A positive attitude is just good medicine for all aspects of life. Negativity is like a poison that will systematically destroy your life and career, but hopefuly by the end of this short article you will understand the downspiraling process.
It all starts with influence. It starts with family, friends, music, television, social feeds, etc. When you get a steady diet of positivity, you are inclined to be positive. When you have a steady diet of negativity, you will, in turn, be inclined to be negative. Even people who are generally positive can find themselves on the dark side because of who and what they have let begin to influence them.
1. Battlefield of the Mind
Influential people and things knock on the doors of our mind through our 5 senses. These influences, people or things, are like mailmen dropping off a package at your house, we can sign for the package or we can refuse it. The reason we can become so negative at times, is that we have let too many negative influences drop off their garbage and we voluntarily accept the trash. If we can stop the negative poison at this point it won't take root.
2. Roots of the Heart
If we continue to let the poison of negativity into our minds, then it takes root in our heart. You know you have arrived at this point when you think about negative issues way too much. You might even day dream about negative issues or how you can get even with someone. You frown all the time or you may even lose sleep and feel stressed out. This is the most dangerous point in the process, because negativity is eating at you down on the inside. If not dissipated, it will become so full that like a cup it will start to overflow and show up on the outside.
3. Words Hurt
When the poison of negativity begins to overflow from your heart it shows up in your words. Your conversations will start to take a toxic turn for the worse, especially when conversing with those you may see as the cause of your anguish.
Everytime you open your mouth, negativity will find its way into the conversation and when you do say something nice, it is with great mental pressure and choice words that carry an aire of dissatisfaction.
You may even begin to speak negatively, whether true or not, spreading negativity just like those people and things that spread it to you when they bombarded your mind. In other words, welcome, to your new job as as postmen who somehow also delivers the trash.
4. Trashy Relationships
How would you feel if every time we met I kept leaving my trash bags with you? I see you at home, and I leave a trashbag with you, or I see you at work and I leave a trashbag with you. Then maybe I see you at the mall and I am like, Hey here is my trash.
How long would it be before you stopped talking to me or started avoiding me? That is exactly what happens in all of our relationships when we let the toxicity of negativity have its day. It destroys our family lives, our friendships and even our careers.
The Antidote for Negativity
I hope that by now you understand how negativity can ruin your life. It is a process of time, and reversing the effects of negativity and maintaining a positive life is also a process that takes time.
Mainly, watch who and what you let influence you. The problem with most of us, and why we don't know how we or a situation got so bad, is that we don't think these influential people or things are truly influencing us. We think, Oh it is just a song, or don't mind my friend, that is just the way she is, or he was in Vietnam and that is just the way old Army dogs talk, etc. Everyone and everything you come in contact with influences you in some way.
Fill your cup with positive influences and then that is what starts to show up in your speech, relationships and physical and mental health.
When influencers come to drop of their trash, don't take it. Learn to tell your friends, family, coworkers and even your spouse that your are not a trash collector and you would appreciate them being more positive. Guess what magically begins to happen when you keep denying their trash, they take their trash elsewhere or find ways to deal with it.
Eventually if enough people deny their trash, they will have to face the mirror and see that they need to rid themselves of that trash once and for all.
Thank you for taking the time to read this article, and I hope that you understand how negativity is poison to everything around you and everything you hold dear.
Lastly, you may ask how can I help others with their negativity? The process for helping others through their bouts with negativity is tough, but explaining and moreover modeling the correct, positive behavior is truly the best strategy. You can also share and discuss this article with them.
Benjamin Moriniere "Sensei"
Professional Martial Artist, Inspirational Speaker and Business Consultant.
