10 Effective Tips to Counter Negativity

Stress and negativity are fast becoming a way of life there is hardly a person who does not encounter them on a daily basis, both personally and professionally. As life becomes fast-paced and people become naive, you have to deal with different kinds of physical, emotional and social challenges. In such circumstances, it is impossible to think positive all the time. A majority of people are overcome by negative thoughts and emotions, sometime several times in a day.

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Countering such feelings is important to keep yourself strong and be in a happy state of mind. Moreover, they can take toll of your productivity, inner peace and health in the long run. Negativity is perhaps the most challenging thing to overcome but it is not impossible to do so. You can try out several practices and techniques and make them a part of your life to keep negative emotions at bay. Here are some effective tips to counter negativity.

#1 - Block Negative Thoughts

Negative thinking breeds negativity as you tend to overthink and make things even worse for yourself. The best way to deal with this situation is to completely block out such thoughts. Stop thinking for a while and you can do this best by distracting yourself. Talk to a friend or just say aloud that you will not think anything negative. If you are able to do this even for a few minutes, you will probably get over them and start thinking something else.

#2 - Don’t Be Influenced by Other People’s Negativity

As negativity becomes rampant, you will come across people who share things and incidents that might make you feel sad or angry. Relatives, friends and colleagues will have a thousand stories to narrate but it is best not to be influenced by them. Everyone has their own share of problems and stresses to deal with. So you should just listen, forget and focus on your life rather than getting involved in something that you cannot control or change.

#3 - Cultivate a Hobby

Another way to deal with negativity is to cultivate a hobby. Try something creative like gardening, painting or writing. Or just go ahead and do something that you love such as reading a book, watching a TV show or listening to your favorite music artist. Several times, you feel unhappy or stressed out only because you are bored. You can try out these 4 Boredom Busters for When You’re Stuck in a Rut and get busy, leaving no space for negative thoughts to creep in.

#4 - Spend Time with Positive-Thinkers

There are people who always look at the bad things in life and there are others who focus on good ones. Both can influence others in their own ways and you should choose the ones who can help you improve your thought process. Spending time with positive thinkers helps as they pass over their positive vibes to you and help you have a better perspective of looking at situations.

#5 - Listen to Motivational Speakers

Besides keeping company with positive-things in your circle, you can listen to motivational speakers who have good things to share. There are plenty of such speakers that you can find online or you can attend sessions. You can also find some good quotes and motivational books to give a new direction to your thoughts, perspectives and actions.

#6 - Exercise

Another effective way to counter negativity is by sweating it out. You can hit the gym if you are a fitness freak or go out for a brisk walk, jogging or cycling. Swimming is another good exercise to release stressful emotions. Exercise not only takes your focus away from negative thoughts but also promotes positivity by accelerating the release of feel-good hormones. It makes a great way to boost both physical and mental health.

#7 - Meditate

While exercise is a good option for dealing with negativity, meditation is even better. Deep breathing exercises and yoga are the best forms of meditation that are effective for relieving stress and pressure from the body and mind. They stimulate the flow of positive energy and give you a clear vision of your situation. Meditation is food for soul that strengthens your inner self to cope with problems in a mature and positive way.

#8 - Help Someone Deal with Negative Situations

Dealing with your own negativity can become easier if you help others in resolving their challenges and issues. Doing so gives you a new perspective about your issues as you realize that you are not the only one facing tough times. When you help others who have different struggles, you build your self-esteem and feel that you are contributing to someone else’s betterment.

#9 - Write Negative Thoughts and Destroy Them

Whenever negative feelings and thoughts trouble you, jot them down on a paper and then tear it into as many pieces as you can. Make it a practice every time this happens and soon you will realize that negativity becomes easier to deal with when you are able to destroy it. This strategy makes thoughts more tangible and clear and tearing them up gives you the courage to end them in reality too.

#10 - Stop Magnifying Negative Thoughts

Negativity is dangerous because it tends to grow if not dealt with in time. Moreover, you may have experienced that such thoughts get magnified if you keep pondering over them. The longer they are in your mind, the more powerful they become. It is best not to magnify these thoughts by thinking more about them or over-analyzing the situation. Whatever has to happen will happen and worrying about consequences will only make things worse.

Realizing that negativity is something that you create for yourself is the first step towards dealing with it. You need to understand how it can harm you and your relationships, both at home and at work. Thereafter, you should make efforts to strengthen your minds with positive thoughts. Take responsibility for your own happiness and soon you will feel that life is too precious to waste thinking about negative things.