9 Simple Ways to Get Rid of a Negative Mindset

On By Zeenat Merchant Syal-Counseling Psychologist|Spiritual CounselorIn Mind, Heart& Soul-Motivation&Inspiration, Mind-Mental Health

“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.” ~ Gandhi

Getting into a negative mindset is far too easy, which invariably leads to unhappiness and depression. To avoid being overwhelmed by negativity we need to make a conscious effort to avoid the experience. When life seems like a perpetual dark tunnel these are some suggestions to change your outlook on life and help you get rid of that negative mindset.

9 Simple Ways to Get Rid of a Negative Mindset

1} Lets NOT Cherish Destructive Thoughts
Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it. ~ Mark Twain
Often we don’t realise how much we subconsciously cherish negative thoughts. It may seem counter intuitive, but often a negative frame of mind occurs because we won’t let go of the negative thoughts and ideas. Sometimes the mind clings on to these thoughts with a feeling of self pity or injured pride. We don’t like the negative frame of mind, but at the same time are we consciously trying to overcome it? The problem is that if the negative thoughts go round and round in our mind they can become powerful and we lose a sense of perspective. Just make a conscious decision to ignore the negative flow of thoughts and sentiments and be persistent in these attempts.

2} Ask Yourself: Do I want to be Happy or Miserable?
Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be. ~ Abraham Lincoln
We firmly need to know and understand that a negative mindset is a choice you make. If we feel a victim to our own emotions and thoughts, nobody else will be able to help us. We should feel that by holding on to a negative frame of mind, we are inevitably choosing to be unhappy; each negative is a conscious decision to be miserable. If we really value the importance of our own inner peace and happiness, we will aspire to cultivate this through good, uplifting thoughts. Next time you feel the onset of a depressed state of mind, just ask yourself the question: Do I want to be happy or Miserable?

3} Surround Yourself With Positive People
Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher. ~ Oprah Winfrey 
Usually the best antidote to negativity is simply to spend time with positive happy people doing positive, uplifting activities. Sometimes if we analyze and examine our own negativity it does nothing to reduce it. By engaging in useful fun activities with positive and happy people, we forget about the reasons for our negativity; this is often the most powerful way to overcome a depressed state of mind. Positive Happy people often melt away all the negativity around them.

4} Don’t Accept Negativity from Other People
There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative. ~ W. Clement Stone 
There are no shortage of pessimists, critics and doomongers in the world we live in. There will always be people who can find the negative in life; but, there is no reason why we have to ascribe to their world view. For example, often in an office environment there is a negative attitude to the workplace, but, even if there are faults and limitations we don’t have to allow them to make us a negative person. right?

5} Let Go of Thoughts
The highest possible stage in moral culture is when we recognize that we ought to control our thoughts. ~ Charles Darwin 
If you can learn to control your thoughts, you can control the experience and emotions of life. The best antidote to negativity is learning the art of meditation. Meditation is more than just relaxation; it is a change in consciousness. We move from the limited perspective of our mind and discover an inner source of happiness. Making your mind quite is meditation enough. Just a few minutes of a quite mind can help tremendously in letting go of negative thoughts.

6} Live From the Heart
“Live your life fom your heart. Share from your heart. And your story will touch and heal people’s souls.”~ Melody Beattie
The nature of the mind is to be suspicious and critical. If someone does 99 good things and 1 bad thing, the mind will invariably remember the bad thing. If we allow ourselves to be drawn into highlighting the mistakes of others we will invite a negative mindset. However, if we live from the heart we are not drawn to the faults of others (even if they are insignificant). It is in the heart that we can have a true sense of oneness with others, their faults seem insignificant and we can feel a sense of identity with the achievements of others.

7} Don’t Sit Around Doing Nothing
The harder I work, the luckier I get. – Samuel Goldwyn
The worst thing for a negative frame of mind is to mope around feeling sorry for ourselves. Ruminating on our bad luck / worries / fears will not diminish them in any way. Exercise can be a powerful way to bring about a new consciousness. Negativity is often associated with boredom and lack of purpose. Stop endlessly checking emails and surfing web, look for something good to do. Put all that knowledge you have to good use.

8} Make Yourself Think of 3 Positive Thoughts
“You’ve done it before and you can do it now. See the positive possibilities. Redirect the substantial energy of your frustration and turn it into positive, effective, unstoppable determination.”~ Ralph Marston
If you are feeling really miserable and have a low sense of self esteem, try thinking of 3 good things that you have done. At a low time our own mind can be our worst enemy and very self critical. It is important not to lose a sense of balance; for the various bad things we have done, we have also done some good things. Remember them in your minds eye and feel the happiness in your heart.

9} Don’t Think Anything You Wouldn’t Say in Front of People
We often think things we would never say in front of people. If you are annoyed, disappointed with someone else, imagine what you would say to them in person. Sometimes when we are with people we are forced to behave; even if we are not particularly sincere the effort to avoid negativity can help us to overcome our bad mood. When you think positive, you feel positive. When you think negative you feel negative. Make a choice to think only positive thoughts, and even if negative thoughts find their way in, shoo them off by filling your heart and mind with positive thoughts and feelings.

