Does it seem that there is no shortage of negative things happening in the world right now? Are you feeling increasingly more negative about the state of the world? Do you want to be more upbeat and positive in 2019, but don’t know how to start?
You’re not alone—at the office, on the bus, or even at the gym I hear folks spending a lot of time and energy talking about the latest upsetting events yet feeling powerless to make a difference. Good things and good people still exist, I promise, but it’s so easy to get caught up in negativity that you can lose touch with all of the good in the world, and the power that you do have to make a difference. There is a way forward toward a more positive, upbeat state of mind: you can gradually change your perception of the world by learning how to intentionally shift your focus.
I’m not suggesting that you bury your head in the sand like the proverbial ostrich and ignore anything negative. What I am saying, though, is that where you place your attention really is up to you. Have you heard the saying, “What you focus on, expands?” It’s true. If you focus too much on negativity, it can threaten to take over your entire worldview. But the great thing is that the reverse is also true: if you focus on the good, that will become your worldview and bring you more peace, contentment, and connection.
But how can you move yourself into a more upbeat attitude when it seems like there is nothing but bad out there in the world?
- I’ll share a few of my most powerful tips to help you make that shift: Bring your attention to the present moment. Focus on what you’re doing right now. If you’re sipping tea for example, savor the aroma coming from your mug. Enjoy the warmth of the cup in your hands and the complex flavor of the tea. Take a slow, deep breath and ask yourself: what is good in my life right now? Maybe it’s sipping a lovely tea while you’re enjoying a few quiet moments in the sunshine, or maybe your kids just came home from school and gave you a hug. Focusing on the present moment helps you to stop ruminating about the past or worrying about the future.
- Take some time before each meal to count your blessings. Before you eat a meal or a snack, take a moment to contemplate a few things for which you’re grateful. We all have to eat throughout the day so why not use mealtimes as a reminder to feel grateful? What are the benefits? Just as in focusing on the present moment, feeling gratitude throughout the day can help you feel more focused, peaceful, contented, and happy.
- Eliminate the news. Stop watching and listening to the news on TV, radio, or Internet video. I know this might seem like a radical idea but the benefits to your mental health can be quick and profound. The challenge with network television or radio news is that you don’t have control over its content or the way in which it’s presented. You’re presented with the content that the journalists decide you should hear. And most of what they present is negative because it’s sensational, incites strong emotions, and increases ratings. Instead of watching the news go for a walk, take a yoga class, or read an uplifting book. If you want to keep tabs on current events but don’t relish the negativity blast from network television, read the news either in print or online. One glance at the headlines will give you an overall glimpse of what’s happening, then you can pick specific articles to read.
- Be a Pollyanna. I’ve been accused of wearing rose-colored glasses or being a Pollyanna, and I’m ok with that! Expecting good things to happen retrains your brain to seek them out. Be proactive in seeking out uplifting stories and share them with others. When you witness a kind act, feel grateful for seeing it. If you notice love of any kind during your day, such as a parent cuddling his child, smile and say a silent “thanks.” When you actively look for the good in the world, and even come to expect it, you’ll begin to see that the world is filled with love and light.
- Be an “angel” for someone else. Take action to be a source of good rather than passively waiting for it to come to you. If you’re in line at the coffee shop, pay the bill of the person behind you. Leave a “Have a Beautiful Day” note in the middle of a library book for someone else to find. Bring flowers to an elderly neighbor just to show that you care. Genuinely focusing on making others feel loved and appreciated through acts of service or kindness not only makes the recipient feel good, but it can give you a boost too. Helping others can shift your mind out of fixating on your own challenges and into a more caring, collaborative, and positive state. It’s also been shown increase your body’s level of oxytocin—the feel-good hormone that promotes calm and relieves stress.
Even with all of the challenges of a busy, modern life, you do have the ability to change your perception by learning to change your focus. Instead of allowing your mind to endlessly spin on challenges that don’t seem to have solutions, intentionally changing your focus to something more positive shifts you out of doom-and-gloom thinking into a more creative, upbeat, and hopeful state of mind.
Stay true to who you are and choose to live each day in goodness and light. Be bold. Be brave. Be Love.
