Have you ever had a great day? It was a day when everything seemed to come together perfectly. You connected with the right people and had fun sharing. You may have received a compliment or two. You received good news from a family member or close friend. And you made progress towards one of your goals or or finished a significant goal. Have you ever had such a day? If you have, you know the feeling of exuberance that washes over you. You feel as if you are on top of the world and could conquer anything. And you have also discovered something else: there is ALWAYS someone ready to rain on your parade! These are the people who point out to you the things that are WRONG with your life. Sure, you graduated from college, but the job market is horrible. Yes, you lost weight, but now you will have to spend money to buy new clothes. Yes, your children are doing well, but the worst days are right around the corner. Sure your boss gave you a raise, but your salary is nothing compared to the CEO. Has anyone besides me encountered people like this? Well, let me confess. Not only do I know people like this, I used to be one of those people. And if I am not careful about managing my mouth and emotions, I can quickly slide into gloom and doom. But research has shown that the happiest and most successful people in life are the ones that learn to celebrate success, even the small victories. Let's face it though, we are not born with such a positive mental attitude.
Having a positive mindset is not something that you are born with. It is cultivated. But cultivating such an attitude requires intention and the resistance to falling in line with the negative nannies around you.
I have a few strategies for you to try.
Stop believing that you have it figured out. People who are persistently negative truly believe that they have things figured out. They will say things like "I'm just keeping it real." Well, "real" is what you make it. The Bible says that we are "snared by the words of our own mouth." Here is how that works: you say to yourself "no one will help me," you refuse to ask for help, you repeat the phrase until you are convinced that no one will help you, and in the end no one helps you. What would happen if you chose to believe that the Universe was conspiring FOR you instead of AGAINST you? It all begins with what you believe.
Start reading stories and books about successful people. I have read many books by and about successful people. And they all have something in common. ALL of them experienced some type of adversity. Despite their adversity, they overcame the obstacles and odds to create and do great things. "Gloom and doom" mental attitudes are about giving ourselves an out (I should really say an EXCUSE) not to try. When we understand that adversity can be our friend, we face it rather than avoiding it. And by facing our fears, we learn to conquer them.
Stop watching the news. Let's face it: drama and negativity sell. It gets people's attention. When I see fake news as I scroll through my timeline, it is never about somebody doing something positive. It is always sensational...and negative. I recommend that you take a 30-day hiatus from the news. Use that time to read the inspirational book I recommended above. I guarantee you that you will begin seeing the world in a new way at the end of the 30 days.
Start expecting the best. Successful people have a sincere belief that things will "eventually work themselves out." This is not a lazy, hands-off approach. They persistently work towards their goal and choose to believe on a deep level that they will eventually win. You can adapt this same attitude. Do you have a crystal ball that allows you to clearly see the future? I didn't think so. Might as well believe that it will turn out for the best. You will find yourself more peaceful and less likely to give up.
Life is definitely full of challenges. Avoid people who are quick to rain on your parade. Adapt a positive mental mindset and say to yourself, "Today will be an awesome day! Shine on!"
That is the way to conquer your day.
And I am right here cheering for you.
P.S. If you need more tips on things that you can do to turn around your negative mental attitude, check out my 125 Tips to Your Next Promotion. It is FREE. Go HERE and scroll to the bottom of the page. Enjoy!