Written by: Sandra Lamb, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
As we see the first month of a new year drawing to an end, how are you getting on with any new year’s plans you have made? Or did thinking about the year ahead feel like something you just didn’t want to face?
The start of a new year can be an exciting time for some, but it can be a challenging time when the prospect of what a new year brings fills us with dread.
Experiencing difficult times in the past can mean we become stuck in a loop of negativity, fearful of expecting anything good, and finding ourselves wishing the worse to avoid disappointment.
If negativity is a regular visitor in your mind and you often find yourself thinking, “oh goodness, not another thing that is going wrong”, then perhaps it’s time for you to discover how to shift your thoughts and feelings to a better place.
Perhaps you’d love to be able to say, “out with the old and in with the new”, but you also find yourself thinking, “if only it could be that easy!”
It may not be realistic to anticipate a life of constant bliss, as life will inevitably bring occasional challenges, but flipping our perspective towards a more optimistic outlook will allow us to deal with any blips so much more simply.
With this shift towards more positivity, you’ll then be able to see more opportunities arising that could bring you more of the good stuff!
Here are a few antidotes to negativity to help re-route your thinking and take you in a more positive direction:
Even if you can’t see a clear path to positivity, it’s about taking one step at a time, just like any journey.
There may be a good reason those negative feelings are showing up, so listening to what they are saying is helpful.
From a fundamental perspective, negative feelings have a purpose; they are part of our alarm system to alert us to danger. It’s important to acknowledge those feelings and consider whether it is justified to continue feeling that way? What benefit will it bring me to continue in that way?
Sometimes there is a need to change a situation that is causing us to feel uncomfortable; however, you might find changing how you think about it is the most powerful thing to do.
Our brain follows what we focus on, so when we allow our attention to stay on the negative feelings, they are more likely to show up.
When we are locked in negativity, we may dwell on thinking how we don’t want things to be, but this only strengthens a negative outcome, our thoughts acting like data in a sat nav, automatically taking us towards that same unhelpful outcome destination.
Take a moment to consider if you can see things from a different perspective, rather than allowing old habits of negativity to cloud the picture.
Be clear on what you want to feel, how you want to be thinking, and what you want to be doing, rather than what you don’t want. Keeping your attention on the positive is more likely to bring happier outcomes.
Shift the focus of your language, particularly the negative chatter of your Worry Warrior in your head; take a minute to flip these thoughts into a positive phrase.
Look out for the language of others around you, too. It’s easy to get drawn into other people’s negative approaches. Take a step back if you need to and check yourself if you find you’re getting pulled into negative conversations.
Take note of the good things around you; you may be surprised how many there are when you start looking for them! Make a habit of taking note of things you are grateful for, and you’ll soon find more of the same showing up!
If you need more support in making the shift towards positivity, check out my book Calm Your Worry Warrior, where you’ll find more helpful advice and activities.
Sandra Lamb, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sandra has over 30 years’ experience working in healthcare, as a Physiotherapist, a Stress and Anxiety Therapist and Pilates Instructor. She is an expert in helping clients find freedom from a life limited by anxiety, self-doubt and overthinking and, also has a special interest in helping clients overcome the restrictions of long-term health conditions, particularly chronic pain.
