I’m sure you’ve heard the saying “We are what we think”.
It talks about the thinking-feeling connection: if you think negative thoughts, you will inevitably feel negative emotions.
This is how your mind and body work and it’s the way mother nature is trying to protect you (well thank YOU nature, ha!).
It’s also how negative thoughts can actually create unnecessary suffering in your life… You create unpleasant feelings by thinking of unpleasant thoughts, even when it’s not necessary.
If you’ve been struggling to cope with negative thoughts or emotions, this article is for you.
Here are a few simple ways to turn negative emotions into optimistic feelings – so you can suffer less and laugh more in your life.
4 Ways To Turn Negative Emotions Into Optimistic Feelings
1) Do focus on those positives
I know, you’ve heard it many times before.
But it works!
Here’s why.
Thinking is a complex process of interconnected thoughts and is influenced by the constant ebb and flow of everything that happens inside and around you.
When you make a conscious effort to accept the situation (there’s no reason to lie to yourself if things indeed are not okay), and choose to focus on the positive aspects of it, you enable yourself to cope.
If you want to dig deeper, Learned Optimism by Martin Seligman is a classic that explains how a more hopeful way of thinking can actually be practiced.
If the situation is negative, it doesn’t mean you have to ruminate on it and make things even worse by skyrocketing your depression or anxiety...
You can choose to help yourself in a difficult situation and remind yourself that at least something positive also happened (it almost always does).
2) Handle challenges without giving up
Life is full of hurdles and challenges.
It is not perfect.
There are days where you will be delivered roses and days where you’re only left with thorns.
Negative emotions, sentiments, and feelings are inevitable… But what you can prevent is falling apart by it.
It is necessary to understand that worse scenarios exist.
There is always a 50/50 percent chance of things going wrong, but you have to keep moving nevertheless.
A 50% success chance is still a pretty good chance!
And even if you were unlucky this time, it’s not a reason to stop loving life and expect things to always go wrong.
On the days when it feels like everything is going wrong, a deck of affirmation cards on your desk can be a small, kind reminder to keep going.
It’s impossible – and giving up is never an option.
3) Don’t let negative people crush your spirit
If you’ve been hurting because someone said or did something to you, I’m with you, my dear…
In life, you will meet some people that will disgust you, try to break you or stop you from becoming successful.
But again, you can choose to stand up for yourself as much as it’s needed to be assertive – and then let it go.
You can’t control other people – so there’s no logical reason to indulge in overthinking their actions.
It’s toxic, and you don’t need it.
Remove negative people from your life and keep your soul garden protected.
4) Stay grateful
A sprinkle of optimism can always be achieved by simply turning to gratitude. My own gratitude technique is comparing myself to people in worse situations – it works for me every time.
You can always remind yourself of things you are thankful for – it could be your mom who always sees the good in you, your dog that is always ready to cheer you up, or even that gentle spring sunshine that gives your face a warm hug…
Being mindful of all those beautiful things to be grateful for is one of the simplest ways to shift your focus to something more optimistic.
Something like a gratitude journal makes this so much easier, because writing down three good things before bed turns noticing them into a habit.
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And after it all… Try to live each day as it is.
Stay in the moment rather than obsessing over the past or worrying about the future (I know it’s hard, but you can learn to be friends with your anxiety).
For a gentle guide to staying present, The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle is a well-loved book that so many readers keep on their nightstand.
Don’t be scared to make changes.
It’s very easy to lie in a slump all day cursing things that went wrong, but nothing good will come out of thinking that way.
You know this… The sooner you get up on your feet, accept those negative emotions (I believe in fully feeling any emotion rather than suppressing it), and move on to something more positive, the better you will feel.
“If constructive thoughts are planted, positive outcomes will be the result.
Plant the seeds of failure and failure will follow”.
I hope this article has helped you today.
