I’ve been in a bit of a funk lately – life had thrown me a curve ball. I recognize that it is just a situation – a temporary uncomfortable situation but I still let it bother me. It’s normal – people get bummed because things don’t turn out the way they expect it to BUT I believe that it is up to us to turn things around. It’s all about perspective. Just a matter of looking at the positive side of things instead of the “not so positive”.
A positive attitude is one of the stepping-stones to a happier life. Everyone has a negative thought occasionally but the good news is that you may be able to counteract it with a positive thought. When negative thoughts fill your mind, it may be time to change your mindset. Here are a couple of tips that can help you out with that.
Become aware of your thoughts.
The trick is to take control of your thinking. Get into the habit of asking yourself, “What am I thinking right now?” Learn to recognize your negative thinking patterns and replace them with realistic, positive alternatives.
When a negative thought enters your mind, immediately replace it with a positive thought.
Negative thought: “I can’t believe that jerk cut in front of me!
Positive thought change: “I’m not rushed and in a hurry like that guy. He must be extremely stressed.”
Negative thought: “I can’t believe the poor service at this restaurant today!”
Positive thought change: “The waitress must be having a bad day because the service is usually great here.”
Do things you love.
If you are not sure what it is that you love – try different activities (running, dancing, singing, painting, etc.) until you find something you enjoy doing.
Do at least one thing every day that you enjoy doing. This makes a big difference because it makes you look forward to each day.
Yes, everyone has a negative thought occasionally. The trick is to recognize it and replace it with a positive thought so you don’t dwell on the negative. Dwelling on the negative does not change anything – LIFE goes on (whether you are feeling great or less than great). Time does not stop just because you are having a bad day – there are better things to do than sulk.