Negativity can discourage us, contribute to our stress levels, and can put incredible strain on our relationships. Many of us have witnessed how the pandemic has created negativity on multiple levels.
I am generally a very positive person, which, ironically, has caused many people around me to assume that “I don’t deal with my problems”, which couldn’t be farther from the truth. Has this ever happened to you?
Positivity is a choice, and it is one that I choose as often as I can, mostly because it has helped me get through tough times.
I know, I know, you’re probably thinking,
“Ebony, how am I supposed to be positive when I’m in pain, I’m out of shape, I’m not [insert lie that you’ve told yourself]…
I want to provide you with four ways to work on your mindset:
1. Get a journal and USE IT.
You all know, I have to write EVERYTHING DOWN (brain fog is real and the way my memory is set up…). We all have negative self talk. I want you to start writing these things down throughout the day. There’s a method to my madness…stick with me…
Start reviewing the things that you’ve written down every night. I want you to start recognizing how many of the things that you write down are not true…
This should bring you great comfort, but that’s not the end….
Remember, I said to review these items. What was going on during the day that triggered your negative thoughts? Really challenge yourself here…nothing good happens when we stay in our comfort zones.
2. That negative self talk has got to go!
Keep track of what you write for a few days to weeks. Try as hard to be diligent about it. After this process is complete, you will notice how much time you may have spent focusing on negative self talk and you may have had a poor attitude (if this stings, you’re right where you should be…this was me too, but it’s all in love).
Can you challenge yourself to change the way you write down these items? For example, instead of saying, “My partner forgot to run the dishwasher again…gosh my favorite coffee cup was in there…crud…it’s dirty..my day is completely ruined now”… instead, write, “My partner forgot to run the dishwasher…ugh…well I can wash my favorite mug by hand instead”.
Let’s be honest…what you may have to say most likely will involve a lot of other words….but you get where I’m going.
The next step is to rid yourself of these words and thoughts all together. Next time you go to write down a negative thought in your journal, start thinking about rephrasing these things in your mind as well. It is hard, but it is so worth it!
3. Focus on the good
You now have an entire glossary of thoughts and you can see how things in your life can impact the way you view the world. From time to time, go back to those entries. For every negative thought, what’s something positive that has either come from that circumstance or something that has changed for the better?
Here’s something else to consider….jump start your mornings to get those feel good hormones working….I read 6 Ways to Rock your Morning in the Strong Fitness Magazine Mentally Tough Issue and I want to share them with you:
- Give yourself a set time to go to bed: When you get to bed on time, your mornings will definitely get better
- Stop hitting the snooze button: We all do it, but if you need to move your phone or your alarm clock across the room….give it a try
- Get the hard stuff done first: It seems counterintuitive, but everything else becomes incredibly easy once I have the harder things out of the way
- Shift your eating schedule: Transitioning to an earlier eating time can help you fall asleep at night (I’ve definitely eaten dinner and went straight to sleep…hello indigestion)
- Move your body: Exercise is incredibly important. A body in motion stays in motion and your mindset will greatly improve
- Water, water and more water: Don’t forget to drink water, especially in the morning. Your body has been repairing itself and becomes rather dehydrated….give it some kindness, love and compassion! Check out this blog post because you’re going to find out that I love lists to keep my mind focused and water is incredibly important.
4. Keep a gratitude journal
You know I love a good gratitude journal. Of course, you can grab my gratitude journal here. I LOVE journaling. I am learning everyday the importance of being humble and grateful. I recently heard Jessica Larche speak and one thing that she said was that if you aren’t doing something that you’re happy with, write down all of the good things about your situation, job or whatever that “negative thing” is in your life. Carve out protected time daily to focus on being grateful.
These four simple steps have helped me tremendously and I want you to be successful.
References:
Strong Fitness Magazine: Mentally Tough Issue
