Don’t Worry Be Happy
Sometimes we find the motivation for change to be difficult. If we want something different, then we need change. Therefore, how do we overcome negative thoughts and remain in a happier place to fuel our motivation?
In my view, happiness creates more happiness so we should strive to find it and keep hold of it. If something keeps knocking it out of your hands, then what needs to change? Is it what you do or may be the people around you?
From my experience, when business owners plan to visualise what they want in the future, then they find this an easier process from a positive, happy position compared to one of negativity. In this blog, I will explore how we can overcome negative thoughts, retain happiness and I will share a couple of techniques to help your visualisation.
We can be the “Happiest” of people or the most “Positive” person that we can be, but we are still likely to face negative thoughts in relation to our circumstances.
Negative thoughts can impact your happiness. Some will find it takes a long time to build up the bank of happiness which can then be emptied with a single negative thought. One minute, you could be happy and the next, your mind is off in another direction. Don’t let negativity ruin your plans, day, hour, minute.
5 Ways To Overcome Negative Thoughts
1. Control your breathing – When you sense a negative thought, take a deep breath, breath slowly as you reflect and stop the negativity. A controlled moment to gather your thoughts will help re-focus your attention.
2. Keep things factual – quite often once analysed, many things you consider negative will be pretty irrational. Keep a focus on the facts and don’t cloud your thoughts.
3. Talk to someone – Who do you trust, that you trust and they truly want to listen. Often just talking it over, sharing thoughts, insight and options enables you to keep the thoughts real.
4. Take some exercise – it is a good way to force a break and clear your head. Whether it’s a walk, run or other form of exercise, it will occupy your mind with something else and erode the negativity creeping in.
5. Reflect on what you are thankful for – Regularly reflecting with gratitude keeps it real. Make a list of what you are grateful for and if you feel any negativity, then review your list to remind you of what you are fortunate to have.
As an example, I hear many business owners reflecting on what has not gone well and what needs to be improved due to their drive for something better. However, they often overlook what has gone well that day, week, month. I encourage you to sign off each day, journal the outcomes and in balance consider what also went well, what you achieved and take away the positives from your days activity.
10 factors to help your happiness
- Live in the present – What’s happening right now? Control the controllable. You can’t change the past, so don’t dwell on it. Just learn from the past outcome what you want to repeat or never experience again.
- Be Optimistic – protect your happiness by holding onto the future, not being deflected by something irrelevant. Accountability to your plans can really help here.
- Be Grateful – Appreciate what you have and understand the positives that you have achieved rather than just reflecting on what you can’t have right now or what went wrong.
- Smile, laugh – find humour in everything and see the positive side of a situation that brings a smile.
- Fuel your endorphins – these are the natural hormones that your brain releases when it senses happiness. Exercise and movement aids the release.
- Don’t worry about what other people think – a saying I have on my office wall “Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner”
- Keep things in perspective – only you can define that perspective for youself but know it and appreciate the knock on effect of this before deciding to live by it. For example, you could invest £999 in your business, but some will procrastinate or have doubts. Others will buy a new iPhone for £999 with no worries. You could watch a movie for 2 hours without any consideration, but feel that you don’t have time for 2 hours of learning? There is no right or wrong, it is your perspective.
- Don’t seek perfectionism – even when you get somewhere you strived for, a perfectionist will often feel it is not enough or not feel right.
- Give your time to someone else – family, friend, colleague, charity, other. This is a huge source of inner happiness for many people.
- Do what you’re passionate about – for work or for leisure. We have limited time, so do what you love and see it spark your happiness at every moment.
Visualise with happiness
When you are in a positive mindset and feel in a better place, you will find it much easier to visualise what you are aiming for. This is perhaps one of the most difficult things for busy business owners to do, but I assure you that it is much easier to get there and know when you get there, once you have visualised what you are aiming for.
Two ways to help your positive visualisation:
- Use a visual board – You may draw something out or bring in objects, pictures, quotes that help you think about your goals and objectives. As you are completing the board, continue to picture and describe what you are reviewing and how each piece plays a part.
- Describe your ‘Happy Destination’ – picture it, where is it, what do all your senses experience, why is it your happy destination? What is connected to the destination to help you remain there, so its not just a holiday? I find this is best experienced when relaxed, in a quiet place and you lie down / sit back, close your eyes.