Dealing with Negativity in Life

Negativity is something we all experience in life. For instance if you are going for a job interview and someone tells you to forget it because you won’t get the job, this can make you feel nervous, depressed, restless, angry and hopeless. You will feel life is not fair and get emotionally drained. Stress that puts you in a funky mood can lead to health problems.

We should also realize that some of the stressful situations are not due to an event that happened. Human beings generate their own stress through their negative and pessimistic thinking. For instance the one going for the job interview may hear negative voices telling him he is unworthy of the job, that he doesn’t know anybody to help him, that there are candidates with better qualifications, that he is either too young or old for the job among others. His own mind has generated these negative thoughts and beliefs. These negative thoughts and beliefs can make him powerless and sabotage his efforts.

What may start off as a small stress can transform into a major one that can completely wipe out our dream and what we are capable of achieving.

The ability of an individual to perceive a situation as stressful or merely as a surmountable challenge will depend on how they size it up in terms of their ability to overcome and deal with it.

I am not an expert in the Law of Attraction but it has a lot to teach us about life and more importantly what we allow into our minds and by extension our life. It says that what we think about the most will become reality. “Like attracts like”. Sandy Forster wrote, “Our thoughts are like radio waves or frequencies, or vibrations or energy going out into the world. That energy or vibration goes out and attracts a like vibration or energy and brings that back into our world.” For example if your mind is saturated with thoughts of poverty, that is the signal that is sent out to the universe. It then picks similar vibrations or energy and bring it back to you, drawing you into a situation of poverty and lack.

There is no one specific solution for effectively dealing with negativity but you may find the following practical suggestions useful.

As Jim Rohn a motivational expert put it, our associates should help us take our lives to the next higher level not impede us. Take a careful look at the people you associate with. If they make you feel bad about yourself, what you do and how you look, then they are clearly toxic people. They could be relatives or friends. Dissociate yourself from them if possible. If not, minimize the time you spend with such negative people if you want to make progress and achieve your dreams.

Try to figure out what is causing the negativity in your life. After careful analysis, you may conclude that what is causing the negative thoughts is originating from your own mind. You may need to re-orient your thoughts by focusing more on the positive so that the negative thoughts recede until they are unable to negatively impact your life. William James, a psychologist put it this way: “Of all the creatures of earth, only human beings can change their patterns. Man alone is the architect of his destiny. Human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds, can change the outer aspects of their lives.” Don’t underestimate this step-it can have a huge impact.

If you feel you are slipping deeper into the onset of a funky mood, write down all the reasons why you should not feel that way. This method can work wonders. The many positive achievements you have made should make you feel good and happy about your life.

Make meditation a daily habit. You may practice yoga if you know how it is done.

Meditation will shift your focus from negative thoughts to your own breathing. Meditation and yoga will help relax and calm the mind. Meditation is a great way to commune with the Great Spirit. This will give you the vital force you need to overcome the negative situations that have besieged your life and made you miserable. Turn your misery into miracles and live the victorious life.

It is recommended that you smile often. It takes fewer muscles to smile than to frown. Smiling can put you in good mood. It is infectious and is a way of sharing your happy moments with people.

We have already talked about the need to remove toxic relationships from our lives. When we are stressed as a result of our negative thinking, we should scout our environment for people who will give us encouragement. Get professional help. This person can put everything into perspective rather than feed your negative thinking. It will be useful to surround yourself with positive and enthusiastic people who will help bring out the good in you.

Try helping other people improve the situation in their lives. When we do good things to people who cannot reward us, it gives us a sense of responsibility and compassion. This can make us feel better. Besides, it puts us in a situation where we realize that there are people in situations worse than our own.

You should know that human beings are not perfect. We all make mistakes. To dwell on past mistakes is easy, but it is a huge waste of time. Don’t blame yourself too much for the mistakes you have made; it is normal. However, you should learn from your mistakes and move ahead. Accepting this fact will help reduce or minimize the impact of your negative thinking.

You may also try humming, singing or whistling. These simple activities can shift your focus from the negative things in your life to the things that tickle your interest and put you in high spirits.

You are advised to keep a gratitude journal. Prepare a list of the things you are grateful for. Think about your life and its sustenance, your best possessions, the wonderful and amazing relationships you have. Counting your blessings rather than your woes can relieve you of stress and its associated problems.

Get inspired. Spice your life with motivational quotes about success, business, career, relationships etc. Read motivational books to stay positive and alleviate stress. Listen to audiotapes and watch videos on issues of life. This will help you shift focus from the negative to the positive.

Read religious literature to know the mind of God about your life. Work towards the realization of God’s promises for your life. Stay motivated and be optimistic.

Our fears have a damaging influence on our lives. Fear can virtually cripple your efforts at goal accomplishment. Sometimes our fears are unfounded. We need to be realistic and confront our fears. We can overcome our fears by doing that very thing. We need to take a step of faith and move out of our comfort zone and do what we have to do to move our lives forward.

Do what you love. When we do the things we love, we feel joyful, happy and comfortable about ourselves and life in general. Negativity melts away when we engage ourselves doing what we love.

In conclusion, don’t go down the path of negativity again. Follow the strategies and practical suggestions described above and your life will change forever. Change your thoughts and you change your world. Jesus Christ is our model leader and we should pattern our lives after his. We will be able to manage whatever negativity assails us and be winners.

Yours in inspiration,
Email: [email protected]
Cell: 0208 455 296