they will, just keep pushing through and tell yourself what a stupid illusion this is, I am so much more than this!

EDIT

Also, I just remembered, a big thing for me is that I am always trying to change external conditions around me in hopes it will change me. I am just now learning I have to change the inside and then the external will follow better. This one is really hard to do when everything around you may seem terrible but you can do it.

Also start reading the Master Key ASAP -http://www.psitek.net/pages/PsiTekTMKS1.html

It was written in 1914 but is timeless.

EFT - Emotional Freedom Technique, is an excellent way to get rid of negative emotions, obsessive thoughts, fears and phobias, limiting beliefs, etc... Then you can use it to tap in good, positive feelings, emotions, etc... There are many techniques that have been spun from it including Matrix Reimprinting, which is a more advanced technique and FasterEFT and some more discrete, right now techniques like one handed tapping, etc... There are many videos and websites out there for learning about this fast, easy way to feel better, great, awesome fast!

That blue hummingbird is a start. You need to keep at this creating. Creating is fun!

I have an old book (I think it was from the book Universal Mind.) someplace that talks about a story of a girl reading a mind power book in a park. Along came a man that sat near her and observed a bit then asked a question, "What are you reading?" She replied, "A book on mind power." "Interesting said the older gentleman. What does it say?" She responded, "It says I create reality with my thoughts." He responded, "Interesting, have you tried it yet?" She responded, "Oh no, I am just reading it, I haven't tried it yet." He said, "Go ahead give it a shot, try for something small at first." She got excited and said, "Alright then, what about a feather? I'll create a feather!" He said, "Good give it a shot!" She concentrated and released the thought fully expecting a feather. In a short while a feather mattress truck drives by with a picture of a feather on it. She jumped up and pointed, "I did it! I did it! I created a feather!" The older man said, "Yes you did! Good job for you! I'll be on my way now. But one thing though. That is not a feather. Here is a feather." Just then a beautiful feather like she never saw before seemed to materialize someplace above her head and float down into her lap.

The man was showing her, she was on the right track and did good for a beginner. But not to make the mistake of thinking that is all there is. It gets so much better with practice.

Do you know that demons have names like Sloth, Gluttony, Doubt, Depression, Fear, Anger, Hate, Inadequacy? Anything negative in thought can be associated as a demon thought. Anything positive can be associated as an Angel thought. Think of the picture of a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other shoulder. These are thought-forms, when you can think of your negative thoughts as demons you can cast them out and destroy them from their influence on your thinking.

First really feel the negative thought until you are sure it is there then imagine it as a demon and cast it out in the name of Jesus Christ and as you rebuke it (Say, "I cast you out of me in the name of Jesus Christ! Be Gone!" Point at it like you are shooting a lighting bolt of the Holy Spirit right into it!) imagine it vanish, or explode into a shower of sparks, or puff of smoke. It disintegrates and is nothing, gone completely!

If you don't like thinking of it as a demon shaped form then think of it as a black ball of energy or if you like science fiction Darth Vader it really doesn't matter as long as you solidify the thought as something you can blow up.

Now fill that space within with an Angel thought that is exactly the opposite, and importantly with love, forgiveness and compassion. "I love you, I am sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you."

Our God Reigns Here by John Waller (Clearing healing song)

What's required in your case is to begin as follows:

1) Practice appreciating everything that you can that you already have. 2) USE YOUR IMAGINATION to imagine (: which is creating :) good things. It can be ANYTHING it's "feasibility" is irrelevant. 3) Meditate. Perhaps you can purchase some Brainwave Entrainment tools to help you along like Brain Sync (: very affordable :) or Holosync (: more expensive but also very good :).

Hope this helps.

Of course there's hope...as long as you have blood running in your veins there is always hope!

But, first things first. Once again, we must watch what we say as the very question itself contains a part of your answer.

If you think or say that you "have a hard time thinking positively"...then according to the LOA you are going to have a "hard time thinking positively," correct? And the fact that you added - "no matter what you do," to the end, just further fulfills your self-proclaimed prophecy.

Adding "No matter what you do" is the same thing as saying that it doesn't matter what anyone suggests here at Inward Quest, because no matter what we suggest, "no matter what you do," it isn't going to work...you stated it yourself.

I'm sorry to be disconcerting, but whether you think you can or think you can't...you're right! Nothing here will work to help you think more positively until you realize that you must change your mindset or attitude about positive thinking itself!

Positive thinking shouldn't be looked at as a "chore" that you begrudgingly have to try to accomplish. Just as with anything in life, positive thinking can be improved with practiced, but we need to understand its inherent power and why it's so important so that practice won't be as much of a job. And the more that it is practiced, the more it will become second-nature.Then, once you comprehend the deeper, esoteric aspect that you are a spiritual being of unlimited, creative potential, positive thinking can and will become a natural part of your lifestyle.

Here are some facts to hopefully change your attitude.

It has been proven through the electroencephalograph that a positive thought is exponentially more powerful than a negative thought. A positive thought has a higher frequency or vibration than a negative one.

It is well-known that higher-frequency thoughts of love and confidence are associated with higher-consciousness. And in the name of the LOA, (and the Universal Law of Reciprocity) we all know that "like attracts like," so positive thoughts attract more positive thoughts and energies. If this isn't enough, positive thoughts have even been shown to positively improve your physical health!

On the other hand, it has also been proven that negative thoughts of hate and fear are of a lower frequency or vibration and thus of a lower-consciousness. And because of law, negative thoughts attract more negativity and they have been proven to be physically unhealthy.

Did you know that harboring negative thoughts or beliefs can cause all kinds of toxic maladies and dis-eases from mood-swings to hypertension and from cancer to strokes? Did you know that negative thoughts affect everything in and around you negatively, including your friends, family, mind, body, spirit and soul?

Why put yourself through all of this when all you have to do to change it is the very same thing that you did when you decided whether you wanted cereal or pancakes for breakfast this morning; and that is...simply change your mind!

It's only as difficult as you make it out to be. Remember these ten, two-letter words to live by:

IF IT IS TO BE, IT IS UP TO ME!

I hope this helps.

All the answers here are amazing. I just wanted to add my two cents.

• On the physical side, try exercising (A good 30-45 min if possible, but even 5 minutes is good if you're not into exercising much). It's been proven that exercising releases endorphins and improves your mood.
• Try any releasing technique you like: FasterEFT, SedonaMethod, BSFF, Now Healing, Chinese Energetics. You can find all the information you need searching here.
• MC2 (another technique that I think is really good): http://www.inwardquest.com/questions/60407/mc2-method-new-free-method-for-releasing-energies-easily-and-pushing-you-to-the-vortex
• Read this short article when you have the time: http://www.zenkarma.org/12-Essential-Rules-Live-Like-Zen-Master.html
• Stingray suggested (but I cannot find the post), of creating a feeling good playlist. Think of it as the greatest hits of emotion. Something that you can play and feel good. It's a great booster to have.
• I recommend reading and applying the book Loving what is by Byron Katie. It helped me a lot in getting out of my depression.

All the best to you and hope it helps.