Looking on the bright side can go a long way. Learn how a positive attitude can transform your life for the better

See the glass half full, find the silver lining, look on the bright side...there are endless platitudes and clichés that are so regularly recited, they don't seem to carry much meaning. This seems especially true on the days when metaphorical rain pours down on your metaphorical parade, or when a storm cloud seems to be hovering over your head for days on end. But taking a closer look at optimism reveals these everyday turn of phrases actually have the right idea in mind. When put into routine practice, positive thinking can change your whole life for the better...and in more ways than one.

Now, this may run the risk of sounding pessimistic, but of course, there is a slight catch. Becoming a positive thinker isn't as simple as looking at a colorful "Keep Calm and Carry On" poster more often. "It's easier said than done," says Noelle Damon, a holistic psychotherapist. "It takes practice. Positive thinking is not to be confused with a belief that everything is OK or should be OK. It's about maintaining balance even when it isn't." Now for the good news: Once you equip yourself with the proper tools to transform negative thoughts into positive ones, you'll begin to notice a change, not only in yourself, but in other aspects of your life from relationships to even your physical appearance.

To help you get started on the path toward optimism, we asked professional therapists and psychologists to not only reveal the many benefits of positive thinking, but to offer advice on how to incorporate the practice for long term effects. Click ahead to learn the five ways positive thinking can change your life and how you can start being more positive today.

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