So how to turn the tables and convert negative thinking into positive thinking.
Identify negative thinking in your life
First identify areas of your life that you usually think negatively about. Why do you think makes you react that way? What to you tend to overreact about? When will your thinking tend to be negative? When you are tired, fatigued, hungry? Write them down and be aware of them. Just spill your thought out onto the pages.
Time outs
During the day take the time to check in on yourself and see if negative thinking is creeping in. If you become negative for any reason take an automatic time out and consider what is making you irritable and irrational. During the Coronavirus situation, there have been many incidences of people lashing out at others (in shopping, with social distancing etc). Meditate on the ‘real’ underlying reason you are feeling this way so you can do something about it. Look at ways and methods to try to put a positive spin on them.
Get rid of the negativity/engage the positive
Surround yourself with things that influence positive thinking. Ignore the mainstream media (they profit off doom and gloom so that is what they will be selling). Don’t spend too much time on social media (lots of negativity on there at times can bring you down). Aim at contacting positive friends and family in your life. The important part here is not to be an anchor, don’t push any negativity you have onto other people. Aim to help yourself by helping them with their problems. If you can help them in some way then aim to do so. That’s the way positivity works, don’t go looking for happiness, go looking to make other people happy.
Put Negativity to good use
Negative energy builds up over time. Put that stress to good use! (See Exercise, Sex, the great outdoors).
Constructive criticism and comments only
According to the eightfold path in Buddhism, right thought and right speech are two very important principles. How true. Everything you say or think has power and affects the thoughts and deeds of everyone they affect (especially yourself!). So live by these principles. Got something to say about a person or situation? Fine, be polite and enthusiastic and simply state why you disagree with them. Never aim to put a negative spin or put down on someone unless you really have to. Furthermore, give yourself a break, don’t be so harsh on yourself with the criticism. Look at room for improvement and consider ways that you may achieve that. Anything else is overkill.
Laugh at yourself
Don’t take yourself too seriously. If you have acted like a jerk, be big enough to hold your hands up. Apologise and then have a good laugh at yourself. Never let a situation get the better of you. We are all human (most of us at any rate), we make mistakes, we are emotional beings and often get fatigued or stressed out at things…that shouldn’t really stress us out. Have a laugh and then move on.