Staying positive during tough times is tough, but not impossible.
Bad things happen to everybody and dealing with tough times is just a part of life. Whether you've been laid off, out of work, stuck in an extended job search or just struggling to get by, dealing with negative situations in a positive way can help you keep your sanity and find constructive solutions.
I know, it's really hard sometimes. When bad things happen, our natural response can be one of panic, denial or the desire to start breaking things and getting angry. The problem is, none of these are effective ways to deal with the situation and only serve to make things worse.
Especially in a professional situation, handling these negative situations with positivity will help you maintain your professional image and will garner you respect from your peers.
Remember that you have the power to choose how to react to any situation. Learning to keep a positive attitude in the face of adversity is a skill, and as will any skill, it doesn't always come naturally. It takes a real commitment and lots of practice.
If you find it difficult not to get swept away by negativity, here are some tips to help you keep your chin up:
- Control your response – You have a choice about how to respond to everything. Be careful not to lash out without thinking. Trust me, you'll regret it. Instead, take a deep breath and try to clear your head. Give yourself time to calm down and think about how you want to respond. Look for the most positive and productive way of dealing with the problem.
- Learn from the situation – In every situation, there is always something to be learned and ways to grow. When you decide to devote your energy to positivity, you can see how the situation happened and how you have the power to change the way you react to it. The Buddha said that one should be grateful to their enemies for the opportunity to practice patience.
- Admit your mistakes – I know, it can be hard to just admit that you made a mistake and fix it. As humans, we always want to protect our pride. This can cause the negative situation to get worse. Instead, just admit the mistake, learn from it and move on.
- Focus on the positive – Sometimes the silver lining is hard to see, and sometimes it isn't there at all. Accepting that sometimes really bad things happen, even when you don't deserve them, can help you look for the positive in every solution. If you are having trouble keeping the negativity at bay, make sure that your words and actions are positive. Don't fall into the trap of beating yourself up and calling yourself names. That just lets negativity in through the back door. Instead, repeat the positive truths about yourself and ignore any negative self-talk.
Staying positive during very negative situations is really hard. If it wasn't so hard, then we would all be able to do it instinctively and no one would need to read this article. It takes time and patience to remove negativity from your life, but it is definitely worth the effort. Nothing good comes from letting negative emotions control your actions. Instead, set an example by letting positive energy be your guide and having strength of character during adversity.
What do you do to keep negativity at bay? I would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions in the comments.
By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for FinancialJobBank. Along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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