How to Stop Being Negative: 10 Easy Ways to Become Happier in Life

If you want to change your life, you have to change yourself. And for most people, it starts with changing their self-talk and thoughts.

We all have moments of negativity. Negative thinking is a regular part of our daily routine because we have a tendency to pay more attention to negative things. As a result, we give them more importance than they deserve and dwell on them.

Unfortunately, far too many of us focus on these events and let them influence our future decisions. This causes unnecessary suffering and hinders your levels of happiness.

The truth is that we all have a choice when it comes to happiness. Indeed, happiness is a choice.

However, how many of us choose to indulge in our failures and what is missing from our lives?

Too many. A lot of people suffer from these unhelpful thoughts.

If you want to be happier in life, you'll need to break free from these negative thought patterns.

In this article, we'll dive into negative thoughts and 10 actionable steps you can apply on a daily basis to stop being negative.

The Effects of Negative Thoughts

Your brain can be a source of either positive or negative thoughts. Positive thinking helps us to overcome challenges and achieve our goals. Negative thinking can lead to chronic stress and anxiety and a diminished self-image.

Hence, the choice of how we think is a big deal.

For example, if you have a fear of public speaking, you'll probably spend a lot of time thinking about it and worry about it before it's even your turn to speak. You'll think about all the worst possible scenarios, and your performance will reflect just that!

If you let it, your mind will begin to work on a negative story, and you'll end up thinking that you're not good enough.

When you're thinking negatively, your mind is working on your worst fears, leading to an increased stress level.

If you allow negative thoughts to dominate your life, you'll feel low, which will cause you to feel unhappy. They can also severely affect your mental health in a negative way.

Now that we've looked at the effects of negative thoughts let's dive into what triggers these negative thoughts.

What Brings Negative Thoughts?

Negative thinking can have many sources, and understanding where it comes from can help you change it.

Your environment and past negative events can trigger your negative thoughts.

It's important to identify the beliefs that keep us stuck in our current situation, so we can replace them with new beliefs that will take us to the next level.

Here are examples of past life events and things in your environment that can affect your thinking:

• You're surrounded by people who are constantly complaining.
• You're unhappy with your relationships.
• You're unhappy with your job.
• You failed in a task you did in the past.
• Your crush has rejected you.
• You did poorly in a presentation at school.
• You were not chosen for a job or internship.

It's normal to have bad days. It's a part of life; both good and bad things are. However, if you allow them to take over your life, they'll start to affect you and cause you to feel unhappy.

As a result, you'll feel low and find yourself thinking negatively, and you'll inevitably experience the same. This creates a cycle of negativity that only brings more of it.

The question is: how do you break from this vicious cycle?

There are many ways for you to flip this negative script, but here are the 10 ways that helped me and that I still remind myself to this day on a consistent basis.

Don't Dwell On The Past

How often have you told yourself: "I should've" or "I could've"?

Hindsight is twenty-twenty, and of course, things seem so obvious after the fact. At the moment, however, it's a different story.

There are things you may like to have done a little differently, but you didn't know better at that time and place.

We all make mistakes, and we could've done anything we did better. We are only human beings. No one is perfect.

If you dwell on what could or should be, you're spending a lot of time and energy on something you can never change.

This only makes you remember your past errors, mistakes and regrets, which puts you in a negative state of mind. It takes away energy from you; energy that you won't apply to your next decisions.

You must not dwell on the past. You can learn from it, but don't focus on it. Focus on what you can do now.

This is harder than it sounds, but it's a key factor to stop being negative.

It means letting it go and moving on.

Focus on Your Strengths

We all have strengths, but it's often easier to see our weaknesses. It's easy to think of things we are not good at when we compare ourselves to those who have more experience than we do.

There are things you do well and not so well. This is the case for everyone, including the coolest guy in your school or workplace.

Learn to acknowledge what you do well and focus on that. No matter who you are, there are things about you people look up to.

This is why it's important to see your strengths and build on them.

If you spend time focusing on your weaknesses, you'll have a negative mindset, which will only worsen.

The more you focus on your strengths, the more you will believe in yourself and take action.

You'll naturally attract more positive experiences in your life this way.

Be In The Present Moment

It's easy to get caught up in the past and worry about the future.

Just like dwelling on the past, worrying about the future can have a negative effect on you, and it's likely to affect how you perceive things around you.

You can't change the past, and you can't predict the future.

You can control the present moment, where you are right now.

You can change your attitude by paying attention to what's happening now.

When you are aware of the present moment, you can enjoy it and make the most out of it. You are not dwelling on the past, and you're not worrying about things that may never happen.

You are less likely to be in a negative mood when you're fully present.

My family and I rented for nearly my whole life. We could only afford to buy a house in summer 2021 after working and saving most of my income. I remember hating our apartments for a long time. I just wanted to live in a home that was ours, and I could not appreciate my life at the time.

