Tips To Get Rid Of Negativity

Negativity, as the very nature of the name implies, is a bad thing. Many people know that being stuck in a rut of pessimistic and negative thinking is bad for their mental and physicial health, but they don’t know what they can do to rid their lives of negativity. Getting rid of negativity sounds like a simple enough task, but is it? For some people, the cycle of negativity is one that is difficult to break.

This is because negative thoughts are toxic, and they feed off of the negative energy that they create. It is important to get rid of negativity to avoid the undesirable side effects that come with it.

Negative Thinking Affects Work Performance

Many people experience negativity in the workplace, which can have a direct effect on their productivity, energy levels and overall attitude. Examples of workplace negativity include slander, deceit, pessimism, gossiping, lying, badmouthing, unhealthy competition and selfishness. When negativity persists in the workplace, it can hamper creative efforts, suppress motivation, break down effective lines of communication among staff, distrust among employees, lead to arrogance or self-righteous attitudes and behaviors, hamper teamwork efforts, mistrust, lack of confidence on employer and can lead to employees being disinterested in the advancement of their career.

Negativity Can Affect Your Mental State

Negativity is like a disease that spreads over time. When it is left unchecked, negativity can infiltrate your daily thoughts and become a perpetuating cycle of bad energy. Prolonged negativity can lead to an overall poor mental state, brought on by prolonged periods of negative thoughts, disrupted sleep, feelings of worthlessness or hopelessness, etc. It might even contribute to clinical depression.

Negative Thinking Can Contribute to Poor Health 

Negativity Can Prevent You From Living a Fulfilled Life

Negativity Can Attract Even More Negativity to Your Life

One of the interesting things about negativity is the negativity cycle. This refers to the theory that everything in life is cyclical, and when you send negativity out into the universe, that negativity comes full circle and brings more negativity back into your life. It’s the law of attraction at work. According to this theory, when people have negative thoughts, it can directly affect the things that happen in their lives. Every time you communicate negative ideas, such as discussing things that you don’t want to happen to you, you actually give those things more attention and energy.

Does that sound "out there"? Just think — when you're in a negative state of mind, you're likely to judge people more harshly, in turn treating them badly. They'll think you're a rude so-and-so, and in turn treat you badly, too, "confirming" your initial suspicions. It's really that simple, and you don't need to think on a cosmic level to understand that negative thoughts only amplify themselves.

Ways To Get Rid Of Negativity

Try Something New

Sometimes, the reason why people develop negative thoughts is because their mind is not engaged in more productive areas. Simply put, they are bored. Many people fall into boring day to day routines that lack new experiences. This can lead to depression and just generalized negativity. When you make an effort to engage in new activities, you can actually disrupt the pattern of negative emotions emitted from neuro-pathways in the brain, which alerts the brain to the change and can lead to a reduction in negative thinking. 

Simple changes can be effective, such as trying new recipes, visiting a new restaurant, taking a different route when driving home from work and rearranging your furniture.

Work Through Your Problems

Many times, negativity arises from problems that persist in our daily lives. Coming up with an effective solution to just one looming problem can get you started on combating negativity for good. Try to come up with effective ways to combat your problems. Make a list of all of the issues that need addressing in your life and then list all of the possible solutions you can come up with. Address one problem at a time and keep chipping away at the list until you figure things out.

Remember Good Times

One way to switch gears form negative to positive almost instantly is to take a visual journey back in time to when things were good. Recall memories of times when you were healthy, happy and vibrant. This can instantly bring a smile to your face and improve your mood. To take it one step further and have a more lasting effect, try to recall what you were doing at the time that may have contributed to your positive lifestyle.

Add some of those factors back into your life. When you bring back some of the positive actions from back in the day, you can also bring back the positive feelings and emotions, which can lead to a permanent shift in your current emotional state.

Visualize Positive Thoughts

Sometimes it takes more than just positive thinking to disengage negativity. Using relaxation and imagery techniques can be helpful in bringing a positive outlook back in to your life. One effective measure is visualization technique in which you envision a switch. When the switch is down, positive emotions are shut off. When you visualize the switch being turned on, you are turning on your positive outlook. Force yourself to think of positive thoughts by envisioning things that make you happy. Create a mental picture in your head and allow yourself to really feel and appreciate the effects of those positive thoughts.

Set Goals

When we don’t have goals to keep us on track, it is easy to fall into a negative rut. Try to come up with a list of your interests and create some short and long-term goals. Make a commitment to pursuing those goals. Include simple goals such as losing a few pounds to more long-term goals such as running a marathon or searching out a new career.

Avoid Destructive Thoughts

Many times, a negative frame of mind develops because we do not know how to let go of our negative thoughts and ideas. Wanting to rid yourself of negativity is not the same thing as taking steps to eliminate negative thinking. After you decide that you are ready to rid yourself of negativity, you have to take steps to actually do so. Make conscious decisions to ignore negative thoughts and emotions and use every effort possible to bring positive thoughts and feelings back into your daily life.

Stay Away From Negative People

There is truth to the saying “misery loves company”. Stay far away from negative people who will spread their toxic energy to you. Surround yourself with positive people and absorb the positive energy they put out into the universe. Engage in fun activities with positive people and you will quickly pick up their positive vibe.