Do you find it difficult to stay positive when you’re surrounded by negativity?
I’m opening up the Powered by Intuition Mailbag to share the answer to a question from a reader who asked how she “could stay positive and in a state of gratitude when she was surrounded by negativity.“
Answer:
If you’re living in the midst of a situation that’s negative it’s very hard to stay upbeat and positive all the time.
And whether it’s in your home, workplace or within a social group it’s going to affect you.
The way to rise above the negativity is to become conscious that you have a choice in how you react. The moment you become aware that you don’t have to react to negativity your mind has expanded.
When I first began my journey with personal development and found out that I didn’t have to think the thoughts that just “popped” into my head but could CHOOSE my thoughts, it blew my mind! Wow!
You could almost hear the “screech marks” as the wild negative and sabotaging thoughts came to a halt in my mind that very instant.
“You mean I can decide what I’m going to think about,” I thought? This was a revelation.
So, what I want to say to you is that the first step in overcoming anything in your life always begins with mastering your thoughts. Everything we do in life begins on the “inside.”
Now you might be thinking, “That’s hard!”
And, I won’t sugar coat it….it is hard. You have to want it – bad. You have to desire to change more than you desire to stay stuck where you are in the negativity of whatever the situation is.
You also have to be disciplined and commit to doing it and be consistent about doing it.
Here are 5 steps to maintain your positivity when you’re around negative people:
1. To shield yourself from absorbing negativity focus on the things you’re grateful for in your life. To do that though, you must first “interrupt” the thoughts that have taken control of your mind.
2. To do this use what’s called a “pattern interrupt.” This is when you deliberately take an action to switch gears on your thinking. Using this is like applying the “brakes” to a runaway train.
When you take control of the train you can direct it to go where you want to go. And this is exactly what you want to do with your thinking; take control of it. When you’re in control and direct it you consciously decide what you want in your life rather than being a victim of life and taking whatever comes along.
3. Pick a prayer you like or a mantra you know well. I like using either the “Lord’s Prayer,” or a mantra from “Ho’oponopono” which is, “I’m sorry. Forgive me. Thank you. I love you,” when I want to interrupt and halt a negative thought pattern that’s stampeding through my mind.
5. Overriding the body’s stress response means you’re mastering your thoughts. You’re now fully conscious to the process that was hijacking your mind and can put a stop to it. That’s being a victor instead of a victim.
BONUS STEP!
Comments
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Hey Angela, thanks a lot for the helpful article. It’s not always easy to find the right way to deal with negative people, or negative situations in general. Being aware of the situation is very important I think and the first step to take. I’ll try these next time I find myself in a situation like this.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks so much for visiting and your comment.
It’s a pleasure meeting you.
It is hard to deal with negative people, for sure.
Glad you enjoyed the article.
Best,
Angela
Hi Angela,
When I am surrounded by negative people, the easiest thing I find is to move away from them or end any conversation.
Sometimes I challenge their negative beliefs and it seems that when you do this, they then back off as they are looking for someone who is just as negative as they are so they can both wallow in negativity.
I guess that apart from that keep an upbeat view of life and never let the negative people get hold in your psyche
Hi Frank,
I agree. If you can get away from negative people it’s best to do so.
Great point! When you challenge them it does take the wind out of their sails.
Thanks so much for your very insightful comment.
Best,
Angela
Fortunately I am surrounded by primarily positive people, but when an elephant is in the room I really like the pattern interrupt. You can misdirect people, and cheer them up all over the place. The problem is those neg bombs want to hang out with you all the time… just say no.
Hi Devin,
Great to meet you and welcome to PbI.
You are really lucky to be surrounded by positive people.
That is refreshing to hear. The pattern interrupt is a great way to redirect a negative conversation.
True. We are programmed at an early age to focus on what’s wrong rather than what’s right.
Thanks so much for your insightful comment.
Hope to see you here again.
Best,
Angela
Wonderful. I’ve been thinking over the past couple of weeks that I need to buy a positive thinking book! So your article, as they always tend to do, seems to hit exactly what I need to hear at the moment. So again, I ask you, How do you do that? LOL
Hi Jeannie!
I don’t know how I do it. LOL
We must have a link between us on some level.
I’m so happy it was just what you needed to hear too.
All my best,
Angela
I have in the past allowed negativity around me to get the best of me. I still can, but now I try to focus more on the concept that what I place my focus and attention on is what I am attracting into my life. That is usually my way out. If something is really negative, I think about the fact that I don’t want that same person or scenario to keep playing out in my experience. This has been my best defense against negativity. The steps of focusing on what you are grateful for and switching the gears of thought patterns presented here tie into this technique as well. Thank you for the tips!
Dear Annie,
I’m so glad you found these tips helpful. It’s great to see you here too.
I agree with you that getting your focus off of the negativity is your best defense.
Hope all is well with you?
Best,
Angela