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Mark Manson agrees that by all objective measures, the country is in pretty good shape these days. So is the rest of the world. And yet:

Like you, like seemingly everybody, I have also felt as though the world is spinning out of control and there's nothing we can do about it. I'm exhausted from all the stories of shootings and attacks and bombs and the constant stream of awful stuff that is happening out there. I, too, feel desensitized and dejected from the seemingly constant carnage raging across the planet. And because this feeling is new and unique to me, my first assumption is that the world must be more fucked than it's ever been before. After all, I never felt this way 10 years ago or 20 years ago. So things must be worse, right?

This is via Tyler Cowen, who says Manson's explanation for this feeling is "not my view." However, it is my view. Or at least partly my view, anyway. Manson concludes that things aren't worse, but we're now so overexposed to the worst parts of society that it's hard to believe it:

Cameras, the internet, and most importantly, social media. This is what's new....In the attention economy, people are rewarded for extremism. They are rewarded for indulging their worst biases and stoking other people's worst fears. They are rewarded for portraying the world as a place that is burning to the ground, whether it's because of gay marriage, or police violence, or Islamic terrorism, or low interest rates. The internet has generated a platform where apocalyptic beliefs are celebrated and spread, and moderation and reason is something that becomes too arduous and boring to stand.
And this constant awareness of every fault and flaw of our humanity, combined with an inundation of doomsayers and narcissistic nihilists commanding our attention space, is what is causing this constant feeling of a chaotic and insecure world that doesn't actually exist.
....Outrageous news and information spread faster and further than any other form of information, dominating our daily attention. This is both good and bad. On the one hand, we become aware of some of the grossest injustices in our society as soon as they happen. On the other hand, all we hear about are the grossest injustices in our society as soon as they happen.

....This is our brave new world. When all information is freely available at the click of a mouse, our attention naturally nosedives in the sickest and most grotesque we can find.... When we are exposed to police, we only see the worst 0.1% of police. When we are exposed to poor African Americans, we're only exposed to the worst 0.1% of poor African Americans. When we're exposed to Muslim immigrants, we only hear about the worst 0.1% of Muslim immigrants.

I think there's a lot to this. I doubt that police killings of unarmed black men has gone up. In fact, it's probably gone down. But now we know about it whenever it happens. Politics has always been divisive, but in the past we didn't have full-color cable channels dedicated 24/7 to rubbing our noses in it. Minor outrages happened in communities all over the country, and most of them we never heard of. But in today's outrage-driven social
media, every ignorant school board decision, every college kid who sends a dumb tweet, every city council member who emails a racist photo of President Obama-all of them become national news. This doesn't mean that school boards, college kids, and city council members are any worse than ever. It's just that we're more exposed to it now.
This is hardly an all-embracing explanation of why we feel so chaotic and insecure. In fact, my guess is that the main explanation is that we don't really feel more chaotic and insecure. We've just forgotten about how we felt in the past. Still, there's something to this, and I agree that simple exposure to things that were formerly ignored has made the world seem worse. This is especially the case when interest groups insist on gathering up all these minor outrages on a weekly or monthly basis and blasting them out to their members. It's how gun owners can think that gun rights are under assault and foodies can think that everything we put into our bodies is poisonous. Neither is true, but if you're force fed a diet of small outrages constantly, it's hard to disagree.

So what's the answer? I don't know, and it's hardly unique to social media. I've long been convinced, for example, that local news is responsible for our often absurd fear of crime. It's been dropping steadily for 20 years, but it still leads the local news nearly every day. How would anyone know that America is safer than it's ever been?

My hope is that, like everything, we'll eventually get bored with outrage. Or at least with the social media version of outrage. It's a wan hope, perhaps, but in the meantime you can always read my blog.

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If the world is getting better, why do we all feel so much worse?

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Mark Manson agrees that by all objective measures, the country is in pretty good shape these days. So is the rest of the world. And yet: Like you, like seemingly everybody, I have also felt as though the world is spinning out of control and there's nothing we can do about it.

