Finding Optimism in A Negative Reality

I’ve come to realize that quite frequently I would become flustered and upset. My mind would be cluttered with thoughts, my heart rate would increase and I couldn’t focus on the things that I needed to do. My entire being would be thrown for a loop and I couldn’t understand what was causing this.

Then I started taking not of the times when this would happen. Whether it was in the day or night, if I was watching TV or reading a newspaper or even just scrolling through Instagram or Facebook. With the fact that so much information is at the edge of our fingertips (literally), it’s easy to be saturated by everything coming at you.

When I was growing up in the 80’s/90’s, cell phones were not a thing and the internet was not readily available so, my exposure to information was limited to mainly books and TV. TV time was restricted to some extent and wasn’t always in my face so my budding years were much more sheltered than the current genre of young people.

If you find yourself being consumed and overwhelmed by the negativity that is pushed toward you much more frequently, here are some tips to assist you with shifting your focus.

Turn off the noise

Begin the Day noiseless - Try to reduce your exposure to social media daily. When you wake up, don’t reach for your phone immediately and start scrolling through Instagram, Facebook or put on the TV to see the news. Take that time to acknowledge the new day, make a nice cup of coffee or tea and make your breakfast.

End the Day noiseless – Try to remove yourself from social media at least one hour before bed to allow yourself to wind down. Take a nice bath/shower to unwind and then maybe catch up on some reading, listen to some good music and allow yourself to calm down mentally and physically.

Tune out whenever you can

Choose what you expose yourself to and determine how it makes you feel. Do certain news channels make you feel triggered by the way that they put out their content? Do certain types of advertisements trigger you or are there any Instagram accounts that upset you or make you feel inadequate? Continuously allowing yourself to be negatively influenced by your media &/or social media exposure is equivalent to continuously allowing yourself to be hurt in an unhealthy relationship, hoping that it will get better.

I’ve noticed that when I’m scrolling through on Instagram watching Yoga accounts, while some give so much inspiration, others have made me question my abilities and my skill which is the opposite when it comes to what Yoga is really about. Honestly I always find myself saying “Why am I not there yet”? or “Should I really be a teacher when I can’t even do that pose”? I find myself being harder on myself than I need to be and bringing myself down rather than remembering that the reason I became a teacher was to share my love for the practice and to help other people experience it.

If you realize that you’re being affected negatively, unfollow accounts that make you feel that way. If the news channel that you watch makes you feel overwhelmed, then find one that delivers their news in a way that makes you not feel triggered. You will notice a significant difference in your response to the content.

Do not worry about things out of your control

Allowing situations outside of your control to affect you will only lead you to stress and anxiety. Obsessing over an event that may have happened that does not directly affect you can cause you to have feelings of anxiety unnecessarily. I don’t mean to ignore what’s happening in the world or to persons that you may know but, there is a difference in being sympathetic and being extremely empathetic.

If you realize that your empathetic nature is affecting your mood or your stress levels try one of these:

• Breathing techniques – Take long deep breaths to allow your heart rate and nervous system to calm down. Inhale deeply and fill the tummy with air and then exhale completely pushing all the air out of the body.
• Meditate – Take 15-20 minutes to detach yourself. Just sit quietly allowing the mind to slow down and wander away from to a place that brings calm

Be the positive that you want to be

Give your attention to information or channels that align with the feeling that you want. Follow inspirational accounts that post content that helps to raise your spirits. Look for the good accounts that just make you smile when you see their content. Watch programs or channels that make you feel good and happy when you watch their shows.

I firmly believe that what you put out into the universe is what you get back. If you put out negativity, you will get back negativity. If you put out positivity, you will get back positivity. Bring your positive and bright shiny self out and share that side of you with others. Use your positive vibe to bring happiness and light to someone else.

What do you currently do that helps to battle negativity from affecting you personally. Feel free to share your tips with us.