Negative situations happen all the time. We can’t avoid them, so how can we counteract their negative effect on our lives and our attitudes? Learning the power of positive thinking helps us stay positive even in the midst of tragedy. Learning how to stay positive in negative situations is invaluable in leading a healthy lifestyle.
1- Express Gratitude
Be mindful about what you do have, whether it’s a fantastic friend or a wonderful partner. Try making a list of things you’re grateful for every night for two weeks. It can be even more powerful to express gratitude to someone who you feel truly thankful for. Write them a letter telling them how they have helped you. Additionally, try to cultivate a sense of gratitude in everyday life for things both major and minor. Thank that stranger who goes a little out of his way to hold the door open for you. Appreciating the good in the world can change the way you look at life.
You can also look for the positives that will remain, and sometimes the best way to do this is to appreciate the little things in life. Sometimes I think to myself that as long as I have a good bowl of cereal in the mornings, it will always worth be getting up in the morning no matter what else is going on in my life. While we stand to lose a lot potentially throughout our lives, there are some things that you really can rely upon.
2- Change Your Negative Self-Talk
It’s way too easy to think the same negative thoughts over and over again. However, you can learn to change this by doing some cognitive-behavioral therapy on yourself. When you notice yourself having a negative thought about yourself, replace it with a positive one. If you find yourself thinking “It’s all my fault” or “I’m not good enough,” stop and remind yourself of how well you’ve been coping and how others appreciate you.
The bottom line on becoming and remaining optimistic: We can’t change what happens to us or to loved ones, but we can change how we react to it. And though that process may take some time, it’s worth it because of the joy and peace of mind optimism can bring.
These are tough times” may be true, but it’s a bummer of a sentence, it doesn’t come from my soul, and it’s not something I want to reinforce. These are also the best of times and having our words reflect that creates a positive spiral.
3- Awake Your Inner Courage
Tough times require lots of courage, and that means you might have to face your personal demons, Riley says: "Being courageous means not allowing life to steal, kill, or destroy your dreams, hopes, aspirations, and plans but living in the now, the moment, the presence of your power to receive life, and the fullness of all life has to offer and even more abundantly."
4- Careful What You Read
Personally I have consciously stayed away from “trend pieces” about the direction of the economy. It’s not (only) that I am buring my head in the sand, it’s that the experts don’t know any better than I do which “direction we are headed.” Most of the stuff on TV, radio, online, and in print are sheer, time- and page-filling speculation. Do they have more information than I do? Yep and once in a while it’s useful to catch up. But there’s no need to bathe in the negativity soup so being selective is a smart way to go.
5- Repeat positive affirmations
As any politician or advertiser knows, the more often you hear a message, the more likely you are to believe it. The same goes for messages about who you are and what you are capable of doing. By repeating positive affirmations with conviction several times each morning, you are training your brain to believe them. "Over time, you will start to internalize them,". Hence, repeat your affirmations silently if you feel self-conscious.
Choose two to three affirmations that represent your values and goals, such as 'I can handle whatever comes my way,' 'There is plenty of time,' or 'I am getting better every day.' The repetition will influence the way you interpret negative events, making you more resilient. "Especially if you are predisposed to negative thinking, this can be extremely effective,". Your subconscious mind will gradually fight your negative thoughts sooner or later you will over come it for sure.
6- Exercise Your body And Mind
We know that exercise is good for our bodies, but what about our minds? Sure, it is! It releases those natural endorphins in our brains that make us feel better. Exercise has physical as well as mental and emotional benefits. Getting out there and moving around will keep your body in better shape, as well as boosting your self-esteem for having the discipline to exercise. You might try adding meditation by training your mind to focus on positive things into your exercise routine now and then to help you learn to really focus and meditate. Exercise is an excellent way to fight the negative effects of bad situations.
