Filling Your Cup: Turning Negatives to Positives

Is your glass half full, half empty – or filled to the brim? There are easy ways to fill that cup to the brim, even if cynicism and negativity tend to dominate your life.

With a few simple tips, you can create a glass that is half full – and then fill it up with positive attitude, energy and behaviors that will help you make the most of every day.

• Get Busy!

  Lee Iacocca once said, “In times of great stress or adversity, it’s always best to keep busy, to plow your anger and your energy into something positive.” When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

  The best way to deal with adversity is to get busy with a positive project that will shift your focus and jumpstart your energy level. When you are busy working on a hobby or task that you love, it is much harder to let anger harbor and resentment grow.

• Say, “I Can!”

  Replace “can’t” with “can” and “won’t” with “will.” Instead of complaining about a how a situation has negatively affected you, talk about what you will do to overcome the situation.

  Using positive language is a basic skill customer service representatives use to diffuse angry customers and put an optimistic spin on even the stickiest issues. The technique can work for you as well by squashing negative thoughts and forcing you to place a positive outlook on every aspect of life.

• Tackle Obstacles

  Many people feel that obstacles and mistakes put them on a path for failure. However, the best lessons learned were the result of hurdles that snuck onto the path or mistakes that got in the way.

  Instead of looking at potential obstacles as factors that get in the way of you reaching your goal, think of them as minor issues that need to be worked through. The very change in how you look at obstacles will make a big difference in how successful you are at overcoming them.

• Find Affirmation

  No matter how hard you try, there will be times when you feel as if you can’t do anything right. These are the times to dwell on previous successes in your life, whether it was achieving a lifetime goal or overcoming a major obstacle. When history shows that you can be successful, that knowledge can carry you through tough times. You can even make a list of your attributes and successes to review each night before bed or first thing in the morning. A list like this will focus your mind on the positive and give you the confidence you need to get through your current crisis.

• Be Thankful

  If you find yourself complaining about the many things you don’t have in life, begin making a list of all the things you have to be thankful for. Some people keep a “Thanks” or “Joy” journal, where they can write down a few items they are thankful for at the end of each day. Even if your list includes basics like food on the table, clothes on your back and a roof over your ahead, you are still ahead of many unfortunate individuals in our world today. Be thankful for what you do have and forget about the things you are lacking.

• Reduce Stress

  When you are feeling stressed, it is easy to turn every circumstance or situation in life into a negative. Stress management tools are absolutely necessary for keeping our bodies, minds and souls healthier overall.

  There are many options for getting that raging tension under control. Try taking a walk, visiting a friend or indulging in a hobby you love. Some find techniques like yoga, biofeedback or meditation are also helpful in keeping stress symptoms at bay.

• Consider the Big Picture

  How many times have you dwelt on a potentially negative situation, only to find out that your circumstances change completely in a matter of days or weeks? Before allowing yourself to be overcome with anxiety and negativity, put your current circumstances into the big picture. Sometimes a simple perspective change is all that’s required to takes life’s hurdles in stride.

  Changing a negative attitude to a positive outlook isn’t always easy, but it is worth the effort. When you develop a positive nature, your entire quality of life changes for the better. The power of positive thinking is a very real phenomenon that affects every aspect of your life.