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Ways to go from negative to POSITIVE

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We all fall prey to negative thoughts every once in a while. But it's letting them linger that leads to a negative mindset. Even when you think you're successful, consistently keeping your mindset positive is essential. Changing your mindset from negative to positive is possible, but it takes work.

How do you change your mindset from negative to positive?
While keeping a positive mindset takes constant work, it can be done by following these steps:

1. Neutralize the negativity bias.

2. Exercise gratitude.

3. Celebrate milestones.

4. Force your mind to stop blaming and complaining.

5. Quit postponing happiness.

6. Influence your mind by switching to healthy living.

7. Focus on improving yourself and not everything around you.

8. Fully utilize what you have.

9. Find someone to put things into perspective.

10. Force a positive mood of the day into your subconscious.

11. Feed your mindset with positive content.

12. Challenge your interpretation of the negative.

13. Start interrupting the negative thought loop.

14. Humor yourself with opposites.

Although the answer above seems straightforward, you may need detailed, actionable steps to conquer the negative mindset completely. In this article, you will find ways to overcome a negative mindset and learn how you can make your positive mindset stick.

14 Practical Ways for Changing a Negative Mindset to a Positive Mindset

Are you tired of making affirmations that don't work? Do you try to meditate but fail miserably at it? Don't fret. Check out the following ways you can crush negative thinking and choose tactics that you can consistently work on.

1. Neutralize the Negativity Bias.

Have you ever wondered why you ponder on the negative more than the positive? The negativity bias is the reason why. The New York Times discusses the negativity bias in the article " Praise is Fleeting, but Brickbats We Recall." This bias is why our minds focus on the negative more than the positive.

For example, if a gun was ever pointed at you in the streets, you can vividly remember the way it was threatening, and anything else irrelevant like who was passing by at a distance will be almost impossible to recall.

However, most of the good memories are not easily described, with details all over the place. Your subconscious records the most significant causes of your emotions, and the stronger the feelings, the more accurate the memory. Similarly, if you remember details of an occurrence more vividly, it affects your mindset much more.

Since the negativity bias mostly influences your negative mindset, neutralize it by focusing on the good things in your life by putting them in writing. You can ask yourself:

What are the slightest good moments that I ignore?

When have I had happy moments with my family?

What great things has my partner done for me?

What's the best thing about my business that I could use to my advantage?

What positive things have I done when alone in the past to feel good?

Once you've written things that have caused good feelings in your life in the past, you can start focusing on those positive moments, one by one. Continue writing your good memories until you start looking at your situation from a positive angle. This can only work if you are honest with yourself.

2. Exercise Gratitude

Have you been thankful for anything lately? If your mindset has been predominantly negative, chances are, you have forgotten to say thank you.

Gratitude brings peace to your mind. It sends it a signal showing that everything is okay. And if your mind consistently feels that everything is okay, negative thoughts of anxiety, fear, and frustration will start fading.

Being grateful for what you have doesn't mean you shouldn't aspire for more, and it doesn't mean that you should feel sad regardless of what you have, either. Being grateful is a constant way of saying you are thankful for what you have, and you are ready for more.

But gratitude cannot be forced. If you say thank you only because you feel like you have to, it won't make you feel better. Why? Because it doesn't come from your heart.

Truly being grateful requires sincerity. To exercise genuine gratitude, you have to be thankful from your heart.

3. Celebrate Milestones

A negative mindset can make the love of your life turn into a monster in your eyes. It can turn little setbacks into massive failures in your mind. It can make you believe that the world is dark, chaotic, and a place you don't need to be anymore - until you start celebrating your wins.

Negative emotions feed a negative mindset. Therefore, you need to savor the achievements you have in your life occasionally. You need to feed the positive mindset continually, and drifting through life without fun isn't going to do it.

Any milestone you hit calls for a celebration. It makes you take a moment to be appreciative. This will feed your positive mindset, and the negative will continue fading away.
You can change a negative mindset to positive with this life plan:

Create a goal plus actionable steps to reach it.

Start working on the goal and embrace consistency for continued action.

Step back and enjoy the excellent feeling your accomplishments bring.

Get started on the next goal.

