A lot of us are looking for ways to reduce the stress in our lives. One sure fire way to extinguish the inflammatory effects of too much stress is to recognize and change our negative thoughts.

Science has recently informed us that we are genetically wired to focus on the negative. It’s what used to help us survive the danger of our early “mastandon-eats-man” days. Studies show spending too much time listening to negative news or just seeing or hearing the word, “No, “ can physically change our brains, making us feel depressed, afraid and expecting the worst.

However, just because we’re wired to take a negative or fearful outlook on life, it doesn’t mean we can’t retrain our brains to focus on the positive. If you persist, the positives will begin to replace the negatives and eventually the changes will stick. It may take a little time but we can alter our perspective.

Here are 5 Tips to help you tap into the power of “Yes, , I Can” and create more “yes” answers in your life. Studies prove thinking, “Yes, I can”, ignites positive change. As simple or obvious as these tips may seem, there are now a lot of studies to back them up and lots of reasons to remind us to practice them. As you read them, remember to focus on progress instead of perfection.

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 – Bombard your senses with ”yes,” positive messages, written or otherwise. It can take as many as 20 positive messages to counter the effect of simply hearing the word, “No.” Keep a list so you can revisit them when you steer off course. Reinforce, reinforce, reinforce the positive.

– Make sure you have the facts about a situation before you decide whether it’s bad or good. People cause themselves stress by getting upset about something they don’t have all the information on.

– Look for the lesson, rather than seeing failure or defeat. You will build a reservoir of resources that are useful for the future.

– Forgive yourself and others when it’s appropriate; most people don’t want to make others feel bad.

– Embrace Gratitude as a gift you give yourself and others. People feel better when they give.

– Use The Yet Factor. Instead of telling yourself what you don’t have, tell yourself you don’t have it yet. This helps you move off the negative and not feel loss.