How to stay positive in a difficult environment

No one is positive all the time. Even the most successful and wealthy people in the world have negative thoughts at times.

The secret to success isn’t to avoid negative thoughts but what you do with them – the actions you choose to take based on your negative thoughts.

When things get difficult, it’s easy to lapse into thoughts like, ‘This is too difficult’, ‘The conditions are too tough’ and ‘What was I thinking trying this, I’ll never make it’!

These are normal, everyone has them at some point. What’s important to remember is that just because you’re having those thoughts doesn’t mean you will fail. Not if you turn them into something positive.

It’s important to not let the negative thoughts prevail. Keep going, despite your internal battles. You see, negative thoughts only exist because of all the positive things you experience. If something is very difficult, then it’s because you’ve experienced easy things, if conditions are tough, then you know all about good things. You can’t have the ups without the downs. They go hand-in-hand in life.

Don’t fear the negative thoughts, they’re just part of the experience!

If you work through your negative thoughts, you will reach a new high in life. Here are some tips to help you get through your negative thoughts:

1. Acknowledge you’re having negative thoughts and accept them. The more you try and silence them, the stronger they’ll become and they’ll eventually overpower your will.
2. Slow your breathing down and breathe deeply. Do this every time you start to panic and then focus on your breathing for a while until you feel stronger again. Taking your mind off the problem for a while can help you refocus and find new drive.
3. Focus on why you’re doing what you’re doing. Is it to have a better life, to get your children through school, etc. When the cause is worthy, you will be willing to take more.
4. Just keep moving. Move forward and gain momentum as you go. Don’t allow yourself to ponder, get onto the next step or activity and just do it. Focus on it and get it done. Then move on to the next thing and then the next one…

Before you know it, each step will add up to your greater journey and you’ll have forgotten how tough it was. Soon enough, you’ll reach your goal and experience an amazing feeling of achievement.

This is one of the most useful lessons you can learn because throughout life, you will encounter tough journeys, it’s never going to be plain sailing. But equipped with these tips, you’ll be ready to handle anything that comes your way.

Remember, everyone has negative thoughts, it’s what you do with them that counts!