4. Force Your Mind to Stop Blaming and Complaining

Think hard and realize the things you blame your friends, family, coworkers, or even your country for. Is it their fault? Even if it is, can't you think of a way out? For every challenge we experience, there is always a way out. And it could be as simple as letting go.

Complaining can make people who love being around you begin to avoid you. Blaming everyone else for any setback in your life leads you further to resentment.
To overcome blaming and complaining:

Be conscious of every moment so you can catch a complaint thought that could manifest in words.

Even if you think it's worth saying, resist.

As you are exercising self-control, think of a better way to deal with the situation.

If you come up with a solution, suggest it.

As you resist complaining, you force your mind to think of a better way of dealing with a situation. Sometimes, if there's no better way in your mind, you feel relieved since your complaint would have made you look foolish. This is one way to facilitate the shift of a negative mindset to a positive mindset.

5. Quit Postponing Happiness

Do you know why many people can't be happy? It's because they think it's a destination. They have tons of wishes and goals and expectations but no plans. There is a possibility that they will reach their happiness destination, b ut they won't achieve the "grand, unending happiness" that they believe they will.

Happiness, kindness, and all the other things that result in a positive mindset are cultivated. Every day and every moment are a fleeting chance for developing a positive mindset. You can't just do a one-time switch from a negative to a positive mindset forever. You have to continue finding happiness.

You can start where you are right now; find what can make you switch to good thoughts. Look outside the window and enjoy the world around you. Look at your loved ones and think of the best things about their character.

" The Research-Backed Key to Happiness: Train Your Attention," explains that scientists confirm that happiness and positivity are about attention. Train your mind to see and focus on the good things around you.

If you are happy, negative thoughts will be blocked by your mind. It won't find time to dwell on them, and this will help you develop a positive mindset.

6. Influence Your Mind by Switching to Healthy Living

" Healthy Body, Healthy Mind " discusses that developing a healthy, positive mindset can be aided by maintaining your physical well-being. This is why a person relying on drugs and alcohol to dull negative thoughts never becomes positive. It's an escape, and it worsens their health, thereby prompting shallow negative thoughts to take residence in their mind.

If you wish to change your negative thoughts to positive while you keep on sleeping late, eating junk, and making other similar unhealthy decisions, it won't work. A mindset shift needs you to be self-aware, and you cannot be self-aware if you are under the influence of drugs, alcohol, and self-destructive behaviors.

Healthy living does not only require staying away from harmful substances. It also includes eating healthily and exercising. Not everyone can go lifting weights in the gym or practicing martial arts. But there's an exercise for everyone.
Apart from reducing your use of junk food, drugs, and alcohol, you can overcome a negative mindset by doing these fitness exercises:

Aerobic hobby activities like dancing, biking, walking, gardening, swimming, playing sports and games.

Strength exercises like lifting weights and resistance training.

Flexibility exercises like regular stretching and yoga.

Balance exercises like Tai Chi and body weight shifts.

7. Focus on Improving Yourself and Not Everything Around You

A desire to change the world is noble. But you cannot neglect to change yourself first. If you hate how corrupt and self-centered your leaders are, be the opposite and hope that others will be influenced to do the same.

Many depressed people blame the government for their unemployment. While unemployment is a viable reason to be upset, dwelling on it to the point of depression doesn't benefit anyone - instead, their focus should be to employ themselves.

Although you might not like the reality, changing people is hard. Humans dislike change. People can see sense in what you are telling them, and they may wish to follow, but human nature can get in the way. You might be prepared to do what it takes to change, but others may not be.

This can bring one frustration after the other. But the truth is, unless you decide to embrace your beliefs and not impose them on others, nothing will change within you. You'll keep pushing, getting rejected, and becoming more negative.

But you can change that. In any situation you don't like, strive to do things that will bring a positive outcome. Instead of trying to change people, change yourself - or adapt.

8. Fully Utilize What You Have

A negative mindset is mostly associated with not doing enough with your existing resources. Instead of dwelling on what you don't have and what you can't do, do what you can do with what you have.

Think of the many people who have succeeded against all the odds. They could write the multitude of reasons they wouldn't make it in life, but they instead harnessed the courage to do it.