With all the above suggestions and many many more, I have been coping with a particularly difficult time in my life too. I know, being a positive person you guys expect me to be miss positive always….but sometimes even I need a bit of a hand in the “positive thinking, being happy no matter what department”. The most important and positive of all qualities is knowing when to ask for help.

So here I am, asking all of you for your help in the form of prayers and love, so that I may come out of this period of my life with shiny, beautiful,  rainbow colors. I can already see the colorful rainbow….I just need your prayers to reach it and fly.

Please know that I love and cherish each and every One of you!

💌 Thank you SO much for your presence here! I appreciate it! 
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45 thoughts on “9 Simple Ways to Get Rid of a Negative Mindset”

  1. Dear Zeenat,
    This is an excellent post and interestedly enough I’m creating a draft on a related topic. What resonates for me are “Let Go of Thoughts” ” and “Don’t Think Anything You Wouldn’t Say in Front of People”. The reason they resonate is because that’s where negativity starts ie. with the thoughts we choose to entertain and grab onto. I am practicing allowing any negative thoughts generated by my monkey mind as clouds that simply pass through the sky and dissipate. I don’t acknowledge them or cling to them and I’m happy to say that I have been practicing this so long now they rarely manifest any more.

    I also find “Make Yourself Think of 3 Positive Thoughts” to be a very useful practice that sets the tone for my day. I start with an affirmation and end with generating 3 positive thoughts before I begin my morning meditation. In the evening before my meditation I have a gratitude practice where I visualize at least 3 people who have helped me learn a life lesson and inspired me and I send my gratitude to them. You and Sandra are always receiving gratitude in the form of golden apples from me. 🙂

    With much love and gratitude,
    TiTi

    1. Darling TiTi,
      You make me cry happy tears with your comment. I am so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful souls who think of me and send me superb golden apples 🙂 Thank you dearest! I love the visual of the negative though clouds dissipating….its so calming. Thank you for sharing that…I will be sure to use that tip and make all the clouds around me dissipate to reveal the ever shiny rainbow 🙂 I use affirmations too! And I do await your post which is gonna be on a similar topic….so much for me to learn from you.
      I love your comment and your energy here. Thank you thank you!
      So Much Love~

  2. Rand

    Hello Dearest Zeenat,

    I happened to be listening to my Patsy Cline CD when I came across this post. She has always managed to *ground* me with calm goodness…perhaps some of this goes back to when I listened to her as a young boy in the 1950’s…theres a vulnerbility, which she gave from her honest heart.

    From my heart this is my prayer for you:

    And from my *Apples of Gold* book:

    “If a psychologist assures me that I believe in
    God because of the way my nurse used to treat
    me, I must reply that he only holds that belief
    concerning my belief because of the way in
    which his nurse used to treat him.”

    Zeenat thank you for giving from your kind and honest heart…

    1. Rand

      Zeenat I have this for you today that I hope may help you feel more positive. To help you see the *perfection* of you…just like a *perfect* rainbow:

      Come Prima

      — A. R. Ammons

      I know
      there is
      perfection in being
      that I am
      holy in amness
      as stars or
      paperclips,

      that the universe,
      moving from void to void,
      pours in and out
      though me:

      there is a point,
      only itself,
      that fills space,
      an emptiness
      that is plenitude:
      a void that is all being,
      a being that is void:

      I am perfect:
      the wind is perfect:
      dishwater, running is perfect:
      everything is:

      I raise my hand

    2. Dearest Rand,
      You truly are a lovely soul..in a misunderstood world. Thank you for sharing your energy here ..for the rainbows and golden apples and all that you so generously share.
      we are indeed perfect creatures of the Divine.
      Much Love~

      1. Rand

        Dear Zeenat,

        Thank you for your kind words…you make me feel *perfectly* placed. I ‘placed’ “dishwater” for Ammons “ditchwater”…to be in keeping with your previous post.

        Much love also to you…

    1. Hi Sharifah,
      I’m so happy you found this article enlightening….thank you for stopping by and letting me know. I appreciate your comment here so much.
      Sending you love~

    1. Hi Mikey,
      awww..you make me blush blush …all these lovely compliments in such few words…a task only you can accomplish ‘mr. awesome with words guy’!
      Thank you for your beautiful wishes here. I so appreciate you.
      Much Love~

  5. Zeenat,
    Your tips are terrific. I’m sorry you’re going through such a rough patch in your life. I’m sending you a heaping helping of love and positive vibes!

    I have found that the more I focus on things that make me happy, the less anxious I am about things that are troubling. I have also found that being grateful helps as well. When I start an inner monologue of “thank you for this and thank you for that” I start to feel much better, quickly.

