Negativity Is an Illusion

You are highly attuned to negativity, but what you focus on gives it power. Use these five strategies to dispel the illusion.

“All negativity is an illusion created by the limited mind to protect and defend itself.” — Ambika Wauters

Negativity sells precisely because you are wired for it.

This attraction to the negative is often referred to as negativity bias. You tend to remember and even obsess over what you perceive as failure, bad luck, insults and anything else that leaves a bad impression.

Humans were conditioned over many millennia to be highly in tune with negative aspects of life. Those who did it best tended to survive longer. Your negative tendencies are rooted in evolution and genetics.

Does that mean you are doomed to be a negative person?

Absolutely not! You can use this form of bias to your advantage with the following strategies.

Remember the nature of your negativity. Your mind subconsciously seeks out possible danger. Acknowledge the information and move on. Just knowing why you behave this way often dispels the hold negativity has on you.

Use negative comments as a springboard to improvement. Has anyone ever told you some equivalent of this? You aren’t good enough. You don’t belong here. You can’t do that. At first you perceive it as an insult, but you can CHOOSE to use it as motivation. Pin it on the wall. According to Elan Gale, “negativity is fuel, it’s fire, you shouldn’t lose it... When someone tells you you can’t do something, you prove them wrong.”

Counter negative self-talk. Your inner critic feeds on negativity. Counter it with your inner coach. For each negative reaction, oppose it with a more constructive, positive one.

Redirect your attention. When the world turns negative, stop what you are doing and switch to something both meaningful and positive. Your subconscious will perceive this action as moving away from danger. Things will settle down.

Enjoy Positive Moments. Negative moments are more memorable, so you must savor the positives as they occur. Revel in them. Play them up. Make them bigger. Share them with others.

What you focus on gives it power. Allowing negativity to rule your life is a CHOICE.