Remember, negativity stems from every extreme emotion that hinders progress. So, instead of dwelling on the negative, use the positive to propel you forward.

9. Find Someone to Put Things into Perspective

Mostly when we are negative, we magnify our bad situations beyond what they are. In such times, we need someone to compare our situations objectively to let us know what we are dealing with.

Find someone you can trust and be open with about your feelings. If they look into your situations without the bias that's in your subconscious, they can tap into your positive mindset based on how they know you.

Call your extremely positive friends and let them fill your mind with hope. Sometimes, you don't have to tell them what you're going through. Just hint at it, and they'll be happy to talk to you, and you'll take another step towards a positive mindset.

10. Force a Positive Mood of the Day into Your Subconscious

If you want something that you can practice every minute of the day, this is it! Decide what positive mood you'll have throughout the day and act on it. Some great attitudes are gratitude, compassion, and playfulness.

If you choose playfulness, do a happy dance every chance you get. If you choose gratitude, say thank you throughout the day and mean it. If you decide you're going to be compassionate, give some change to the beggar on the street, donate to a charity, or volunteer to do something kind.

Neuroscientists revealed that a smile sends a chemical reaction to your brain and triggers happiness. Use this part of human nature to shift from a negative mindset to a positive mindset. Every time a negative thought enters your mind, resist focusing on it and get back to your intended mood.

When you consistently do this, you'll start noticing the good things that you've been ignoring in your life. If you continue focusing on the positive, better ideas regarding your life will come, and your negative mindset will fade.

11. Feed Your Mindset with Positive Content

Your mentality manifests negatively or positively, depending on how you feed it. If you feel negative lately, it's because you've been feeding it with negative content. And it's time to change that.

If you've lacked in finances, love, motivation, spiritual growth - whatever problem that your negativity stems from, find a book that can feed your mind positively. It doesn't have to be a book only; it can be compelling blog posts, podcasts, movies, videos - anything that can distract your negative thoughts.
If you want to explore books on positive thinking, here's a list of the best:

Harness confidence when you need it most with The Power Of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale.

If you're tired of self-help gurus who sugarcoat the path to success, Real Help by Awodeji Awosika should be helpful.

Grab The Four Agreements and escape from the misery that societal beliefs have led you to.

Gradually learn to overcome the negative mindset using the tactics in Don't Sweat The Small Stuff by Richard Carlson.

To get access to the things that shifted the mindsets of the most successful people in history, get Think And Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill.

12. Challenge Your Interpretation of the Negative

Sometimes, we take constructive criticism and turn it into negative voices in our heads. This gets more intense as we continue to pile all the supposed negativity into our subconscious.

Have you ever challenged your negative mindset? If not, try today. The moment you start to think of what someone has said negatively, think deeply. Did they say you aren't good enough or that you needed to improve?

If you prevent your emotions from reading a comment negatively, you will be more objective in your responses. Combined with the other positivity reinforcement strategies that have been listed, you will start thinking positively in no time.

13. Start Interrupting the Negative Thought Loop

You know it that long story you keep swirling in your mind the moment you start to think negatively? You keep telling yourself how useless and purposeless you are. Then, you see a picture of your friend who seems to be doing good lately. And the loop begins:
"I just lost my job, and if I don't pay my mortgage by next month, I'll be kicked out. What if I fail my only child? What if my life stays this way? My wife will leave me, and I'll become an alcoholic since I grudgingly recovered only last year. I'll become useless, and this world doesn't need useless people like me..."
The above negative thought loop might seem a bit extreme, but it shows you what a negative thought loop can do. See, at the start, the above thinker might be sad but then somewhere in their thoughts, they become anxious then depressed. Why? Because they didn't break the negative thought loop.

Is it impossible? No, it's pretty simple. Choose to break the negative thought loop every time you realize it is happening.

Once you break a negative thought cycle, you'll start noticing the thoughts fading away. The little breaks you allow yourself to have will get you back to the positive probabilities that can push you forward.

14. Humor Yourself with Opposites

Negativity is always limiting. It tells us we can't do this, we can't do that, we can't be this, and so forth. However, when we are negative, humor snaps us back to reality - showing us that the negative thought might not be real after all.

