How to Stay Positive When Nothing is Going Right

I wasn’t always an optimist. The household I grew up in never felt optimistic or positive, and I remember thinking that optimism was for dreamers. Maybe it is, and I would now consider myself a dreamer, and overjoyed about it. Over the years, with much practice and interest in becoming a more positive person, I can confidently say that I am. We can all be fair-weather optimists when things are going right in our lives. That’s cheating, in my opinion, and it’s not true optimism. When you’re able to stay positive when nothing is going right, you’ve cracked the code to a much happier and more fulfilling life.

I’m going to share with you ways I think and practices that I have implemented that help me stay in a good mental headspace. To me, it’s the way I have maintained the demeanor I have, and how I can keep my energy high and good. When you do this, you are an unstoppable force and people love to be around you - and, most importantly, the right kind of people.

One of My Favorite Photos

As I stated earlier, there are many reasons to stay positive when nothing is going right. Some may be obvious and some may not be. They are all pieces to the puzzle of a good life. Each one is important. We are all so connected - to ourselves, to each other, to the energy around us. It’s impossible to be in a negative space for long when you choose to allow yourself to think more positively, regardless of what challenges come up in life. I’ve had countless situations that people (and in the moment I myself) have thought are unfortunate. With my ultimate choice to look on the positive side, I’m able to see that all of it is working in my favor. And I have gratitude for it. Below I go into more depth of the importance of staying positive. Let’s dive in.

Other People Feel Your Mood

When you get pessimistic or negative, or that is your full-time mood, it affects everyone around you. Being around someone who can never see the positive is tiring. And it’s a huge imposition on other people. When your choice (because yes, it’s a choice) is to bring the temperature down in the room, everyone feels it. For the sake of others, it’s a great idea to practice positivity and be the one who people look to for goodness. It’s a wonderful role to play and people appreciate it so much. Unless they like the misery. Then it's time to go.

Recovery Time is Quicker

After something unpleasant happens, it is much easier to recover when you have an optimistic personality. How do I know this? I’ve been practicing it a lot. The dating world, as one example, is like the wild west. And if I got bent out of shape about all the perceived disappointments I have had, I would be hiding under my sheets and never coming out of my house. However, because of my optimistic attitude, I know that there is something better for me. And what’s-his-name has no leverage on my mood.

Joy Through Pain

Even during some of the times I am feeling down, I am able to see the good in a situation. I’m not Pollyanna, and I don’t want to be, but I do want to be a happy person. An expression of gratitude and joy despite things not going a certain way is next level in life. And it’s a huge step in the right direction for staying positive. Maybe it’s as simple as “I’m so grateful to be able to breathe in and out easily.” Or “thank goodness for the fact that I live in a house with a roof and have food to eat today.” It’s redirection and ability to get out of a negative space. Finding joy through the pain is an awesome talent, and one you can absolutely achieve.

Your Physical Self Will Be Top Notch

When I say I almost never get sick, I’m not kidding. My positive mindset and declaration that I am a healthy person all the time has helped me go through my life without much illness. It is the best thing I have ever decided, and I don’t take it lightly. This is the height of how to practice self care, in my opinion. When you can be an optimist from the inside out, you are going to live in a way that you could only imagine. Trust me, I am doing it. My body feels so strong and capable. It is so worth it to get to a place of positivity and optimism.

Happy!

Below I’ll expound on the actual things I do to stay positive during difficult times in my life, because they do come. Not everyday feels like I’m walking through a lush rainforest filled with tropical birds, waterfalls, and rainbows. However, there are things I can do to bring myself into that very emotion and headspace and I am going to share them with you. It would be my biggest dream for all of us to be able to stay positive no matter what, so I’ll continue writing my own experiences to help anyone who it resonates with. This is important stuff, and I am so grateful you’re interested in it.

Journaling

Journaling quickly became my go-to for getting out of any funk that I am in so I can remain more positive and process things happening in my life. It’s just me, my pen, and my favorite journal getting out all of the things in my head that I need to get out. I can’t think of a more amazing way to talk yourself into a good mood than journaling. Personally, I journal for about 45 minutes each morning, with my pets snuggled around me in our bed and a delicious cup of coffee to sip. It’s heaven on earth. And I am a huge advocate of this method of getting into a good headspace.

