Positive thinking

[starrylizard]

Anyone got some simple positive thinking techniques?

Comments

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

I don't know if it counts as positive thinking or not, but usually I go "it could be worse" and think of how worse it could've been and then I'll be glad that it wasn't worse.

Like I said, I have no idea if that counts. :P

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

I can see how that'd work depending on the circumstances. Thanks

[rynnalyn.livejournal.com]

Sorry to jump in, I know we don't know each other....

I was taught: Restate anything negative that comes out of your mouth immediately. Sometimes (even when I'm alone) I'll say out loud "this is the worst day ever" or "I can't believe I'm so stupid" And immediately I change it to something like "I really don't like these circumstances" or "I can't believe I made a mistake like that". Which then I change to "this will be a great story to make other people laugh" or "chalk it up to a dopey moment"

My therapist taught me that when I was a thirteen year old with a penchant for dramatic and fairly dark exclamations. It actually makes me feel better and makes me rethink what I'm saying and why.

Also, it was suggested that I use the dictionary version of words. So words like heinous, which I used for everything, I was encouraged to view differently. My Dad famously once told my sisters and I "Murder is heinous, TABLECLOTHS are not heinous" <-- still makes me laugh.

Say what you mean, mean what you say, don't be dramatic. Simplest way to think positive. But I was taught that 20 years ago. =)

[leavingslowly.livejournal.com]

Ditto. Or I just eat ice cream. That always improves my mood.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but also increases ones waistline. :P
Thanks hon!

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Oh don't apologise, please. Unlocked posts are unlocked for a reason. I love drop-ins, especially with good advice. Thank you!

I went to a hand-holdy, touchy-feely team-building thing a few years back when I was doing my PhD and, despite my general loathing of such things, ended up using a lot of the relaxation exercises they taught us for all sorts of things. I have this feeling they touched on positive thinking then too, but for the life of me I can't remember any of that part of it (maybe I was too relaxed to take it in, lol), so I was hoping someone would have some.

I've got a less than pretty negative spiral happening atm that could use a smack in the face. And simple sounds great!

Thanks again. :)
Lizzie

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Hugs ya Hun. I wish I had some workable suggestions for you. Might depend what you are needing to feel positive about... Work? Self? Family? All of the above?

I like the suggestion above.

If I'm feeling particularly negative something usually comes my way to show me my life isn't really that bad. I try to look at "me" in the wider picture of the world and realize that a heap of people have it worse than me. Much worse.

I also find making plans on how to change something I'm not liking works....like taking control of something ( for me it was drinking,,)

Wish I had a good suggestion for ya. *hugs*

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

When I go down, it's all of the above. Usually I try to "fake it til you make it" and it often works. Just pretending you're happy and not bringing everyone else down often leaves you feeling weirdly happy, but yeah, I know there are more specific techniques out there.

[ash48.livejournal.com]

There might be something here that might help?

Oh and I like fake it til you make it. :)

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

thanks for the link.

Yeah, depression runs in my family and I think most of us just kinda fake it, so that's what I do. My grandma used to say "Hold your head high even if your tail feathers are drooping". No idea where the saying comes from, but it always stuck with me rather like my mother's "Fake it 'til you make it". I do love wise women. :)

[ash48.livejournal.com]

Ahhh - depression. It is indeed an awful thing. Runs in my family too (my twin bro and sis have both tried to end it all...), so I know what it can mean.

Sounds cliched but one of the best "remedies" I know of (and have seen this work) is exercise. Apparently the endorphins released from the brain after exercise can really assist with feeling more positive.

Worked incredibly well for my hubby during a really bad bout of depression. He basically has to exercise regularly to keep it in check.

Oh and I love the tail feathers saying. Wise women indeed.

All the best.

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Yeah I know what you mean, I try to keep the exercise up too. *nods* Especially as it keeps my back pain away too. Sorry to hear your family is plagued by this too.

[not-sally.livejournal.com]

I think I'm not qualified to give advice (on anything) but when I was going through the roughest of times, I always remembered to wear sunscreen I always found support, entertainment, and place to get my head away from my problems and just to breathe for a bit, in fandom (specially since my RL bffs are here too) so...
Find that one ridiculous thing that brings you joy and go there, as often as you can, while you're trudging through whatever challenges you.
It's like: imagine every tiny problem as an epic quest: and you're the heroine in this journey, and you know the movie will have a happy ending so it's up to you to "re-dress" your troubles in monster's clothes and get slaying.

[lark_ascends]

For me, the things that often work is reading chick lit and watching something light and fluffy like Gilmore Girls.

*smishes very very hard*

[rynnalyn.livejournal.com]

Hi again! If I might share: I'm bipolar so I have a lot of techniques I use just for me. I don't know if you're still looking for ideas, but these are another three I use.

1) Pick one thing and clean it. Like, scrub it til it gleams. If you can't be happy about everything around you, take pride in one thing. so for instance, it might be the freezer door of your fridge or the side door window or, anything, but don't pick "the kitchen" or 'the car" that's too much. Pick one thing and make it the best it's ever looked. I don't know why that works, but it works for me.

2) Here's a touchy-feely moment. when you go to bed journal 5 things that were great that happened that day. No joke, I remember once writing "the toast didn't burn" because I had no great things happen, but as you keep it up, you start to focus on positive not negative.

3) Here's my religious moment: pray. Don't pray for yourself or for what you want. Don't make it a scary or overwhelming thing; and if you're not a pray-er then think positive thoughts for someone else.

When I'm in a negative spiral I go to bed for days, I feel your pain. =) I hope that you find things that help you slap that spiral back down!

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

Hey thank you! Seriously, I love how helpful people are online. I think just thinking about positive thinking is helping. It's brilliant! :D

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

I think that's probably why I just mainlined two seasons of The Listener in a week. *G* Thanks

[starrylizard.livejournal.com]

I think that's probably why I just mainlined two seasons of The Listener in a week. *G* Thanks