It’s extremely difficult to be optimistic today. There’s a tremendous amount of negativity in our culture, and it feels like the one thing that gets people’s attention is negative news.
In a series entitled, “Stay Positive,” Pastor Craig Groeschel, pastor of Life.Church, talked about how easy it is to get swept up into the negative current. It’s like a strong river that pulls you in. Before you know it, you’ve been sucked in, and the only way to break through the negativity is to swim upstream.
Here are six ways we can move toward positivity:
1. Turn down the negativity.
We should stay informed, but we don’t have to watch it constantly. I believe what consumes your mind will control your life. The main way I turn down the negativity is to limit or stop watching the news on a regular basis.
Instead, I get my news in written platforms without all the negativity, commentary, and agendas that tend to frustrate me. Someone once said, “A negative mind produces a negative life. You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.”
2. Turn up the positivity.
It’s important to focus our mind and attention on God and positive messages. This can be done through podcasts and books. It can be as simple as watching positive movies or being around positive friends. I also like to listen to positive music, podcasts or books while I’m working out each day. This ensures I’m getting a mental workout along with my physical workout.
3. Only focus on what you can control.
Epictetus said, “Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.”
It’s easy to become consumed with things that I have absolutely no control over fixing. It’s so much more empowering to focus on things within my control because I can then take action that can actually change the outcome. This will, in turn, produce positive emotions in my life.
4. Work on your perspective.
There are specific events that occur in our lives, and then there are the meanings we assign to those events. We always have a choice of the meaning we attach to an event.
In the book, The Obstacle is the Way, Ryan Holiday and Tim Ferriss explain, “There is the event itself and the story we tell ourselves about what it means.” Most people don’t realize they have the power to determine the meaning that is attached to an event.
For example, when I mess up, I can choose to view it as an opportunity to ask for forgiveness and receive grace.
Romans 8:18 says, “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” The struggle I’m in today is producing the strength I need tomorrow.
5. Practice gratitude.
There was a Forbes article entitled, “7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude That Will Motivate You to Give Thanks Year-Round.” Here are the benefits of gratitude it listed:
1. Gratitude opens the door to more relationships.
2. Gratitude improves physical health.
3. Gratitude improves psychological health.
4. Gratitude enhances empathy and reduces aggression.
5. Grateful people sleep better.
6. Gratitude improves self-esteem.
7. Gratitude increases mental strength.
Gratitude will reduce the toxic emotions of envy, resentment, and frustration. When you practice gratitude, you are shifting your thoughts to something positive. You are mentally training yourself to refocus.
6. Keep your faith strong.
Just because we have faith doesn’t mean we use it. We have to work it like a muscle to keep our faith strong.
You can do this by getting into scriptures that speak on God’s goodness and sovereignty such as Romans 8:28. “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
Positivity is a choice within our power. The stream of negativity is a strong and forceful current, and it’s on me to work to swim against the stream by choosing positivity.
Will you choose to be positive today?
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