I am currently visiting my mom and have had the pleasure of having one of our daughters and her children visiting with us the last few days. Seeing my mom with my grandchildren and being reminded of what a wonderful, nurturing lady she is has helped me feel even grateful for her than I already was. Despite the mental health decline that she has experienced, her loving, caring character still shines through. Seeing these positive things amidst the hard things has led me to contemplate on how negative things are emphasized in life and the world in general which leads us to forget about the uplifting, good things around us. So what can we do to get rid of negativity in our lives? Here are a few ideas.
Listen to yourself
First, pay attention to what you say in conversations. Are you complaining or are you saying something positive? The first step to fixing a problem is admitting that you have a problem. By being aware of what you are saying you can turn your voice into one than lifts and magnifies the good instead of one that cries gloom and doom.
Be a voice of positivity
Work to say positive things. Greet people. Smile at people. Strike up a friendly conversation with a stranger. See the good in situations you’re in and point it out. Shun gossip by changing the subject or better yet saying something positive about the person that others are gossiping about. Don’t complain.
Turn it around
If you say something negative, add a positive note at the end. For example, if you’ve just been stuck in traffic and expressed your displeasure in it add something like, “but at least I have a climate controlled car and was comfortable sitting there”. Or if you have just complained about something you don’t like about a particular person, say something good about them as well. You’ll leave the conversation in a much happier mood if you end it on a positive note as opposed to a negative, whining one.
Be grateful
Pay attention to the good things around you. Be happy that you have things like indoor plumbing, food, a house, the beauties of nature, people who help you, etc. Thank others for helping you. Compliment others sincerely. Make a list of the positive things in your life no matter how small or big they are. Do these things on a regular basis and you’ll find your life more joyful.
Make your life so much better
It isn’t easy to break the pattern of negativity but it’s worth the effort and makes for a much happier, far less stressful way of living. Give it a whirl and comment below on how it went. You can do it!
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