The best way to wipe out negativity is to starve it.
Negativity can’t survive without fuel.
But removing it?
That’s hard.
Because like a fire needs oxygen, negativity needs unhelpful thoughts.
And the fuel for these thoughts is everywhere.
There is a better way…
To fight a fire, a CO2 extinguisher replaces the oxygen with carbon dioxide.
There’s no room for the oxidiser and, as any science student will tell you, remove the oxidiser and – poof – the fire’s gone.
Rather than attempting to remove the negativity from life (almost impossible) how about replacing it with a positivity whoosh?
Here are a few ways to replace negativity with some positive firefighting.
Do any one of these and you’ll dampen a negativity blaze.
Do three and you’ll give it no place to breathe – but it could reignite.
Do them all and you’ll extinguish the negative and pump in the positive.
Music – If you don’t have a ‘feel-good’ playlist make one now.
Read – (Caution – The Daily Mail and their ilk don’t want to report good news, they thrive on creating fear and negativity) focus your reading on words that make you better.
Watch – Have you ever entered a YouTube vortex? Where did those hours go? If you are going to watch something, make it rewarding and helpful. TED Talks are great. So are these https://www.youtube.com/c/MichaelHeppellVideo/videos.
Listen – There’s a podcast for everyone on everything. The greatest minds are sharing their wisdom – for FREE!
Friends – If it’s true that you become like the people who you spend most of your time with, then choosing to spend more time with those who make you feel fab and less with those who drag you down is a must.
Social – Facebook can be fabulous, but it can also be a grandstanding gutter for some rather unpleasant people. If you are on Facebook, bookmark the groups and pages that make you feel fab. Like How to Be Brilliant – with over 4,000 members it’s the beacon of positivity. https://www.facebook.com/groups/HowToBeBrilliant
I’d love to know your ideas for extinguishing negativity – please leave them below.
There’s a copy of my book ‘Flip It – how to get the best out of everything’ for our favourite. Be Brilliant!
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Go and watch your favourite football team get stuffed 0-3 in the freezing cold and wet…. oh no, hold on, positivity… nah, sod it, that’s what football is all about anyway, and if we are having a good moan about the result, striker or referee, it keeps out the other silly negative nonsense that goes on in our head… and there is always next week.
Thank you Michael – love this and agree on the Ted Videos – I also recommend a podcast called Sondership by Danny Attais – Sonder is a great word and Danny and his guests do a fantastic job to explain and enthuse on the wonder of life and serendipity.
Sonder is the realization that everybody around you, even strangers, are living a life just as complex as yours. Sometimes your hurting so bad and you feel your the only one. But after all your hardships you start to realize that everybody is so unique and you aren’t the only one. Everybody lives are so indescribably different and there is no way you will ever understand their lives. To sum it up you are realizing that your not the only one living with such chaos and complexity. All people lives are unique, strange, chaotic, and complex, just like yours. Your not alone.
I love to listen to lively classical music, like the 1812 Overture and pretend to conduct the orchestra.
This is great advice. I know it works and this is the motivation I need to keep it going.
Thank you Mr H.
I find cardio exercising helps remove negativity
I think about the thing that I am feeling negative about and wash my hair ( actually or visualise washing my hair ) whilst singing ” I’m going to wash that …. right out of my hair, I’m going to wash that …. right out of my hair ” something about physically washing my hair ( even imagining it whilst scrunching my scalp with my fingers) and imagining or watching the “negative stuff” stream away down the plug hole…then that can be replaced by a burst of ” I feel good …like I knew that I would” changing state woohoo !
I think about the thing that I am feeling negative about and wash my hair ( actually or visualise washing my hair ) whilst singing ” I’m going to wash that …. right out of my hair, I’m going to wash that …. right out of my hair ” something about physically washing my hair ( even imagining it whilst scrunching my scalp with my fingers) and imagining or watching the “negative stuff” stream away down the plug hole…then that can be replaced by a burst of ” I feel good …like I knew that I would” changing state woohoo
Just move, Dance, run, shake it off, hula hoop, keep going until you laugh. Never fails.
Either… gallop a horse or drive a sports car at high revs. The kind of adrenaline rush that leaves your hair in a mess and a huge grin on your face! Works for me every time 🙂
I have started ‘my little book of happiness’ on 10.1.22. Every day before I close my eyes I write down what made me happy today. Today I will add that the sun shone in the bathroom this morning and I found the first snowdrop. good luck with this to all of you
For me, it has to be a walk in nature. Trees and flowers and waves don’t judge and it’s difficult to be negative when you are surrounded by natural beauty. Even in the worst of times it brings me solace and gets me out of my head.
I experienced an abusive childhood for many years, growing up was difficult BUT because of my life experiences I flip it around & work in mental health. My experiences have deepened my empathy, I still have difficulties at 49, but whatever you’ve been through, use it for good.
Put a vertical line on it.
Equate or make ‘it’ POSITIVE.
– = +
I listen to my favourite music and sing along and sometimes rock along. If Not, I read from my bedside collection of James Thurber and Roald Dahl