It can be easy to fall into a negative spiral and find yourself unable to stop unproductive thoughts. Especially as college students, we tend to fall short on positive thinking due to high levels of stress and exhaustion. So, if you find yourself having a short temperament or spiraling into an endless loop of negativity, you are not alone. Thankfully, there are tons of ways to counter these thoughts and not let them ruin your day.
“Stay Positive” is Not a Solution
When talking about countering negativity, some people have the “fake it til you make it” kind of attitude. For example, maybe you are trying to be more positive about waking up early in the morning. The “faking it” mentality would force yourself to express how much you love waking up early repeatedly until it becomes the truth. This strategy is not a good one. If you force yourself to say that you love mornings, it is going to feel like a lie because it is. A better way to combat your early mornings is to acknowledge the fact that you are not feeling it and follow it up with a simple “but that’s okay”, or “it is what it is” and continue to get up in the mornings. This way, you are not lying to yourself and will help you succeed in whatever you are trying to do, like being more positive about getting up early.
“What You Think, You Become” -Buddha
Following a similar theme as the first tip, it is important to remember that the day is what you make it. It is easy to view our days as fragile and can be ruined by a simple unfortunate event. If you have a stressful interview and 3 exams on the same day, the day is challenging but not destined to be horrible. If you are running late to work and your car will not start, it is a rough morning but does not let it sour your outlook on the day. It is important to still feel all the feelings when these things happen. Let out the anger, disappointment, and stress. But most importantly, move on from it. The day is not over because of these mishaps as the rest of it still has every chance in the world to be awesome.
Be Aware of the Negativity Around You
I have noticed that as college students, we tend to bond with each other through complaining. I even made some great friends from our shared hatred of a terrible class. This happens all the time and is 100% healthy. It becomes unhealthy if you only interact with those around you with negativity. Personally, I have some trouble with this. I tend to hop on the complaint train if it means I can make friends with someone around me. This, however, is not great when you are trying to be more positive. If someone wants to have a conversation with you about how much their class sucks or how they hate their roommates, listen to them and make them feel heard but do not absorb their negativity. There is a way you put a pleasant spin on the conversation without invalidating the other person. You can simply say something like, “That’s rough that you have your worst class at 8:00 AM. I hope it gets better,” and change the topic as smoothly as you possibly can.
It can be challenging to confront your negative thought patterns since it can feel pretty unnatural to change the way you think but is worth the effort. Your way of thinking will affect how you view your outlook on life and your everyday routine. Not to mention, you will be surprised by the kind of resilience you have underneath all the edginess just waiting to be tapped into.