Some people look at their life and are happy with the way things are. They’ve got a great future ahead of them and great friends and family that give off a ton of positive energy.
Then there are some people who look at their lives and aren’t happy with the way things are. The future they see ahead doesn’t look too bright.
Positivity is pretty scarce.
Instead of positivity, they are surrounded by negativity in many forms: negative people, family,
a negative self-image/beliefs about themselves that are constantly reinforced by the negative people around them. On top of that, these annoying negative thought patterns that are carried on by all of the negativity they are surrounded by.
I believe that people are products of their environments.
If you are raised around positivity, chances are you are going to come out as an optimistic, confident person. Of course you’ll have your ups and downs like everyone else, but feeling down usually isn’t the primary emotion.
Of course, brain chemistry plays a part in that to.
If you are surrounded by negativity growing up, you will probably come out as a depressed, pessimistic person that listens to “The Downward Spiral” album by Nine Inch Nails all day.
However, there are a few exceptions.
Some people find a way to turn that downward spiral upward, slowly breaking out of that negativity they are so used to being in. I call these people the lucky “few.”
I refer to these people as the “lucky few” because so few people who have lived in negativity for so long are able to pull themselves out.
Pulling yourself out of that negative mind set can be hard.
To do this, the first thing you need to do is realize you are capable of changing. You can’t change for the better when your convinced self-improvement is impossible. This is the trickiest part of the process of creating a better life.
You can evolve; after all, as humans that’s what we’re meant to do.
Once you’ve convinced yourself you can improve your quality of life, the next thing you need to do is start getting introspective, pay attention to your emotions and how they make you feel.
Once you pay close attention to your emotions, you can identify what is causing you to feel this way.
This is where a lot of people mess up.
Instead of paying attention to what’s bothering them, they try to suppress feelings by drinking, depending on anti-depressants or even becoming workaholics. They do anything to take their minds off what is bothering them inside, leaving no room for self-actualization.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with,” according to motivational speaker Jim Rohn.
Take notice of the people in your life and whether they give off good or toxic negative energy.
Pay attention to what you feel inside. See how you feel after being around them.
Do you feel better after being around them? Or do you feel drained and in a bad mood?
Were your thoughts more positive before hanging around these people and are they suddenly negative and destructive afterwards? If so, limit the time you spend around them, cut them off or better yet, confront them.
The road to improving your life and yourself is long and difficult.
The most discouraging thing about this process is how long it’ll take for you to start noticing a difference due to how used to negativity you are. Essentially, it’s like trying to break an addiction. You will “relapse” back into your negative moods and thought patterns.
But with consistency and the tools mentioned, over time you will slowly notice a difference in the way you feel.
Just be patient and take it one day at a time.