How to stay positive in a negative world

The world is a big, scary place. It’s filled with violence, fraud, terrorism, illness and death. And that’s just the stuff that happens in the news.

Add to that all of the other problems you can imagine or experience personally - breakups, failed relationships and friendships, family issues and drama, mental health issues and illnesses - and you can see why it can be really difficult to stay positive these days.

The reality is, there are way too many negative people around us. Online and off, we deal with criticism from others or from ourselves. In public places, people feel comfortable voicing their opinions about almost anything – even if they know nothing about what they’re talking about! This can be draining for anyone who cares enough to pay attention.

You need to actively seek out good things happening in the world by feeding your mind positive content on social media at least once a day. If you have smart friends, ask them for recommendations on what they are reading or watching that will give you some hope for humanity.

How to stay positive in a negative world:

We all know that the news isn’t always full of happy stories. It can be hard to maintain a positive outlook, even if you try your hardest. Here are three simple tips for avoiding negativity and staying positive.

• 1 - Avoid Negative People – Negative people are the biggest time sucks. They suck the energy out of you, and they’ll suck all your motivation to achieve your goals right out of you. To be successful in life, you need to avoid them. Negative people are the ones who bring others down and make everything seem hopeless.
• 2 - Surround yourself with good people – When you hang out with good people you will naturally feel positive about life. Spending time with friends or family can instantly bring up your mood when feeling down.
• 3 - Find your happiness – A study by the Cambridge University named “Chasing Happiness” found that people who are happy are almost 50% more productive at work. It also found that two-thirds of what makes us happy has nothing to do with money or material possessions. Finding your happiness is not just about doing something you love, it’s about being free to choose how you spend your time and what you feel passionate about. It’s also about accomplishing goals, being challenged in life, living in the present moment and making a difference in other peoples lives.

Image by Nathan Dumlao (Unsplash)