How do you do with positive thinking or staying positive when life gets tough?
I mean let’s be honest, life can be a real struggle sometimes. It seems like in every direction we look there’s something negative lurking just around the corner.
And if you’re not careful, you can get caught in a vicious cycle of negativity.
One thing I’ve learned from all the people I’ve worked with is that when life goes south, most people don’t have a system for course correcting and bringing back the positivity.
People have a way of making excuses for allowing the negativity to consume them. But, like with everything else in life, you’ve gotta take responsibility for what it is that you want.
If you want to wallow in a negative, miserable existence, then by all means do you. But my guess is, if you’re here reading this, that ain’t what you want.
You’re like me, you hate negativity. Well, if that’s true about you, then you need a system for bringing back the positivity when life gets tough.
Why it’s important to stay positive
Before we jump into the 5 ways you can stay positive when life gets tough, I want to quickly tell you why it’s important to do so.
I know that we live in a world where people are naturally skeptical, so I want to give you the scientific data behind the importance of positive thinking, and not just my opinion.
As an eternal optimist, I know it’s easy for people to discredit this type of thing because, “that’s just the way I am.” But it’s so much more than that.
You can see in this article from the Mayo Clinic, that positive thinking isn’t just some airy fairy, sounds-good-on-paper type of thing – it’s literally a life or death topic (or at least the quality and length of life).
Positive thinking affects your mental and physical health, your relationships, your cognitive abilities and so much more.
So don’t take it lightly.
Now, let’s take a look at the 5 ways you can stay positive when life gets tough.
Make a gratitude list
If you’ve read much of my work, you know that I am huge on gratitude as a daily practice. But when it comes to seasons of negativity, gratitude is especially important.
When things around us aren’t going well, it has a way of affecting our lives and shifting our focus onto all that’s going wrong. But like the saying goes, “where your attention goes, your energy flows.” So by constantly focusing on the negative, we actually start to create more negativity.
And let the hamster wheel begin…
In order to get off that damn wheel, and break the cycle of negativity, you need to shift your focus.
***Enter gratitude.***
Here’s the deal, while it is possible, it is very rare that someone experiences 2 emotions at the same time. Meaning, if you’re experiencing negative emotions, you’re likely not feeling too positive.
But, like everything in life, there are 2 sides to every coin. While that fact sucks when you’re caught in an ongoing crap storm of negativity, it’s amazing when things are going well and you’re in a positive state.
If you’re consciously focused on positive thinking, then negativity is very unlikely to find its way in.
And that’s why gratitude is so important. It’s one of the highest level human emotions, and it acts as a barrier between you and negativity.
My recommendation, start and finish each day with gratitude. Focus on all you’re grateful for, and it will literally transform your state, which will help you break free from negativity.
Surround yourself with positive people
The last thing you need when everything around you seems to suck are a bunch of negative Nancys. The people we surround ourselves with have a huge impact on our emotional state.
Hence the reason Jim Rohn said that we become the average of the 5 people we spend the most time with.
People can lift us up, and they can also drag us down.
So if you’re going through a rough patch and are in need of a positivity injection, get yourself in the company of positive people.
Celebrate more
Just like with gratitude, celebration is something we don’t do enough of as adults. When we were kids, we didn’t even need an excuse to celebrate – we just did it.
But, again, when we “grow up” celebration is one of those things that gets lost in the shuffle of life. It gets relegated to the momentous occasions of life, and that’s about it.
Honestly, when was the last time you celebrated just for the hell of it? Not a birthday, wedding, anniversary, or holiday. Just celebrated for the sake of celebrating.
You might be thinking that that sounds weird. But you know what sounds weird to me, living in a constant state of negativity. So, while celebrating for no reason may sound crazy, maybe a little craziness is exactly what you need in your life.
Make a list of things to stop worrying about
Negativity has a lot of “friends” it likes to roll with. Things that either bring on the negativity or that the negativity brings on. And one of those things is worry.
I tell people that I’ve been a recovering worrier for many years now. It’s true, if there was something to worry about, I was all over it. And you know what, IT SUCKED!
There’s no one on this planet who is consumed with worry that’s living a good life. Well, whether it’s constant worry putting you into a negative state, or a negative state causing you to worry, either way you need to nip it in the bud.
As someone who seriously did struggle with being in a constant state of worry, let me be the first to tell you that there is NOTHING good that comes out of it. The reason why is because most of the things you’re worrying about are things you have absolutely no control over.
Now, I get it, there are certain things you’re never going to be able to stop worrying about. Things like your kids safety or your health. But, there are a lot of things that people spend their time worrying about that they have no business worrying about. Things like the economy. I don’t care how much you worry about it, it ain’t changin’ anything.
So, a great way to alleviate some negativity and make room for some positive thinking and energy in your life is to make a list of things to stop worrying about.
Do something spontaneous
When it comes to increasing positivity in life, I’m a huge fan of spontaneous action. Here’s why – spontaneity brings out a sense of curiosity and excitement.
As we get older and gain more responsibility, life can become so regimented, routine, and…. Boring! No wonder you might be dealing with some negativity in your life. When life loses its excitement, it’s easy for negativity to creep in.
If you find yourself in one of those seasons where life just seems to be meh then, then a little spontaneity may be just what the doctor ordered.
Go to a park and play. Do something you’ve never done before. Play hookie for a day and go do your favorite hobby. There are a ton of ways you can be spontaneous. Pick something and have at it.
You’ll find that inner child coming out in you. You know, the one that only ever saw positivity and happiness before life started to kick you in the teeth. Let your inner child run wild every once in a while, and it’ll be so much easier to maintain the positivity when life gets tough.
After reading those 5, which one resonates the most with you? Which of the 5 can you take action on this week, or implement into your life? Let me know in the comments below.
Remember, positive thinking is a choice. But most people don’t consciously make the choice to be positive. They get overtaken by the negativity of those around them and society as a whole.
So, if you want to live a fulfilled, abundant, joyful life, then start taking control of your life and make it a positive one!
Be UNCOMMON!
To get clear on what area of your life could use a positivity injection, download my FREE Ultimate Clarity Guide or click here to book a complimentary coaching call.