    I’m here for you dear Zeenat. Let me know what else I can do to help. (thank you for linking to my post too) Angela

    1. Dear Angela,
      You saying all this is like a huge hug for my soul. Thank you! I’ll definitely need a lot more love and good energy to get through this phase…but having you here…makes me feel better.
      I will definitely increase my gratitude practice …. now that you mention it…I have been so preoccupied with everything…that it has seemed to lapse a bit. Yay Gratitude 🙂
      So Much Love~

  6. Zeenat,

    This post is so perfect! Exactly what I needed to hear today. It help me do a switcheroo from a negative thought pattern that’s been drowning me to a positive one. Thank you!.

    I with you 100% If there is anything you need let me know. I’m sending you love and prayers each and everyday.

    1. Darling Sandra,
      I love that word switcheroo….ohh its too funnn! 🙂 It makes thinking positive so much easier.
      I’m so happy you liked this article…i am shunning negativity in every moment right now…. successfully so 🙂
      Thank you always for your love and support..youre such a darling friend.
      So Much Love to you~

  8. This is my first visit here and most definitely not my last! This post is one I can imagine coming back to read again and again…such wisdom and such hope that we can overcome the negative thoughts that plague us. I try to not allow them any room in my head but it’s hard work.:) Thank you so much for sharing this…I leave here encouraged and uplifted!

    1. Dear Colleen,
      I’m so so glad youre here and are enjoying your visit. I like that you dont allow negative thoughts to make room in your head. Thats a very affirmative way of handling those pesky negative thoughts.
      Thank you so much for your lovely words here. i appreciate you.
      Much Love~

    1. Hi Bongo,
      I have to agree and disagree with you all at the same time. One its not easy, but it isnt difficult or impossible either. A positive mindset is part of a habit we form over time. I’m sure if you give it a chance and are conscious of your thoughts…you will be a positive person. And believe me curing the world starts with first curing ourself. So we are well on the way na 🙂
      Thank you for your lovely comment here.
      Much Love~

  10. I liked this immensely. There comes a time when you have to not only be responsible for your actions but also your thoughts and feelings. Something I finally learned while going through my most intense and saddest moment this year.

    1. Hi Jen!
      Well said my friend! Taking responsibility for our thoughts goes a long positive way.
      Its the most trying times that teach us our most important lessons na. I’m glad youre now on the other positive side.
      Thank you for your lovely and inspiring comment here.
      Much Love~

    1. Hi Sulekkha,
      Youre right…we do have to train our monkey mind! But its a positive possibility.
      Thank you fro stopping by and sharing your thoughts here.
      Much Love~

    1. Hi Roy,
      Oh count your blessings is one of my favorite ways to focus on the positive.
      Thank you for sharing your wisdom here and blessings to you too.
      Much Love~

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    1. Hi Janaki,
      I’m so glad you think this is inspiring. Thank you so so much for your sweetest comment here. I hope to see you more often here 🙂
      Much Love~

  16. Hi Zee – Love your post, as usual..I like the practical wisdom of the 3 thoughts. I’m starting on that immediately. I’m sure this time will pass soon…all things work for good, my dearest friend.

    1. Hi Cor,
      Youre such a doll for being here, inspiring me, and then sending me all your good thoughts and prayers. I appreciate you completely.
      I’m glad you loved this post too 🙂
      So Much Love~

  17. As a fellow personal development writer i am very pleased that i’ve found my wy to your blog. This ws a really good article, writtten in a great style. People’s lives change the minute they understand the importance of a positive mindset. As a coach, i feel that i can help my clients make great strides in their lives if one, they can start to believe in themselves, and two, that they acquire a positive mindset, and thirdly, if they learn the techniques how to remove negative thoughts as fast as they come into the mind.

    1. Hi Larry,
      What a great comment! Thank you for all your positive words of encouragement on the style and writing of this article. coming from a fellow blogger and coach i do take it as a huge compliment 🙂
      You seem like a great coach Larry and I think all your clients are lucky to have someone like you coaching them. You are playing such a pivotal role in their lives.
      Thank you for being YOU and for sharing your wisdom here. I so appreciate it.
      Much Love~

  18. Florence

    zeenat,
    your blog is super inspiring…i have read a lot of articles such as this…and yes..it’s true..to just think positive..no matter what circumstances each person has to face..to live stress-free life..it’s just to accept your weaknesses and learn from it…each person undergo every process..and the best part of it is when you learn to let go and accept what life has to offer.

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  26. Wow, these are really helpful. Another great list. Particularly resonating for me are the “don’t let yourself think thoughts you wouldn’t say out loud” and not to “cherish” destructive thoughts. It’s so easy to feel there’s some value to negativity; we embrace reframe negative thoughts as “failures,” “warnings” and even “preparation” for disaster, but they really get us nowhere closer to love, productivity or happiness. Thanks for putting this in a digestible, direct way that clicked.

    1. Dear joy(hugtrip),
      Negative thoughts come to us cause we have been conditioned to think this way for years. In all reality when you get used to thinking positively it will become far easier to comprehend and understand that this positive you is infact your true nature.
      I’m very happy you liked this article.
      Thank you for taking the time to comment.
      Much love~

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