13. DWELLING ON THE WRONG, MISSING THE GOOD

When you find yourself overwhelmed by negativity, remember this…

It can be easy to dwell on what is going wrong.

And by dwelling on what is wrong, you miss what is right. There are good things around you. Sometimes, especially when anxious or stressed, it can be easy to overlook the good. Your brain takes the easy route and focuses only on the negative.

Negative thoughts lead to more negative thinking which can become a pattern, a habit, the way you consistently view the world. Consider for moment how that negativity affects your mood and your actions!

Changing one’s mindset from dwelling on what’s wrong to noticing what’s good takes work. It isn’t easy. One way to start this work is to keep a gratitude list. Every day write down three things for which you are grateful. Noticing small things like the sun was shining nicely today or my dinner was very tasty helps your brain to learn to notice other good things. And that’s an excellent coping skill!

What good things can you notice about your life today?