“Hold up your cup here is some positive tea that I want to pour out for you”.

It is so easy to start thinking about all the things that are bad in the world from our economy to deranged killers in our world. How can we not have negative thoughts or feelings most of the time? This world is scary, crazy and it is hard not to think about all that could go wrong or bad. In life, there may be times when negativity seems to surround you, suffocating your dreams and destroying your hope. When that happens, many go through their day being saturated with negativity and accepting it as a way of life.

Recently I was around someone and every word out of his mouth was something negative. It drove me nearly insane and I realized at that moment, that it does make a huge difference on how you look at life, and how you express yourself to others. This person could not say anything encouraging, positive or at all inspirational. What purpose does being negative have? NONE!

Negative thoughts are sneaky little monsters, creeping into our minds, consistently trying to scare us away from the positive. Unfortunately, once we open the door to one negative thought, a bunch of others seem to sneak in.

So how can you stop the negativity from taking over? Here are some things I try to remember and exhibit when I’m inclined or tempted to embrace negative thoughts:

Have an attitude of expectancy. You will get what you expect. Complaining, blaming and criticizing aren’t going to change the situation. Regardless of the situation you face, your attitude is your choice. Remember, you can’t have a positive life with a negative attitude. Expect something great to happen for you every day and it will. Say aloud each time you’re tempted to embrace negativity, “Negativity you will not have me, I expect something great to happen for me today!”

Spend more time with optimistic people. You are the average of the people you spend the most time with. In other words, who you spend your time with has a great impact on the person you eventually become. If you are around negative people all the time, you will become negative instantly. Start spending time with nice people who are smart, driven and likeminded. Relationships should help you, not hurt you. Surround yourself with people who reflect the person you want to be. When you’re surrounded by wonderful optimistic people, you’re surrounded by life. You will find happiness, and you’ll find more peace in daily things.

Focus on results. Once you’ve identified the problem, turn your thinking around. Don’t start thinking, I don’t want this. Instead, think, “This is where I’m at, but where do I want to be?” Start asking yourself questions like, “What do I want?” “What’s the solution?” “What could I do right now that would help me change my circumstances?” Don’t dwell too much on what went wrong. Instead, focus on the next positive step. Spend your energy on moving forward toward a positive resolution. When I realize I have a problem (and sometimes after I’ve gone through my little bout of stress and feeling sorry for myself) my positive thinking starts kicking in. I believe with the right spiritual guidance I can find a positive solution. So, first I pray for a solution, then I begin looking for the knowledge and skills I need to fix the problem. Remember, when you focus on the ending results, by thinking and acting positively, sadness becomes laughter, and life becomes an everyday celebration.

Food For Thought

If you like to walk, take a walk. If you have a favorite TV show, watch it. If you have a friend who always cheers you up, call him or her. Sometimes the easiest way to avoid the negativity creeping into your life is to distract yourself from it until you’ll ready to find a positive solution. Whatever you do “Don’t Let the Monster In”.

Think Positive!

It isn’t easy to remain positive when negativity surrounds you, but remember that you have full control of your attitude.

 

A story that will help you keep believing – “The Little Engine that Could!”

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yx9xO98kcBU