Staying Positive in a Bad Situation

Growing up I was always taught to have a positive mindset. Especially playing competitive sports during my prime athletic career! I have taken this mindset to my financial life and this is what really fuels me to stay positive, even during the most difficult times.

If you are experiencing hard times, you are not alone.  People all across theUnited Statesare struggling financially.  The current economic situation has created financial struggles for many people and for some the outlook is bleak.  When you are in that place of stress, fear, and worry it is hard to stay positive or see any reason to be happy. But finding a way to be happy is the most important thing that you can do.  Focusing on the positives in life can help you get through the rough times that everyone goes through.

Moving Past the Cliché

This might sound like a cliché, and I get that saying it is much easier than doing it, but keeping a positive outlook is going to help you to recover from problems quicker, be happier, and find things in life to be grateful for.  There is nothing more important than that.

I’m going to encourage you to move out of the mindset of cliché, no matter how difficult that might be and read on with an open mind.  These tips for staying positive in a bad situation might seem too simple, but once you put them into practice you will see how powerful they can truly be.

Seven Tips for Positive Thinking 

  • Remember the Gift of Time In time the economy will recover and so will your financial situation.  No matter how bleak your money matters might seem in the moment it will get better.  Life is made up of small moments and each moment gives you the choice to see the good or the bad.  Remember each moment in time is a gift with the potential for good things to come your way.
  • Find Some MotivationSometimes when you are in a dark, negative place it is easy to get sucked into apathy and non-movement.  When you freeze and stop your momentum it will only drag you down further into negativity and that won’t help your situation.  If you find yourself having a hard time, do something that motivates you to get up, go, and do something else.  If you need to, enlist a friend or loved one to give you that extra boost in the right direction.
  • Set Some Goals Look at some simple things that you can do to change your life for the better.  If you are in serious financial trouble it might be time to look at your budget and see where you might be able to cut back.  If you are in need of work, take some steps to spruce up your resume or check in with you potential contacts.  Pick a few small, easily obtainable goals, to help make the bigger goals seem more possible.
  • Shift your PerspectiveWhen you start to get pulled into negative thinking, take a step back and change your perspective.  No matter how dark things seems, you can always think of one thing that makes your life better.  It could be something as simple as ice cream.  It doesn’t matter what that good thing is, shift into positive thinking to pull you out of negative space.
  • Be Grateful When you wake up in the morning, start your day by thinking of at least five things that you are grateful for in your life.  And again, at night before you go to sleep, think of another five things that you are grateful for.  If you feel so inclined, grab a journal and write these things down.  By remembering to see all of the good things in your life you will draw more good towards you and this will help you to shift out of negative thoughts.
  • Stop Thinking Negatively This might sound easier said than done, but stopping negative thoughts can actually change your life.  Shift your negativity by asking yourself some questions like: will this situation be important to me in a year?  If not, there is no reason to be worried or upset over it.  If it will, then see what steps you can take right now to improve the situation.
  • Take Your Own Advice If a friend came to you for advice on the situation you are in, what would you suggest they do?  Typically you already know what needs to be done to improve your life, you just need to start doing it.  Instead of waiting for something to change, look at your circumstances and see what you would advise a friend to do.

Finding the good in life, even in the worst of situations is important for your overall health.  Science has proven that positive people have healthier lives, with fewer medical complications, and more success.  Science has also proven that people can change their thought patterns to be more positive.  Isn’t it worth being a little cliché to have a better life?

So, how do you stay positive in bad situations?

Guest Post Author Bio: This post is written by Kody Green, Co-founder of Financial Money Tips. Be sure to check them out or follow on Twitter @moneyperk.


Comments

Staying Positive in a Bad Situation — 32 Comments

  1. Thanks michelle! That is good! I always try to be positive also. To be honest there is no reason to live life full of negative thoughts. I like your attitude, keep it up!

  2. Being positive such an important aspect of life. Too often people let bad things bring them down. Sometimes its just one bad thing and people let something small ruin their whole day when so much more positive things are happening.

