Helpful formulations are those that produce a positive image, a desirable behaviour or a desirable target. So parents say to their children: "You can do it like this." "This is well done." "That's how you shall do it." Teachers note the correct orthography in Red on the edge of the exercise book. The boss or the colleague says: "If you do it this way it will be successful."
Spirit Talk
I used to think that thinking positive means to find everything good independently how shocking I think about the situation or how miserable I feel about it. This point of view I changed meanwhile. To think or to speak positively means, to trigger a understanding, enjoyable or fear-free feeling through a concious way of thinking within myself or a concious way of speaking with others, in order to attain harmony in being together and in conversation.
Speaking positively leaves out the negation and replaces a negative word (because it creates the associated unwished image) with a positive one (which creates the desired image). In this process you avoid extensions like -un-, free, -less etc. Instead of fearless, undaunted or free of anxiety you use brave, courageous and self-confident. Sense, how powerful the last three words feel in opposite to the first three words. How pleasant may it sound to hear positive feedback for superb performance.
Rephrase
In negavite term: "You weren't bad."
Implicates within me: (Oh, but not good also, or what?)
Pleasantly sounds: "You did a fantastic job!" (Or simply: "Very well!")
Another example (after the > sign is the positive formulation):
"Your work is flawless." (Oh, did you expect mistakes?) > "Perfect." "Well done." "Brilliant job."
Remove doubts
Doubts creates a negative image also:
"I am curious to see if it works." (*fear*)
Instead, the positive aspect: "I am curious to see how good it works." (*looking forward to it; it will be fine*)
The word "if" leaves open success completely, instead, the word "how" presuppose that I trust myself to make it. The subconscious usually responds to this self-confidence with relaxation instead of fear.