5 Useful Ideas to Turn Negativity into Positivity (Natasha)

One of the biggest problems you might have in your life is being stuck in a negative mindset too often. I feel this way probably every single day so I know this happens to a lot of other people too. Here are a few of my ways I turn negativity into positivity.  

See the Bright Side of Whatever Bothers You 

No matter what makes you feel negative, you can likely see there’s a benefit for you or someone else in some way. For instance, maybe you feel depressed each day and feel as though there’s no hope for your future.

When I feel this way, I choose to see it as a challenge the universe is forcing on me. In my mind, this challenge will eventually make me a better person and improve my quality of life. So, I commit to face my fears and do something about my problem. In this case, my problem is depression so I make a commitment to deal with it in healthy ways. This could be by volunteering, taking care of my health and well-being, or just trying to have fun when I don’t feel like it at all. The point is I never give up and persevere. And I encourage you to do the same thing because you matter. 

Create Art That Makes You Happy 

In all probability, I’m sure negative images come to your mind when you’re not feeling like yourself. I know this happens to me regularly and at these times I can hardly live with myself.

Instead of allowing these unpleasant images to bring you down, try putting positive ones in your head by creating art. In fact, you don’t have to be a professional artist to enjoy being artistic. I usually create simple artwork and find it to be one of the most satisfying activities I’ve ever done. You can paint a picture of flowers and put happy faces on them, draw bubble letters that say “I love myself” and color them in with markers or colored pencils, or make a clay sculpture of a vase and paint it in your favorite color, among other things. Art therapy is extremely beneficial to one’s health. Personally, I find it to be even more beneficial than spirituality, religion, or anything else I’ve tried. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs help escaping negativity.  

Make Yourself Laugh 

Just when I think I can’t handle life anymore, I remember how much having a sense of humor helps.

I draw funny doodles of people who make me dislike them and color these in with colored pencils. Then I laugh at how foolish they look as cartoon characters. Plus, I like them a little bit more because at least they made me laugh. In addition, I watch cartoons, read comics, and basically use creativity whenever I can to boost my positivity and have a sense of humor. Each time I feel negative, I try to figure out how my negativity can benefit myself or others so I can be happier and have peace of mind. 

Volunteer to Inspire Positivity in Others 

When I feel selfish or down, I can’t always make myself feel positive. Rather than dwell on what bothers me, I know I have to try a new tactic to be more optimistic.

This is when I often turn to volunteering. Since I know making others happy makes me happy, I’m confident doing good for others is the right way to go. Furthermore, doing something selfless for someone in need can be meaningful and completely worthwhile. You can volunteer by making crafts for needy children, becoming an e-mentor, making care packages for homeless people, or doing anything else you can think of. I volunteer by writing (for example, this blog article), and using my art skills. And if you don’t feel like volunteering, you can do good deeds such as donating food or clothing to a homeless shelter or baking your dog or cat a pet-safe treat.  

Do a Self-Care Activity 

If you’re negative, it might be because you don’t care enough about yourself. When I feel this way, I practice self-care.

This could be spending extra time alone to relax, doing meditation or yoga, eating a healthy meal or snack, or taking care of myself in some other way. (If you can’t stand to spend time alone, I’d suggest fostering or adopting a pet for companionship. This helps me a lot!) After I do a self-care activity, I’m surprised that making such a small effort to care for myself helps me feel so much better about things. 

All things considered; negativity can ruin anyone’s day but positivity can brighten your inner world. Indeed, we don’t always have a choice about how our lives turn out but we can choose to see the bright side of our problems and learn from them. Although it can be a serious challenge to stay positive, we don’t have to waste all of our valuable time feeling negative. Therefore, try telling yourself that you matter every day because it’s the truth. If you’re not feeling like your best self and would like support, please know you can contact us anytime here at Letters Against Depression. You can request to receive one of our letters of hope and support by going here.