“Oh no, that project will never work.” “Why do they always expect us to do the impossible?” “You know the clients will hate it.” “He’s so sick, he’ll probably die soon.”
Have you heard any of these phrases lately? Negative, energy sucking, relationship tearing, and motivation zapping phrases seem to be all the vogue. And it’s kind of hard not to be negative when you read the paper, listen to the radio and watch the news. Holy cow! Have things in this world ever been worse?
I’m going to suggest 3 simple ideas to keep you from letting that negativity bug get you down. They are simple. But they work. Let’s take a closer look.
1. Commit to yourself not to be one of the negative ones in your environment. This is easier said than done, but “NO NEGATIVE” should be your internal command. When you’re tempted to chime in to a negative discussion or make a negative comment, remind yourself of your commitment. You can either say nothing or better yet, reframe it so you have something positive to say.
2. Determine you will look for the good in every situation. It’s amazing how this small choice can change your outcomes. I think my Dad is a great example of someone who finds the good in every situation. In 2003 he was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer. Surgery removed all the cancer, but his physicians recommended chemotherapy. As he was sitting in his home office on the morning of his first treatment, my Mother asked if she could do anything to help him get ready. With a bright voice and shiny eyes, my Dad replied, “I don’t think so. I’ve got the new Clive Cussler book I’ve been wanting to read and the brand new Straight Ahead Big Band CD I’ve been wanting to listen to. You know, I’ve never done anything like this before. I think this could be kind of fun!”
Yes, that’s right, FUN. Wow! What an attitude. Before you say, how ridiculous to be so positive and light hearted about something so serious, stop a minute and think. No matter the outcome, wouldn’t it make your time pass more enjoyably if you had a positive outlook rather than a negative one? And study after study shows the importance of a positive outlook on outcomes. Interestingly enough, today my Dad is a fit, healthy 75. Better than before and cancer free. I’m thankful.
I know many people do have negative outcomes even with a positive outlook. I have a friend who just lost her father to cancer, and I don’t know of anyone who had a more positive spirit and deeply felt faith. Bad things happen. But the idea here is to look for the good no matter how bad the situation. It will benefit you and others. And who knows, it might even positively affect your outcome.
3. Get back on the positive wagon. We all succumb to negativity at one time or another. So the real success comes in recommitting yourself to a positive outlook so you can have a life of joy. If there’s a deeper problem and you find yourself living in negativity, I’d encourage you to get to a health care provider ASAP so you can get some help climbing out of the pit. Go for a walk, listen to some favorite music, jump on the trampoline with your kids. Do what you can to jump back on that wagon. Life is too short to spend it bound in negativity.
This is Day 13 of 31 Days of Powerful Communication Skills for Women. You can read all of my #31Days posts here. And check out The Nester’s #Write31Days blog for other great 31 day series.
I hope these will help you when you find yourself tempted to get negative. Question: How do you overcome negativity? I’d love to hear your comments – just leave them below.
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