8 Signs Your Negativity Is Ruining Your Life
We all have our bad days. It happens. Sometimes we just wake up in a gloomy mood or huff at how bad the traffic is. An occasional “off” day is normal, but when that “off” day becomes a week or a month, there’s a good chance that you dwell on negative thoughts in general.
Negative people rarely think of themselves as negative because they have a hard time recognizing certain thought patterns. And as time passes, negativity just becomes a part of their life, and soon enough, it’s stopping them from going after opportunities and enjoying the good things around them.
While it’s hard to identify negative thinking, it’s not impossible. Here are some of the most significant signs your negativity may be ruining your life and how you can overcome this challenge with a bit of effort.
1 — You Always Assume The Worst
While it’s normal to feel bothered by some things, always assuming the worst possible explanations for everything isn’t. No, your friend who forgot to call you isn’t avoiding you. Your partner who is busy with work isn’t cheating on you.
Some of us jump to the worst conclusion. And while sometimes our anxieties are justified, that isn’t the case all the time. If you find yourself gravitating toward more negative thoughts, have an open and honest conversation with the person involved. It will clear the air, and you’ll be more at ease.
2 — You Never Think From Another Person’s Perspective
You believe what someone did to you is unfair or think your partner doesn’t love you enough. You may even have some insecurities at the workplace because you didn’t get that promotion you’ve been looking forward to.
Instead of focusing on everything you didn’t get, put yourself in the other person’s shoes and try to understand their perspective. Why did they make that choice? What motivated them to do what they did?
You might learn a thing or two about yourself and your relationships. Like perhaps your partner is stressed with work and hasn’t been able to give you time, or maybe your colleague went the extra mile which earned them that promotion.
3 — You Think The World Is Unfair To You
You always get the short end of the stick. The good stuff in life passes you by, and nobody seems to care about how hard you work or what a nice person you are. You’re smart; why can’t you make bank like Jeff Bezos!? What’s so special about him!?
Life is never easy, but it is fair to those who make their own way in it, instead of whining about it. If you truly believe in your abilities, eventually, you’ll get to where you want to go. At the same time, it’s also possible that you’re not quite as good as you thought you are.
Nevertheless, playing victim won’t get you far. So if you’ve got an idea, stop talking about it and start working on it!
4 — You Feel Like You Can’t Depend On Anyone
Every time there’s a group project, you’re the one doing everything while everyone just sits back. But is that because they don’t want to work on it or is it because you won’t let them?
If you doubt everybody because your standards are too high, you can’t blame anyone when you are saddled with work. Can you even meet your own standards, or do you self-criticize to the extreme?
We see others the way we see ourselves, so if you can’t trust yourself, you won’t trust anyone. As tough as it might be, you have to learn to trust a few people and depend on them. This will build stronger relationships, and in time, remove suspicion, doubt, and negativity.
Originally published at https://interestingpsychology.com on October 15, 2021.
