A 2-Step Plan for Coping with Negativity

13 Elul 5767

I just learned from Booklocker, the publisher of my forthcoming book, that publication is in further progress. I plan to post a Media Release at this site as soon as the books are available for purchase.

Meanwhile, I want to share some insights with you about one of the worst problems that keep popping up during medical and emotional crises: NEGATIVTY. I've faced it lifelong, as have you. Medical or emotional crises increase our awareness of negativity. Here's a 2-Step Plan for Coping with Negativity. Use it when you're in a crunch.

1. Understand Who’s Responsible for Your Happiness

If we demand that someone or something change in order to make us happy, we place them and/or circumstances in control of our happiness. Dwelling on what’s not yet in your life is self-sabotage.

This concept applies to health and emotional crises.

Happiness is your responsibility. Keep inventory of what’s already “good” in your life. That helps you to weather difficult times. And it helps you to identify increasing goodness in your life.

Are people trying to help you?
Did something unexpected and pleasant happen to you?
Did something you dread fail to happen to you?
CELEBRATE!

And keep your positive moods going strong with smiles. Even when you must force a smile, you’re teaching your body that you can cope with distress.

Feeling down and can’t seem to shake the lousy mood? Announce out loud that you’re giving the negative vibes to the universe so the negativity can be recycled in some productive way.

2. Don’t Undermine Your Happiness. Avoid Commercials and Advertisements. I feel schizophrenic after reading or hearing content that tells me how wonderful I am, as I am. But the advertisements/commercials insist that I will not be fulfilled or realize my destiny unless I buy countless products to improve my figure, prowess, smile, income, furniture, etc. That tactic is great for publishers. They’ll keep selling their newest editions and broadcasts to insecure and confused customers trapped in the vicious cycle. Realize it for what is is: a sales tool with little to no bearing on reality.

Nobody gets to heaven or a calm state of mind because they used the correct toothpaste or scored the biggest business deal.

One more thought before I sign off today: I suspect that the reason so many forms of therapy (animal exposure therapy such as horse riding or holding warm, cuddly creatures, talk therapy, etc.) work as well as they do is because they maximize a person's intention to cope or to heal. Focus is key. When you increase your desire and awareness of how to cope with various issues, you do. You cope. And you heal as much as possible.

All the best, Yocheved