I was miserable because of that way of thinking. I was only living for the future. I had to learn to accept our living situation at the time and use it as fuel to buy our own home despite this crazy housing market.

You can set goals and look forward to your future, but make sure to live in the present moment because what you do now will shape the rest of your life.

Identify and Evaluate Your Negative Feelings

You can identify negative emotions by identifying what triggers them and how they make you feel.

It's essential to understand what they are and why you feel them.

This is the only way to know what they are and what you can do to deal with them.

If you can identify them, you can take steps to manage them.

Make a list of your negative thoughts

Write down all the negative thoughts you have running through your mind.

The point of this exercise is to call out your thoughts to be aware of them.

Once you've listed all of them, it's time to examine them.

Question Your Negative Thoughts

Your thoughts are just thoughts. They are not real. They are not facts about you.

They feel real because your brain can't distinguish them from reality, so question them.

Look at your list of negative emotions and ask yourself honestly if they are true.

Find proofs that they are wrong and talk back to them.

This exercise helps you to not believe every single negative thought you have.

The next time you hear these unwanted thoughts, acknowledge them and question them. This first step can make a huge difference in how you react to them.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Practicing gratitude is a great way to flip the negativity script because it helps you focus on what you have in your life.

We've all seen countless examples of rich depressed celebrities. This shows that material possessions and a fast life portrayed in movies and social media won't make you happier.

Instead, it's really the little things in your life that make it enjoyable.

Gratitude is a great way to take a step back and appreciate what you already have.

The exercise of keeping a gratitude journal can help you see the positive things in your life.

You can do this by writing down things you are grateful for.

It could be materials, life conditions, opportunities, or supportive people in your daily life.

It's a great way to remind yourself that there are so many things in life to be grateful for.

I've been doing this every morning for a year, and it has helped me appreciate the small things and people in my life more.

Try it! Get a journal and begin to practice gratitude. You'll be amazed at how quickly it puts you in a state of positivity and abundance.

Practice Random Acts of Kindness

It's easy to focus on yourself when you are going through a difficult time.

But, if you practice random acts of kindness, you can positively impact someone else.

Practicing random acts of kindness, such as helping, complimenting or encouraging someone, is a great way to help you live a more positive life.

The benefits of practicing acts of kindness include increased mood, self-worth and empathy.

As you focus on another person, you will find yourself more connected to the world around you.

Stay Away From Negative People

If your environment is filled with negative people, the chances are that you are and feel negative too.

It doesn't matter what is happening in your life. Certain people are just pessimistic, and their negativity can bring you down.

Negative people can make you feel bad about yourself and even prevent you from trying new things. It could be the things they say, their habits, their constant complaining or drama.

Have you ever had friends that could never see the bright side of anything?

I did. And I hung out with them for far too long. No matter what life presented to them, they only saw their glasses as half-empty. I just felt less motivated to do anything after spending time with them.

These are the kind of people you need to stay away from if you're looking to become less negative.

If you had to choose to spend most of your time with a positive person versus a negative person, you'd probably choose the former.

But is your circle of friends representative of that? The answer seemed obvious to me, but I was shocked when I realized how many negative people I had in life.

Surround yourself with positive people who see life in a positive way.

They'll lift you in ways you can't even imagine. You'll have a more positive outlook on life. You'll be open to trying more things. As a result, life will reward you with more opportunities and new experiences.

Replace Negative Thoughts with Positive Thoughts

Since negative thoughts are bound to come up at one point in the day, you may ask what we should do about them?

Replace them with positive thoughts.

When you hear that little voice telling you can't do something, shut it down and repeat to yourself the exact opposite.

For instance, if it's telling you that you can't present to your classmates or coworkers, repeat to yourself that you can do it. Think of reasons why you can do it.

Maybe you've prepared for weeks and know the subject very well, or you've done great presentations in the past.

You have to challenge the nagging negative thought with a positive thought.

The main goal of this exercise is to stop yourself from thinking and believing in it. Once it has power over you, it's over. You've restrained yourself from performing something at your best, or you've entered a lower state.

You're breaking that cycle by saying the opposite of a negative thought. You're reminding yourself that you control your actions and outcomes, not your negative self-talk.

It's an effective exercise to stop negative thoughts from popping up and hijacking you.

The Takeaway On Negative Thoughts

Negative thoughts are like a self-fulfilling prophecy. They give life to your thoughts.

They are not real but believing in them makes them real.

And if you keep thinking negatively, you'll likely end up doing something that will confirm your negative thoughts.

That's why it's essential to change your actions to change your emotions. You have to repeat the steps above until they become second nature.

I hope you'll find these 10 ways to stop being negative and become happier in life helpful!

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