How to Stay Positive in a Negative Situation

Life can be good but we know it is not always great; sometimes, it throws us a curveball. But we cannot afford to let it bring us down or let it overwhelm us.

We have to find a way to stay positive even in the worst times. This is because if we can handle certain life situations well, we are already half-victorious. And many times, we will be able to have a better perspective to deal with such a situation.

That said, how do you stay positive in a negative situation? Let’s look at some of the steps to take.

1. Focus on What You Are Grateful For

When we are going through tough times, we usually tend to focus solely on those tough periods and all that could go wrong while we forget to highlight things that have gone well in the past and might work out in the present.

In essence, the trick to staying positive is to focus on what you are grateful for. There is always something to be thankful for.

Make your list and read it out loud, talk to your loved ones about the things that make you grateful, keep a journal of daily things you are thankful for, it might be as minute as an extended break time or not having to queue to get your favourite snack.

When you acknowledge what you are grateful for each day, it brings positivity and a ray of hope into that negative situation.

2. Speak Positively, Use Affirmations

Sometimes, we do so well in beating ourselves up or calling ourselves negative names, it may be due to a mistake or two we made but we must remember that as humans, we are not perfect.

The thing is, the more we speak these negative things to ourselves, the more our mind takes hold of it and makes us really believe it, thereby making it our reality.

Therefore, you should exchange negative words for positive ones and say them repeatedly even when you don’t feel like it, soon, the brain will grasp it and make it your new reality.

3. Don’t be Rigid. Be Open to Change(s)

Another way to stay positive in a negative situation is to be open to change. As the popular saying goes, change is constant in life.

Therefore, we must accept change as a part of life and then, we must learn and prepare for such changes.

When we have a mindset that changes will definitely occur, it helps us approach life from a relaxed and positive stance.

In essence, if that negative situation is caused by a toxic environment, e.g. a bad job, then embrace the idea of changing jobs.

4. Nothing is Permanent. Remember That!

Most times, when we are going through tough situations, we feel it is an unending abyss.

I mean, feeling like that is understandable but the truth is, everything that has a beginning has an end, including that negative situation you are in.

It doesn’t mean it will go away quickly, it just means that you are aware it won’t be around forever.

Understanding this gives us the strength, positivity, and optimism that we need to see such a situation through.

5. Surround Yourself with Your Loved Ones

The word that automatically comes to mind when we see ‘loved ones’ is family but it’s not restricted to them.

Whoever shows genuine concern and care for you and your growth is a loved one.

So, surround yourself with people who truly care and will go to any length to help you out of that negative situation.

Positive aura and vibes go a long way to helping one stay positive in a negative situation.

6. Go through Your Photo Book and Gallery

Phone galleries are the best compendium of memories made over the years, the same goes for photo albums or/and books.

One of the most underrated but really effective ways to positively boost oneself when going through a tough situation is to go through one’s gallery.

It is just like walking down memory lane and in no time, you’ll be grinning and laughing out loud over what you see.

You can even get to relive some of the memories with your friends, family and other loved ones.

If they are not at easy reach, the memories the photo book provides gives you a certain feeling of warmth, a reminder of things you’ve achieved in the past and happy memories you’ve created and it might just be that positive push that you need to get out of that negative situation.

7. Engage in Meaningful Activities

Any activity that brings meaning and value into your day-to-day life, gives you a sense of purpose, a feeling of accomplishment or fulfilment is referred to as a healthy or meaningful activity.

Engaging in such activities is very beneficial to your physical and mental health.

If you can’t easily think of three that you do engage in, then, it is high time you get some for yourself.

It doesn’t have to be something big or farfetched; it can be something as simple as walking, cooking, singing, dancing, gardening, reading, cycling, swimming, writing, listening to music, etc.

Whatever comes easy to you and gives you so much joy to do; engage in them and you’ll see a radical change in your outlook or response to that negative situation.

8. Help Others

One great way to stay positive in a negative situation is to help others.

It may sound funny to literally put one’s challenges and problems aside just to help others with theirs but it can do a lot of good to us.

Being of service to others help you see your challenges through another’s lens, helps you get out of your head and see that others are also going through hard times and they also need help – which you can give.

Trust me, helping others and seeing them feel heard, important and feeling thankful to you is a great way to stay positive in a negative situation.

9. Stay Away from Toxic Places

‘Places’ here can mean people and it can mean a location, including social media.

Wherever your challenges are amplified and not simplified or corrected, then that’s a negative place that you need to avoid.

Set times for when to go on social media; remember that it can be a positive or negative place depending on how you use it.

Don’t be caught in the toxicity that is common in the comment sections.

In fact, if any of the social media platforms is really threatening your peace and aggravating your tough situation, then stay away from it completely.

If you surround yourself with negative, toxic things, you’ll not be able to keep a positive outlook as far as that negative situation is concerned.

10. Always look for the Positive Angle

Hard to believe but for every tough or challenging situation, there is always a positive angle to it. The key thing is to look for, dwell on and amplify such a positive angle.

In essence, look for lessons to be learned, one good thing about or an opportunity that can be found within the situation and what you can do better.

However, give yourself time to process the emotions, don’t suppress your feelings. And when you are ready, pace yourself in moving forward from such situations.

ALSO READ: 10 TIPS ON HOW TO STAY HAPPY ALWAYS

Conclusion

Let me conclude by reminding you that staying positive in tough times is possible. The first battle you need to fight is that of the mind.

You need to believe and agree that it is not impossible to stay positive during difficult times.

If you apply all that I’ve explained here, you will find that it is only a matter of time before you start seeing yourself handling tough times better.