Taking Time to Yourself

Whether this is as simple as a walk around the block or an entire solo trip, I highly recommend you taking some time to yourself, and by yourself. It’s a very underutilized activity that makes some people uncomfortable. However, you will understand yourself so much better when you spend time by yourself and honor your emotions, feelings, needs, desires, and anything else that comes up. You may even find your solutions come more quickly when you’re ale to shut out everyone else's noise.

Asking a Friend for a Chat

My friends’ ears are bleeding half the time, I am convinced. I’m not afraid to ask my friends for a little bit of their time when I need to work through things, though. We have an understanding of that sometimes we don’t have time right then, but we always make time for each other. Having people to talk to that will give you constructive and sound feedback is such a life hack to getting into a positive space. Get yourself some friends that are the real deal and help you out of that funk.

Reading a Good Book

When my head is all over the place and spiraling, sometimes I just need to sit down with a cup of tea and a good book to snap out of it. The book could be fiction or self-improvement. Either way, I can get out of my own way so that I can regain composure and positivity and not let my day be consumed. If you’re not a reader of books, perhaps an article or magazine about something uplifting.

Practicing Self Care

I’ve spent a lot of my 40s learning how to practice self care because it was not something I witnessed or knew existed growing up. Treating yourself well was ridiculed and mocked, and as I got older I realized what a sad space that is. Today, I am proud to say that I do many things to take good care of myself. And I encourage you to do the same. No one in the world is able to take care of you as well as you are. Exercise this right because it absolutely helps you stay more positive when things are tough.

Moving Your Body

Moving your body is a gift, and one that I hope you don’t take for granted. If you know what it’s like to get your body moving, whether through walking or dancing or kickboxing or any other movement, you will not want to be without it. I’ve had a regular yoga and Pilates practice for decades. And because I have my little dog, I go on walks everyday and the occasional bike ride with him strapped to my front. We are all more positive beings for these activities. And I encourage you to find some movement each day to be as well.

Schedule Therapy

Sometimes therapy is just simply the best solution for you. I’ve had a therapist for approximately 15 years. And while I don’t go on a very regular basis anymore, it’s helped me get into a headspace that I am proud of. Now when I go to therapy, I am sharing with her my wins and occasional challenges that seem to get less and less. Not only am I proud of myself, but she is proud of me too. Having an unbiased advocate is something I never realized was so important. Therapy is something I think everyone could use. It’s empowering and liberating.

Help Someone Else

Getting out of your own self-pity can easily start with helping someone else. Perhaps is as simple as opening a door for someone with no expectation of them saying thank you. Maybe it’s buying the next person in line a coffee. If you can afford it, buy a meal for a friend. These acts of generosity help you to get your head in a positive way. Each time I do something for someone else, I am elated and feel like $1M. Sometimes I feel like I am stealing joy from the universe in the very best ways. Try it if it’s not currently in your practice. Each and every day do something that you can feel good about for someone else.

Dive Deep into Faith

This won’t be for everyone, but it will be for some. My faith is what sets me apart from a lot of people. There is a very deep peace I feel in my life because of the strength of my faith in God. Whenever I am feeling a bit off or heading down a negative path, it’s easy enough for me to drop into my faith and know that God has my best interest in mind. At this stage of my life, I know this is the truth because every single thing that has happened to me has always worked out and I am better for it. Everything. If faith scares you, I’ll be your support. I’ve got enough for both of us.

I Love Positive Mirror Signs!

If getting into a positive space when things are not going well is something you feel is impossible, I am here to share that it is not. I've worked at it and can honestly say it's one of the best things I've ever worked on for myself. My life is so much better for it. And I like myself more, and others like me more as well. It's always more pleasant to be around people who are positive. And while I am acknowledging that hard times do come, they don't have to ruin your life. You are able to control your own outlook, and that is all this is about. No one can predict outcomes or circumstances, but you can work on how you think about and perceive them. I hope this helps you get to that good space, and your life is elevated from here.

If you liked this blog, you might also like the one I wrote about how to stay positive in a negative environment or becoming the main character of your life.

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