How to Stay in Your Happy Place (When Everyone Around You isn't in Theirs)
Staying positive and motivated can be such a challenge when we are surrounded by people who don't have as positive an outlook on life and life's circumstances as we do. Whether you are an optimist, realist or pessimist I guarantee spending a couple hours with someone who has a different opinion can change, even just temporarily, your outlook on things. Now this is great if optimists are able to positively affect the pessimist but what happens when it's the other way around? What happens when you are an optimist or even a realist with a positive outlook and you seem to continue to get battered down by negativity. It is so hard to stay focused and stay on top of your game when it feels like your very core principles are being attacked by people who don't even realize their negativity is bothering anyone else. Here are a few things that help my positive outlook when I feel myself getting dragged down by life, gossips, complaining, and those who make you feel lower of yourself than you should (whether knowingly or not).
Quotes:
I know the popular quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that says "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent". Honest to God this quote does nothing for me, if I am feeling inferior the last thing I want to hear is that it's also my fault! What gets me back into the right mindset are the quotes about toughing out an impossible situation, because in reality when negativity takes over your mind, that's exactly what it feels like. I want to hear the Rocky Balboa spiel about the burning heart within keeping you alive and fighting. Granted this may be a bit overkill for the situation but it certainly gets my mind in the zone to fight for positive thoughts.
Music:
This one may be self-explanatory but music can certainly change your thoughts and outlook. If anyone saw my Itunes playlists they would think I'm off my rocker because I have the most random playlists ever, I have my "Angry Headbanging Music" list for when I'm mad, "Creativity Mix" for when I need to free my mind and "Happy Place Jams" for when I need to get some good mojo flowing. Listening to the right music can get my head in the right place to stay positive because while I love my A Day to Remember screamo on occasion or some classic Metallica, that's not going to get me in a better mental state.
Goals:
Keeping my goals in front of me is a very tangible way for me to recognize what I am working for. I have several big goals in my head that I make sure always stay on the forefront of my mind. When I start to get bogged down with negativity I take a very deliberate couple of minutes to slow down and think about where I want to be in 5 or 10 years and how the bad things I'm going through at that moment relate to my end goal. Sometimes even chanting the mantra "I won't be here forever" is the best cure!
Confidence:
The last thing I have as a focus is confidence. When I start letting negativity slip into my thoughts it affects my confidence which messes with my performance on whatever I am working on. I need to remind myself in times like these that I am where I am at for a reason and I deserve to be there. I like to always try and dress in a way that makes me feel confident. While jeans and a worn shirt may be very comfortable it certainly doesn't put my mind where I want it to be to have to deal with big situations. I will take a couple hours of discomfort and the chance to make impressions that will last forever (you only get one chance at a first impression, don't screw that up because you feel lazy). I have this quote below hanging at pretty much every workspace I frequent because it is so spot on.
"Confidence sells. People believe in those who believe in themselves. No one wants to be stuck in a room with other people who feel like they don't deserve to be there. Stop wondering if you are good enough. Know that you are and start acting like it." - Simon Black
In closing I would say that negativity is incredibly dangerous, it kills confidence, creativity and happiness. We will be more productive people if we enter our workdays with a positive attitude and maintain that as the day progresses. Don't let negative people steal your joy and zeal for life, what you do and where you are going because chances are the negative ones will be stuck doing what they are doing now for the rest of their lives whereas the opportunities for those with a positive attitude are simply endless.
Quotes:
I know the popular quote by Eleanor Roosevelt that says "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent". Honest to God this quote does nothing for me, if I am feeling inferior the last thing I want to hear is that it's also my fault! What gets me back into the right mindset are the quotes about toughing out an impossible situation, because in reality when negativity takes over your mind, that's exactly what it feels like. I want to hear the Rocky Balboa spiel about the burning heart within keeping you alive and fighting. Granted this may be a bit overkill for the situation but it certainly gets my mind in the zone to fight for positive thoughts.
Music:
This one may be self-explanatory but music can certainly change your thoughts and outlook. If anyone saw my Itunes playlists they would think I'm off my rocker because I have the most random playlists ever, I have my "Angry Headbanging Music" list for when I'm mad, "Creativity Mix" for when I need to free my mind and "Happy Place Jams" for when I need to get some good mojo flowing. Listening to the right music can get my head in the right place to stay positive because while I love my A Day to Remember screamo on occasion or some classic Metallica, that's not going to get me in a better mental state.
Goals:
Keeping my goals in front of me is a very tangible way for me to recognize what I am working for. I have several big goals in my head that I make sure always stay on the forefront of my mind. When I start to get bogged down with negativity I take a very deliberate couple of minutes to slow down and think about where I want to be in 5 or 10 years and how the bad things I'm going through at that moment relate to my end goal. Sometimes even chanting the mantra "I won't be here forever" is the best cure!
Confidence:
The last thing I have as a focus is confidence. When I start letting negativity slip into my thoughts it affects my confidence which messes with my performance on whatever I am working on. I need to remind myself in times like these that I am where I am at for a reason and I deserve to be there. I like to always try and dress in a way that makes me feel confident. While jeans and a worn shirt may be very comfortable it certainly doesn't put my mind where I want it to be to have to deal with big situations. I will take a couple hours of discomfort and the chance to make impressions that will last forever (you only get one chance at a first impression, don't screw that up because you feel lazy). I have this quote below hanging at pretty much every workspace I frequent because it is so spot on.
"Confidence sells. People believe in those who believe in themselves. No one wants to be stuck in a room with other people who feel like they don't deserve to be there. Stop wondering if you are good enough. Know that you are and start acting like it." - Simon Black
In closing I would say that negativity is incredibly dangerous, it kills confidence, creativity and happiness. We will be more productive people if we enter our workdays with a positive attitude and maintain that as the day progresses. Don't let negative people steal your joy and zeal for life, what you do and where you are going because chances are the negative ones will be stuck doing what they are doing now for the rest of their lives whereas the opportunities for those with a positive attitude are simply endless.
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