Have you ever considered why it's so easy to be negative?
Negativity shows up in so many forms: complaining, gossip, comparing, thinking poorly about ourselves or others, getting annoyed at the simplest things like another driver or someone walking too slow in front of us, etc.
Why do we do it?
One reason is that it's easy. It's our default. Our brains are hard wired through evolution to focus on the negative. Prehistoric people had to be able to register threats to avoid danger and increase survival rates. Individuals more attuned to danger (negative stimuli) stayed alive longer and passed on their genes.
The problem is when we're negative, we have less energy, less motivation, and are more inpatient. It snowballs and we tend to get annoyed more easily, listen less, and compare or complain more.
The next time you find yourself about to complain about someone or something (or behave in some other negative way), ask yourself if it’s worth it. It might feel good in the moment, but it lowers our energy, taking our focus off of what's important. It also shines a spotlight on what's not working instead of what is.
So what can we do instead? Flip the script. If you’re about to complain, find something positive to say or focus on. It will be hard at first. Awareness is the first step. Half the time we don’t even realize we're complaining. It has become so routine. For me, practicing gratitude (writing down 3-10 things each day), helps me notice the smaller, more positive things in my daily life.
My healing tip: reach for a finger, any finger. Let it be intuitive. The thumb calms worry, the index finger, fear, the middle, anger, the ring, letting go, and the pinky, helps you to stop trying and pretending.
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The information presented on this podcast is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose or prescribe for any medical or psychological condition, nor to prevent, treat, mitigate or cure any such conditions.
