Contributed Photo/Courtesy Joni Kennedy
Column By Marie Barnes
We live in a tense and rapidly changing world. Every day, thousands of little things can drive us crazy. Especially, this relates to a positive person, who is usually open, sincere, and trusts the world and people around. In order to withstand the stresses of everyday life, we need to stick to an effective guideline. Just five simple rules will help you to remain optimistic in any, even the most difficult, life situation. So, here are some tips on how to stay optimistic even in the toughest situations:
1. Be a pragmatic realist and surround yourself with amiable friends
By being a pragmatic realist, you can deal with almost any problem. And try to surround yourself with like-minded friends. Stay as far away as possible from pessimists and those who constantly ridicule others. Remember, a true friend is able to take your problems seriously, despite the possible inconvenience or embarrassment a situation may bear. To maintain a close relationship, it is necessary to have common values and goals with people who are close to you in spirit and who can share your joys and troubles.
2. When you feel bad, look around you. There are thousands of people around who are in a worse situation
Visit orphanages, hospitals, nursing homes. If you still have not overcome your depression, try to reach out to these people, and sincerely share their pain, play with the children, talk to the old people. By helping people who are suffering, you can help yourself by feeling needed and filling your life with a dignified purpose. Try not to panic even in the most critical situations. When dealing with something difficult and unpleasant, first of all, just calmly breathe in and think about what to do next.
3. Listen to pleasant and inspiring music. Don’t watch the morning news on TV
You cannot change the course of national or international events, but negative information can permanently spoil your mood. Do not be tempted to discuss the current affairs if they put you in distress: it is a waste of time and your health. On your way to work (or just on your way out), try to listen to music you like or programs from your favorite radio stations. Have breakfast and lunch with people who have a positive attitude towards life. Don’t sit in front of the TV all night, but rather talk to the people you love. Of course, in order not to break away from reality, you should monitor the current affairs. At the same time try concentrating on the positive news. Our society as a whole is anxious for various reasons; that is why it is important to configure ourselves to the perception of the positive vibes.
4. Change the style of your expressions. Any phrase must contain a positive attitude
Don’t say, “I’m terribly tired.” It’s better to say, “After a busy and productive day I’m starting to relax now.” Don’t say, “I don’t like my job.” It’s better to say, “My job allows me to support my family.” Do not complain endlessly about the people around you, better try to find and emphasize in each person the best features of their character.
But if you are not able to say like that, you can take a photo of you when you were in a good mood and try to remember your feelings at that moment. “It would be better if it is a beautiful photograph, with bright and sunny colors,” says Photza Visual Content Expert.
5. Learn the principle of a lobster
During a growth stage, the body of the lobster grows faster than its shell, which makes it vulnerable. To avoid attacks, the lobster wraps up in its shell. This continues until a new shell grows. For a human being, any change in life is absolutely normal. Each time we experience change, we face unexpected and unforeseen situations. You don’t have to hide in a ‘shell’ like a lobster.
After all, by hiding under a ‘protective shell’, avoiding problems, preventing changes, we become even more vulnerable. On the contrary, we must have the courage and willpower to face any situation in life with dignity. And the constant sense of optimism that must be cultivated every day will help us to do so.
How can you maintain a positive attitude?
There are times when we cannot avoid going through some negative situations. Someone may hurt us with a rude word intentionally or even unintentionally, we may face some difficulties at work or in personal life – anything can happen when we are not ready to face it. Obviously, in any of these situations, it is difficult to remain positive. We are automatically prepared to respond to this. But it will only make the situation worse.
In the case of people behaving piercingly, the whole day will be imbued with anger and disappointment. No one will win. Thus, while it’s not easy at all, it’s important to remain calm and optimistic in any difficult situation. Below are some tips for you to help you stay calm and rational:
- Never answer if you’re overwhelmed by negative emotions. If you are not calm, do not respond in any way. Take the time and energy to cool down.
- Take a deep breath as the first step towards calmness.
- Speak softly to make the situation less acute.
- Realize that within each difficult situation, there are opportunities. As Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity”.
- Look at what other people are saying to you as something useful that will help you to improve yourself.
- Ignore the information that only carries a negative tone.
- Keep a positive view of any person. You may not like what they say or do, but that doesn’t mean you should despise them.
- Realize that you are the first victim of your negative feelings and emotions.
- If you made a mistake, admit it openly.
- Remember that the one who makes a mistake deserves more respect than the one who does nothing.
- Read books, listen to music, do everything that brings a positive attitude in your life.
- Talk to a friend who can support you.
- Use your favorite quotes that may lead you to think in a positive way.
- Treat negative situations as training for your endurance and vitality in real life.
- Remember that you cannot please everyone to be understood. Let some people just walk by.
- Give your attention and strength to those with whom you can interact positively.
- Try to avoid communication with gloomy, negative people.
- Talk about good things. It is worth focusing on good news, pleasant events, successful and joyful events in the world.
To become a positive person and withstand problems, work on maintaining a positive worldview, benevolence, and belief in the best. Concentrate on cheerful moments of life, and draw conclusions to learn from almost any situation.
Even if you’ve noticed that you tend to get disappointed and overwhelmed by negative emotions, as well as exaggerate any negative events or details – don’t beat yourself up.
If you work on yourself, you can transform a negative attitude into a positive one. Diligent self-education greatly contributes to an effective improvement of behavior and attitude towards life. Friendly expression, good manners, belief in the best – these are the traits you may choose to adopt to reduce stress and drastically improve the quality of your life.
Marie Barnes is a Marketing Communication Manager at LinksManagement service and is a writer for gearyoda. She is an enthusiastic blogger interested in writing about technology, social media, work, travel, lifestyle, and current affairs.