No One Likes a Negative Nancy

Did you know negativity is like a poison? We shrink away from poison because we all know the effects of it are damaging to our bodies and can sometimes be fatal. Poison in small doses is barely noticeable and whittles away at the body until one’s immune system cracks from the pressure. While most external poisons are easy to stay away from, there are attitudes we adopt that can act like an internal poison chipping away at our ability to live life to the fullest. Negativity is one of those poisons.

Think about the people you enjoy being around most, what are they like and what aura do they give off? Note:there’s nothing worse than telling a story, sharing your life experience, asking for advice and having someone react in a negative way. Negativity makes you feel bad about your dreams and aspirations. Even worse if you react negatively to others, how do you think that makes them feel and why would they want to spend more time with you? Our attitudes can be a main driver with who we surround ourselves with and how we feel about ourselves on a daily basis.

We’ve all heard of “The Golden Rule” at one time or another. My version of it? Treat people the way you’d like to be treated if you were in their shoes. Think about it: if you were an outsider watching yourself, the way you act, dress, carry yourself and treat others, would you want to be your own best friend? Does your attitude leave people with a bad taste in their mouths or do they keep coming back for more?

If you find yourself constantly dwelling on negative thoughts it’s time for a wakeup call. Thinking small and re-running negative scenarios are dream killers. Just like the fairy tales, magic only works if you actually believe. If you don’t have faith in your ability to achieve your dreams, who will? Don’t get discouraged and don’t listen to those naysayers. You don’t need that kind of negativity in your life!

Have you noticed that successful people tend to hang out with successful people? We tend to be more like the group of people we hang out with. This week practice being mindful of whom you surround yourself with and take note of the negative people in your life or evaluate if you are the cause of negativity. If you need to surround yourself with more positivity try these tips:

Read a couple of books to get you motivated.

Follow blogs or join email lists for inspiration delivered to your inbox.

If you don’t have time to read listen to an audio book or podcast when driving.

Get in a vigorous workout – any fitness activity that gets your heart pumping helps to align the energy of your mind and body.

What three steps will you put into action this week to help you stay positive?

photo credit: Kris Krug