by Paula Love

Created on: August 10, 2008

"You can give in to the failure messages and be a bitter deadbeat of excuses. Or you can choose to be happy and positive and excited about life."
- A.L. Williams

Some days it feels like the entire world is sending out negative energy. How is it possible to fight against that and stay positive? Each person chooses his or her attitude. Even in the face of negativity, one can remain positive. It takes some time and re-training of habits and thought patterns, but it's absolutely an attainable goal.

1. Avoid negative people as much as possible.
The first thing you should do is surround yourself with positively charged people and leave behind the toxicity of those who are constantly negative. You don't have to completely end friendships to do this, but reduce the amount of time you expose yourself to the negativity. If you have a friend who only calls you to tell you bad news (who died, who's getting a divorce, who was fired, who is sick) consider only answering the phone every third or fourth time you see that number on the caller I.D.

2. Be aware of your thoughts.
Our thoughts make us who we are. Tune in to your inner voice and be aware of what it's saying. "This job stinks" or "I hate my life" turn into self-fulfilling prophecies. If you think negatively, you will speak negatively and exude negative energy. Next time you are in a bad mood, listen to that voice in your head. You may be surprised at how negative it is. Consciously place a few positive thoughts within those negative ones and see how quickly they squelch out the bad mood. It may not work the first few times, but keep an open mind and soon you will find that you are allowing your positive energy to shine through. Everyone will encounter negativity, but you don't have to perpetuate it. Make it end with you.

3. Meditate.
Meditation is a great way to relax and silence the steady stream of the inner voice. It helps you tune in to yourself, it leaves you feeling renewed, and it doesn't cost anything! It doesn't require a yoga mat and a lotus pose; you can take five minutes during your lunch hour to meditate. You'll find meditation delivers many other benefits that will also help increase your optimism.

4. Make a list.
No matter how many things are wrong with your day, you can always find something positive. No matter how small it seems, focus on the good and nurture it. All it takes is finding one good aspect to start feeling better, but once you find that one thing you'll usually find more.

5. Do something you enjoy.
Think

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