7- Accept And Find Solutions
Many of us are resistant to changes in our lives. What we must do is learn to accept that change will happen. Haven’t you heard that “the only constant in life is change”? There is a lot of truth to that, as we continually go through changes, whether good or bad. Accepting that changes are a part of life can help us to relax and be more accepting. Try to look for the positive aspect. For example, if you’re in a bad job situation, what do you do? Accept it and try to make it better? Possibly. Or maybe this is the chance to make a change for yourself and look for that job you really want.
More tragic changes, such as death, will throw us off even worse, but when our brains are practiced on how to stay positive in negative situations, even tragedy won’t destroy us. With the power of positive thinking, we can learn to put negative situations in perspective … and to deal with them as they arise.
8- Don't Stress Over What You Can't Control
Just as you can't control whether it's going to rain tomorrow, you can't control the economy or the job market. The financial situation within the media and government changes daily, and that's not something you can control.
So instead of stressing over the things you can't control, focus on what you can control. Your personal finances and goals are easily within your realm of control and they can answer to you if you know how to keep things in perspective. This strategy will enable you to build confidence while reducing stress.
9- Other ways to stay positive
A- Don’t move a muscle
Lie still. Ease into the present slowly. Let your mind and body connect without jarring movements
B-Try to remember your dreams
Most people will say they cannot remember their dreams or that they don’t dream at all. We all dream multiple times during the night. You can train your mind to remember your dreams by lying absolutely still without thought. Dreams reflect our unconscious feelings. It’s worth paying attention to your unconscious emotional state. You might be enlightened.
C-Consider what makes you happy
Choose three things that make you happy . Turn up the corners of your mouth into a big smile. Your happy thoughts will be forefront in your consciousness all day long.
D-Relax your body
It’s natural when you first wake up to think you feel relaxed but you might not actually be relaxed. We tense up at night and we might still be tense when we begin to wake up.
Consciously bring your body to a state of complete relaxation.
E- Meditate
Waking up the body is different for everyone. Some bodies and minds wake up more quickly than others, but a great way to enter the present is with an intention to meditate. If thoughts are running amok, try to clear your mind. Slowly roll out of bed and sit on a pillow, back against the wall and spend time (at the beginning 2 – 5 minutes) sitting quietly.
F-Align your energy
A straight spine is essential for meditating because it aligns your spine so energy can move through your body unobstructed. Shrug your shoulders back and feel your sit bones rooting. Note your body’s stillness .
G-Don’t attach
Don’t attach to thoughts when you wake up. You’ve got the whole day to do that. Attachment fosters illusion rather than reality and causes stress and anxiety.
H- Let your most pressing issue go
The most pressing issue of your day will be in the forefront of your brain. Is it positive or negative? If it is negative, put a positive spin on it. You can turn any negative into a positive.
I-Stay relaxed
Your thoughts manifest in your mind and body. Notice how your body tenses with uncomfortable issues. Relax your body by taking a very deep breath and let the breath out slowly. Shrug your shoulders back and open your heart.
J- Think yes instead of no
No means resistance is at work. Yes means possibilities and opportunities. Yes means being strong and willing to cross over a mental threshold and be surprised.
K-Stay present
Make an intention to stay present during the day. If you think future or past thoughts, reconnect with the present moment. The power of the day is in the now. Eliminate something from your day
Make an intention to eliminate something superfluous from your day. Make it a practice to give up something daily. Non-attachment and is good for the soul.
L- Be with happy people
Make an intention to surround yourself with joyful, happy people during the day. Walk away from energy drains – people, places and things that stand in the way of your happiness and keep you stuck in the quicksand of the day.
M- Take on positive pursuits
Invest in positive pursuits during the day. Keep the negatives away. If you are lacking in positive energy, negative energy will go after you. Do something that brings joy into your life. Go to the gym, eat a healthy lunch or call someone and acknowledge the gift of that person’s friendship.
Departing Quote
The pain you feel today is the strength you feel tomorrow. For every challenge encountered there is opportunity for growth.
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