Some people are chronically negative. They are so negative they cause others to avoid them. If you are one of those people, you probably have noticed that people tend to make excuses rather than spend time with you. When they are with you, they try to steer the conversation in a positive direction but tend to remain quiet and without advice when you speak.
If you are fed up with your negativity, there are ways to change it. Recent studies show that a positive attitude is better for your health and rewires your brain to think in an entirely new direction. This rewiring can be jumpstarted with you implementing the following steps.
Be Grateful
You may think grateful is simply a state of being but it is a habit. Habits are perfected with practice, so you need to practice gratitude. Start with something small. Consciously give thanks for a place to live, a bed, and food. Once you start perfecting that, expand by consciously finding things to be grateful for everywhere you go. Be grateful for the clerk’s smile, hot coffee, a nice breeze, and a day of easy work.
Realize What Is Within Your Control
Many people turn negative and upset over things they can’t control. They are upset primarily because they can’t control them. Knowing that some things, and what things, are out of your hands will do much to relieve stress and reduce negativity.
Cut the Negative Feed
Negativity needs a feeding source to continue. Usually, several things in your life feed into your negativity. You need to understand what those are and seek to reduce or eliminate them.
That could mean turning downtime with certain negative relatives or friends that feed your own negative emotions. It could also mean eliminating magazines and movies that cause you to feel negative, for whatever reason. Looking at a photoshopped model may be what is causing you to feel negative about your self-image. The same could go for celebrity magazines where everyone is seemingly living the perfect lives.
The news appears to be causing a lot of stress and negativity in people these days. It is probably best to cut back on it and to pick news sources that have a variety of both positive and negative news. Another factor in modern negativity is social media. Studies show those who stay on social media typically feel bad about the state of their lives because they compare it to others.
Instead, read inspirational books of real-life heroes or how to improve yourself. Learn a hobby or a new language. Study religious teachings. These things will rewire your brain.
Pray or Meditate
Negativity won’t ever be eliminated nor should it be. Life can be hard. However, you can find better ways to deal with life if you take time to pray or meditate. Spending some quiet time seeking divine answers will do much to calm your spirit and your mind. That will result in more insight and calmness as you approach your day.
Write It Down
Many people find it helpful to express themselves in journals. This is a safe way to vent without hurting anyone. Releasing your thoughts and emotions will temper your attitude and validate what you’re feeling. Plus, you can revisit the page later and see how much you’ve grown.
Smile
This is a simple thing but can do a lot for your attitude. Smile even if you have to force it. It has been scientifically proven that feelings follow actions rather than the other way around. So if you smile, you will eventually feel happier. After a while, it won’t be forced at all.
Eat Healthily
It is surprising how much food can contribute to your inward happiness. No one can be positive if they don’t feel good and a constant barrage of unhealthy food will make you feel sluggish and bloated. Healthy eating can also spur your body into better body function, including better metabolism and brain function. That all contributes to a positive attitude.
Exercise
Exercise does a lot to make you happier. First, it wards off sluggishness and apathy. Second, it sends your body into increased hormone production that includes endorphins. Endorphins are the stimulates in your brain that produce the feeling of happiness.
Take a walk. Go swimming. You will feel better.
It will take a while to implement all these elements into your life but doing so will have the result of you both consciously knowing when you are negative and the ability to stop it before it goes too far. Pretty soon, you’ll find yourself not have to think about being positive as it will become part of your personality.