Make the change to a more positive lifestyle.
So, how can you change if you are not aware of negativity? The answer is simple and complex. Although you will never be able to control every thought your mind processes, you can choose and adjust the ones you think about consciously.
After writing down your thoughts, can you identify your overgeneralising, jumping to conclusions, or personalising situations? You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to events. Recognise your negative thinking. The first step towards increasing positive thoughts is to start decreasing negative thoughts.
It sounds simple, but research shows that when a positive and an adverse event occur on the same day, you tend to focus more heavily on the negative. For example, what is your initial reaction if you sleep through your alarm and miss your first meeting? Do you feel stressed, angry and frustrated? Do you think: “my entire day will now be a disaster” or, “I can’t cope with this added pressure I’ve created”?
Writing your thoughts on paper can help illustrate your illogical thinking. Ask yourself what evidence there is that these thoughts are true. Have you always thought like this? What is a healthier, more realistic thought?
Become creative in solving your negativity issues.
You can easily harness the power of positive thinking by using your natural creativity. Creating a vision board is one of my favourite projects for promoting positivity. Get a large piece of paper and gather words, pictures, and items that inspire positive thoughts.
Practice makes perfect. Thinking positively makes you feel more alive, engaged, energetic, and productive. Who wouldn’t want to feel like this all the time? Mastering these skills takes time, effort, and persistence, so don’t give up. A good start is asking yourself what you are thinking right now, how realistic this is, and where you can find answers.
Just walking away may not be the answer.
One obvious solution is to walk away from negativity. A more practical approach is to understand the reasons for their negativity. In reality, almost all negativity has its roots in one of these deep-seated fears:
- The fear of not being loved by others.
- The fear that “bad things” are going to happen.
- The fear of missing out.
- The fear of not having enough money.
Quotable quotes.
“It is not the strongest of the species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change“. Charles Darwin
“Link your activities to your vision and business objectives and see more positive outcomes”. Peter Sergeant.
“Better training can help people achieve their goals, build stronger connections among participants, and positively impact the wider community”. Peter Sergeant