  3. I agree time is a gift. I feel so sorry that Whitney’s time is up. It made me think much about my own family and the things that matter the most to me. It made me grateful, which I guess is a way to stay positive in a bad situation. Anyway, thanks for providing the tips.

  4. I would agree that the gift of health is probably top one for me. But what I have been noticing is that what helps me stay positive is ‘being present’. It is true that ‘the past is history; the future is a mystery; and today is a gift – this is why we call it the present’.

  5. I was raised by my grandmother who always saw the world in the darkest colors. If anything good was about to happen, she always was expecting it to turn out into something bad. Surprisingly, I grew up with being a very positive person.

    • I give you a lot of props! That is not an easy thing to do in those circumstances. I don’t think it’s surprising at all though because people don’t become someone on accident. You turned out to be a positive person because you are smarter than most. You were able to see the bigger picture, and learn from others around you.

      Just my honest opinion.

  6. Haha Daisy! Im laughing because i can totally relate. You are right it is extremely hard to stay positive, but the more we pratice the easier it gets. Keep thinking positive and things will work out.

    When i get grumpy i try to look for the smallest things that will help brighten my day. Like your name Daisy puts a smile to my face 🙂
    Little things like that definitely help me.

  7. Very interesting article.
    I’m in a very difficult situation and would like to have your suggestions to be able to think positively:
    My father suffers from a serious cancer, and I have developed a major depression after learning the news, and right now I’m on sick leave.
    I have almost no social support (no friend) except members of my family and they start to be tired to take care of my father.

    I have always worked hard at school, but I have never been good at understanding anything, and I’m not good at my work. I have never had any passion or anything that I enjoyed so that I could now rely on to try to get out of my situation.

    I would really appreciate to have your comments!

  8. Amanda – I am really sorry for your troubles.

    My answer to your question is actually pretty simple. However, it works like a charm (assuming its good weather outside). If you are tossing and turning and can’t sleep at 4 or 5 am, then most likely its because of stress. Therefore, you should think about going on a gratefull walk and think about all the things in life you are blessed with. When you feel blessed you can’t be stressed. You see? Not only that but when you are blessed instead stressed you focus more on whats important and solutions rather than the unimportant.

    I got all of this from a dog named bubba. A book called “the positive dog” simple but powerful. This was sent via android so sorry if I have any punctuation errors.

    I hope this helps at least a little bit.

  9. Oh Ya Amanda.. If walks dont interest you then try to feed your positive dog some other way. I say positive dog because stress is caused by fear, negativity, doubts..etc read a book about positivity. And practice turning every situation into a positive one. In most circumstances you can replace the word “have to” in a sentence with “get to” and turn the situation into a ppositive one. For instance your husband “gets to” look for another job instead of “have to” because its going to be for the better.

    Turn every thought into a positive one and it may just help you sleep.

    • I love the positive dog idea. If you feel blessed you can’t be stressed! I do find walking is helping and have taken to walking late at night with my husband and we really pound out the pavement and try to work through each others ideas and thoughts. I do have an overwhelming feeling that things will work out not necessarily how we want them too, but good lessons will be learned. My husband says there is a job going at work that pays 40,000 less than he gets now but it would help us get through with his redundancy. He does have to win it first and plenty are lining up! I need to try to see this as an adventure. I am a control freak by nature and this time of stress is really helping me learn to let go more and just live in the moment. Please keep your fingers crossed and add us to your prayers that this week something good happens!!!! Thanks so much you are really a great help to me.
      AMANDA

      • Me again! How do people keep getting up when they are continually getting knocked down? That is my question. I know life is like a roller coaster at times- but I think my life at the moment is crazy! I am trying to stay busy, stay focussed, stay positive. What happens when you can’t take anymore? Does just slapping on a happy face help? Is there anyone out there who has felt like this? My new mantra is: moment in time this too will pass and another one that is helping is one foot in front of the other keep moving. Have you any other helpful mantra’s I can focus on?

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