How can you try stay positive???

Kinda going through a weird phase of life. I'll give you some background real fast. When I was younger I had a absolutely terrible self image, totally negative attitude 24/7. Totally depressed all the time. So then I go to college. I somehow turned that around in college. Did a full 180. Became mr optimism, even though I didn't have much going for me. Well then things got better for a long time. Like life was easy, my attitude was great. I was my own best friend etc etc.

So now for a quite sometime things have been pretty bad in life. Nothing going good at all. Just bad bad and more bad. So what happened from what I can tell is my old persona crept back. I sorta became all cynical, negative and jaded about life. Like major chip on my shoulder. But I'm trying to think positive anyway. It's so hard though when it seems like everything and everyone in the world is against you.

Like how do you think positive when seems like all the odds are against you? I know my problems could be far worse. But still they're my problems, and they're real. And I find it's very difficult to try to enjoy life, or be positive when everything is going against you?

Now things might be clearing up a bit finally. But I still have to deal with a million and 1 problems. So how does one stay optimistic when facing all these issues. Like I'll feel good one day like I can take on all the problems and I try to stay optimistic, but then the other half the time I just think "why try, like who cares" and worse. And I'm all negative because I have so much crap to try and deal with, which often seems insurmountable. Like I wonder if can get back to any kind of optimism again based on my circumstances.

Anyway, let me know if you have any suggestions. As I've been thinking about this a lot lately and I thought I'd see if anyone has any good insights that could help? Thanks.

You could try and brainwash yourself with the Law of Attraction bit..

But, a million problems is pretty intense. Maybe you need to walk away from/wash your hands of certain situations?

...good luck

You need to work on controlling your thoughts, because they do create your reality. It is not easy but can be done. Meditation helps. Focus on the NOW and try to know/believe the future will work out. The past is gone - can't change it so no use reliving and regretting it. Firmly say to yourself "learned that lesson, moving forward".

Only you control your thoughts. Seriously ponder that. Where the hell else could they be coming from?!?"

I understand where you're coming from. Sometimes too many things happen for too long and it can change a person in some way. On a long distance call right now. If I don't get back to you tonight, I will tomorrow. Hang in there!

a reply to: lavatrance

Just try to deal with the most immediate issues now and keep telling yourself tomorrow will be better.
Sometimes you don't know how strong you are until you have no other choice. Heard that somewhere and it helped me deal with a very tough time I was going through.
Peace

a reply to: lavatrance

I like what this guy is saying:

Jeffrey Gitomer on positivity

I can completely relate, down to the timing of what you felt as well.

My life is pretty much garbage at the moment, and what I've found keeps my head from exploding is a focal point.

For instance, in a few years my wife and I plan on having an acreage, building our own house on it, and living off grid. In the mean time my main focus is researching that goal as much as possible, testing out various factors within it, and familiarizing myself with all the possible issues and tasks that we will have to face when we achieve this.

That focus allows me to deal with current issues a lot better, despite them being utterly horrendous.

Perhaps you too can find something to focus on and aim for?

You just prove feelings and emotions are transient and change is a constant in life. Don't let the bad times get you down as one day they will be replaced by good times and feelings and when they do change for the better appreciate them, because they won't last for ever. You have to appreciate the good to get through the bad and vice versa things will never be all good or all bad there will always be a mix of both. Just look at Taoist wheel, even when the black side is dominant, there are always bits of white in the wheel and vice versa. Maybe too simplistic, but why create anymore complication in life.

a reply to: lavatrance

Last month was going to be my last. This month has been good.

Without going all Dalai Lama or Captain Wisdom, life is an ongoing experience that changes from one nanosecond to the next. It's like our Self is a needle through which the thread of experience is being drawn...too esoteric? It's hard to describe, right?

Basically, just carry on keeping on because the bad times pass just like the good times.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

ya well the silver lining and perhaps adventure I got in the bad times is okay I guess. I learned tons in the process. So I am better off in some ways for sure

a reply to: Kandinsky

ya true true

a reply to: lavatrance

Just dance

(Mods pls review)

Or

“I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me.” ― Hunter S Thompson

originally posted by: lavatrance
a reply to: woodwardjnr

ya well the silver lining and perhaps adventure I got in the bad times is okay I guess. I learned tons in the process. So I am better off in some ways for sure

Sounds like you have a positive attitude

a reply to: lavatrance

One thing that helps lessen the blow on me is telling myself that tomorrow, at least one good thing will happen. When it does happen, focus on that small thing the rest of the day, and it won't feel so bad. It doesn't matter what the thing is: It could be you mastered that difficult piece of music, made a child smile or laugh, got praised for a tiny thing that you did, snickered while lighting matches in the bathroom, or even a phrase or joke that made you smile.

Another thing that helps is to do something calming - I draw, play music, and go on walks. Doing something like this, even for 15-20 minutes a day, will help to make the world a bit brighter.

I'm in a similar boat to you - Had quite a few bad times around the end of 2015. My resolutions were made around my happiness this year for 2016, so I'm a work in progress. If you need to chat, I answer my PM box roughly within a day or so. Hang in there - It could be a lot worse than what it is.

-foss

I always look for the things that are good because no matter how bad things are, there is always something good in there. And I also always tell myself that no matter how bad it is, it can only get so bad before it has to get better.

a reply to: woodwardjnr

no, but that's the thing. Most of the time I'm not too bad. But sometimes, I just get so depressed. Like I'm not myself. It's weird. I seem to catastrophise my situation.

a reply to: lavatrance just remember no feeling lasts forever and soon that depression will be replaced by another feeling, maybe a better one, but it will also not last. Most of us wouldn't want to live in a constant state of bliss or euphoria. We would soon tire of it and look for something else

a reply to: woodwardjnr

ya true