I’m sure you ask yourself the same question all the time. “How do I stay positive, when this world is full of such negative influences”.
Lately we have experienced, natural disasters, increasing poverty levels, unemployment that is at its highest in decades, and people fighting to keep their houses, feed their kids and stay afloat. We are in hard economic times. These facts don’t even include your own personal struggles. Sometimes it’s so easy to jump on the negative band-wagon and go to that place. This is the place of negativity; the place that we find it so easy to go to at times like this. In a world full of so many wrongs, how can you keep your mind focused on what’s right? How can you get through the days of rain to make it to all the days of constant sunlight?
I use many different methods of staying positive. I believe everyone has their own methods of coping or of believing. You don’t necessarily have to believe in God or even in some higher being to have positivity. You just have to believe that there are ways to challenge all of your negative influences and turn them to the positive way you really were meant to live.
The methods I use to stay positive vary depending on how much positive energy I need. I put them in order below as I usually start from the beginning and work my way down the list till I am feeling energized and positive again. See if any of them work for you, you might be pleasantly surprised.
1. Talk to God ~One of the first things I find helpful is to simply relax, breathe, find a quiet area outside or in the house to spend a bit of time with God. Some of us don’t realize he hears our every thought and is with us always. Take your problems to him. He might not respond right away but praying about them will help you to release the negative vibe within and you will get an answer. It might not be the answer you want but God always responds. He will direct you on your next step if you take the time to send him your questions.
2. Read a book~ This uplifts my spirits because I have a strong connection to what I am reading. Regardless of what book it is, there is a reason I am reading it. Whether it makes me laugh, cry or just lose myself in the moment, reading helps channel the negative into another world. In the midst of reading, the author can take you on a journey far away from the problems of today and also make you think about the fact that maybe, just maybe, your life isn’t that bad. There is always another side to things. Books make you think. Try it sometime even if you aren’t an avid reader.
3. Exercise~ Exercise releases those positive endorphin’s that get you moving in the right direction. It is hard to be negative when you are jamming to your favorite tune and running down the street. The breeze and the air from outside will get you going and make you realize all the little things in life that can still make you happy.
4. Talk to a friend~ There is a little known fact that friends are the angels God sends us to help us when he is unavailable. A friend has the unique ability to make you laugh. Laugh at yourself, laugh at a memory the two of you have together or just to listen when you need a shoulder to vent to. Friends are priceless. I sometimes say “friends are better than family in some ways because they are the family you chose for yourself on a daily basis” I am a select few friends who I am always able to call and have listen to me when I need a friend. Sometimes friends don’t have to know all the answers or even say a word, sometimes you just need someone to listen to you.
5. Smile at a stranger~ This seems silly right? I mean why if you are in a bad place, is smiling at a stranger going to help you. However, showing kindness to someone you don’t know can usually lift you up as well as give them some happiness as well. You never know when someone needs your smile. A stranger at a coffee shop could be having the worst day ever and a simple smile from you could make them realize there might still be good people left in the world. Imagine being the reason that someone held on and had faith in this world again. Now that is something to smile about!
So even though I know times are rough out there and sometimes you can’t find a positive thing to say, try some or all of the above activities. I can almost guarantee you; you will experience at least some relief. Remember half the battle is having a positive attitude about life. If you can conquer this, the negativity will all disappear.
Excellent advice. I think one’s outlook is shaped to a great extent from birth and through early childhood. Those who have been brought up in a negative environment are to be commended for overcoming that. Staying positive takes effort, but eventually the heart of positivity becomes a part of us.
I am naturally pessimistic; it’s just my nature to be a cynic. However, knowing that I tend toward negativity (which leads to depression, which I have suffered by the shovelful), I try very hard to work toward finding joy in my life. That’s part of why I blog about my Happiness Project on Wednesdays, & why I made a list of Personal Commandments, the first of which is: “Happy is a Choice!”. I printed & framed these guidelines as a daily reminder that I must make every effort to overcome my snarky nature. I fail, of course, but another of my mottoes is: “Don’t Stop Starting”, along with: “This too shall pass”, and “Tomorrow is another day”, and finally, “Catastrophe NOW makes a great story LATER.” When things get really tough, I sing Simon & Garfunkle’s “All is Groovy” since that’s my personal “theme song”. I know, all this stuff is silly. Doesn’t matter. Silly is what works, so silly is what I do. I’ve been at this for a couple years now, & while Arlee suggests positivity may eventually become a part of me, it is still very much a concerted effort. Happiness does not come easily for me, & I fear it never will. I’m okay with that, though, because of all the battles I could choose to undertake, this one matters most of all. It’s only my soul, DUH!