Start taking control of your Life
Body and soul not in sync? What could that be? That feeling of not knowing what the problem is precisely, but we still feel not at ease with ourselves. We feel frustrated by our daily life challenges and frequently overwhelmed feelings. This negative outlook hinders us from having a more explicit focus to move forward. With the growing number of people with Depression and anxiety these days, the least we want is to be counted in it. However, studies have shown that positive thinking allows people to focus mainly on their strengths and accomplishments, increasing happiness and motivation rather than the problem. In that way, we use our time on more productive things than negative ones that will keep us trapped.
Below are practical suggestions that could help shift us into more positive thinking patterns when that feeling of lost hope, confusion, and sadness sets in:
1. Practice self-care
Caring for ourselves gives us absolute control over our health. Practicing health care encourages us to primarily prevent disease and promote physical, mental, and social health. Self-care that influences health includes what you eat, hygiene, and getting medical care like Health Screenings, vaccinations, medical tests, and regular health checkups. It’s much easier to be positive when eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest. Hence, take time to pamper yourself; you deserve it.
2. Write down all Things You Are Grateful For
It feels so good to count blessings rather than bad things. Stress and challenges make us stronger and better. You feel fulfilled when you constantly remind yourself of the right things in Life. I am grateful for Life, Health, Family, and my adorable daughter. I consider them God’s gift to me. Some other people can be thankful for their Job or other things. Consequently, taking some minutes out of our 24 hours to write down things we are grateful for gives us hope that the future is pregnant with good kinds of stuff and blessings.
3. Take advantage of new opportunities.
Fear makes us feel less of ourselves. We fear being laughed at, making a mistake, being ridiculed, or even fearing something we think will harm us. We let opportunities go by because we feel less or that people will criticize us. Fear is a state of mind that can be good because it prepares us for the unexpected and harmful when we deny ourselves a good opportunity. Confront the fears. Don’t let it hinder you from getting into any new adventure. Find out what you are afraid of and why? Ask yourself what the chances are that one would not be hurt. What is the worst that could happen? Would I be ridiculed? Knowing you can’t control other people’s behavior toward you but focus on your strength to achieve your goals. If I fail, I can try again until I get better. Life itself is a learning process.
4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Absolutes are extreme thinking that things must appear black or white. Words like ‘all’ or ‘none’ make the situation seems worse and program your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering. People who are absolute thinkers find it challenging to develop resilience to cope with life situations, which could lead to physical and psychological problems.
5. Detach from Negative Thoughts
Reoccurring unhelpful thoughts, talking yourself down, feelings of inadequacy, and self-hate. We all, at some point, have negative thoughts. However, incessant negative thoughts can mess with your mental health, destroy your self-esteem and leave you feeling inadequate. Negative thoughts can’t hold any power over you if you don’t keep ruminating about them. If you notice yourself having a negative review, refrain from it and distract yourself with positive things. Reassure yourself with positive phrases. Focus more on how to turn the situation around for good. Stay positive and hopeful.
6. Deal with your Insecurities
Insecurity is simply a lack of confidence in oneself. Insecurity makes us feel less and incapable of getting into new opportunities. One thing with insecurity is that it is self-created. We create it and groom it in us. Insecurity could come from a bad experience from the past or even has no cause at all. Everyone, at one time or another, has and will experience insecurity. However, we cannot allow whatever we feel about ourselves to put us down and hinder us from achieving goals. Insecurity can hurt mental health. You surround yourself with good social networks like Family, relatives, and friends. Practice trusting yourself and rewarding yourself for every accomplished endeavor with a positive phrase.
7. Practice Lovin’, touching’ & squeezing’ (Your Friends and Family)
Talking about Family, relatives, and friends, the touching, loving, and hugging from these people strengthens us. It feels so good to know someone looks out for you. We need these gestures almost in all situations. Bodily contact with loved ones are an instant relief. According to Dignity Health, Hugging causes us to feel calm and relaxed, boosts our immune system, and strengthens our relationships.. In addition, Hugging increases serotonin. A neurotransmitter that is popularly known as the “happy hormone.” This hormone is responsible for our happiness and calm and confident mood. When we don’t have serotonin, we feel down and sad. Hugging is an excellent therapy to boost this hormone that helps us stay happy and confident.
8. Increase Your Social Activity
Even when you are an Introvert, there must be a social activity that you can fit into your Life. Social activity promotes awareness and keeps mental health healthy. On the other hand, loneliness brings boredom, exclusion, and Depression. When you participate in social activities, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people; their positive energy will positively influence you!
9. Volunteer for an Organization
Everyone feels good after helping someone. Volunteering opens up doors of opportunities, improves self-confidence, and attracts new people into our lives. You don’t need to be an intern or search for a job to volunteer. There are many ways to volunteer; your time, money, or resources. Many Charities organizations are online – Doctors without borders is a good example. The more positive energy you give back, the more positives you get. After all, the bible affirms that.
10. Stop Dwelling on Negatives for too long.
Studies have shown that dwelling on negative thoughts for too long causes stress and emotional pain. When the gray days show up, and you are ruminating for too long, try to disengage yourself from it and do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It’s never productive because it needs to be more rational and solution-oriented; it’s just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment – go for a walk or sit outside. Call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on music. These are ways you can call yourself back.
11. Hang on to what you believe in
Whether you believe in God or another God, there is always something you cling to when the gray days show. Religion gives us meaning to everyday struggles and gives us a sense of hope and faith. Religion provides comfort that we can always get through no matter the situation, making it an essential factor in our mental health. Some studies have shown how faith positively impacts mental health and reduces suicide attempts and other addictions.
Religion also brings people together. These people are resourceful for a person going through some problems. Whatever religion you find yourself in, and the solutions they give. Take advantage of all the support. Sometimes our problems are not only physical but spiritual as well.
Finally, we have natural powers, which we use for survival. Having stress under our skin won’t solve our problems. Knowing the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but practicing and keeping faith in them brings up the entire thing to actual productivity.
Sources
Randy A, Sansone, and Lori A. Sansone. 2012. Rumination. February. Accessed February 2023. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3312901/.
Ostell, A, and S Oakland. 1999. Absolutist thinking and health. June. Accessed February 2023. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10397428/.
Emily, Williams. 2018. 4 Facts About Hugs: Why You Should Embrace the Embrace. April. Accessed February 2023. https://www.dignityhealth.org/articles/4-facts-about-hugs-why-you-should-embrace-the-embrace.