If your thoughts state, "I suck at public speaking, so I am going to make a fool of myself in front of all those people," lightheartedly twist it into, "I am going to speak so eloquently everyone will love my speech."

This exercise might make you laugh, and you'll feel your mood getting better. Even better, you'll start viewing the situation differently with less negative energy and more openness to possibilities.

How To Make a Positive Mindset Stick

It's one thing to change, but it's another to make the changes stick. Just like an addiction to drugs, keeping a negative mindset can plague you repeatedly. As said earlier, cultivating a positive mindset isn't easy. However, if you apply the following mindset reinforcing strategies, chances are, you'll be experiencing more positivity.

Everyone will experience positive and negative mindsets, but the one a person dwells on is what they'll experience most of the time.

In this story about Two Wolves, you are told of a man who tells his grandson that two wolves are fighting inside everyone's mind - a negative one, which involves anger, ego, selfishness, and more and a positive one that holds joy, kindness, and gratitude, among other virtues.
When the grandson asked which wolf wins, the man answered, "The one you feed."
This simple story illustrates the power of what you feed your subconscious. Everyone suffers from negative thinking at times, but it's those who fight it that prosper.

Surround Yourself with Positive People

Researchers concluded that if you surround yourself with positive people, you become like them. They call it the positivity effect. Although many people know this, they might ignore it just to fit into a group of people. If this is your case, you must get rid of the negative company to achieve a positive mindset.

This doesn't mean you have to ditch a friend that's having a difficult time. Analyze your circle and loosen attachments with people who consistently drain happiness out of you. If their main focus is on what they don't like in life, their friendship is not healthy for you.

You'll find your "tribe" when you start focusing on what you want. You can go to online forums and Facebook groups that address your interests while you attract a physical circle in time.
Here are some tips to help you find positive people around you:

Their energy is contagious in a way that you'll feel them lightening your mood.

You find yourself ruminating on the positive ideas you shared with them.

They encourage and support others.

Indulge in Altruism

It's difficult to focus on the bad while doing good. This statement rings true because when you are genuinely interested in helping others, you can't find time for negative thoughts. As you help others, you discover a new, better version of yourself that you'd like to keep.

Also, by focusing on the problems of others, you'll discover better ideas that make your view of life change. A problem you've been struggling to solve will become simple as you brainstorm positive ideas.

Learn the Language of Positivity

When you choose to learn a language, you have to practice it for you to become fluent. The same applies to positive thinking. Embracing positive thinking aids in self-improvement, and if you keep digesting personal growth content, you won't forget your mindset shift.
From time to time, remind yourself of the things you've learned, the decisions you've made, and apply them as you move on in life.
Avoid Overexposure to Negative Media

Every day, media outlets mostly stream bad news. While it's good to be updated on what's happening all over the world, focusing on negative news can be dangerous to your mindset.

However, when you watch and listen to too much of it, your view of the world becomes more negative. So, control your consumption of negative media and visit more positive news sites.

" Positive Stories and Good News from Around the World" gives some excellent positive news sites to check out, such as Good News Broadcast and Inspiration Line.

Stay Healthy

The strategy of becoming healthy shouldn't stop after a mindset shift. You need to find simple ways you can stay healthy for the sake of your mind. You can follow this simple checklist to ensure that you are healthy in all aspects:

Get enough hours of sleep.

Consume a healthy, balanced diet.

Dance every day and occasionally go for walks.

Meditate to focus on your most important short-term goals.

Read a book every week or month.

Record and Be Grateful for Your Progress

This could be in the form of achievements you thought were impossible when you had a negative mindset. Write them down and be grateful that you've reached that far.

Being aware of what you have achieved in the face of challenges gives you the confidence to call off negativity every time you sense it. Also, thank God or the universe for the achievements that bring you happiness and the courage to seek more success.

Wrapping Up

Your thoughts can transform your life in ways you can't even begin to imagine. Just like consistency is crucial for success, it is also essential for mindset development. You can change your mindset from negative to positive if you work on it. Will you stop blaming and start acting? Which of these mind-changing strategies works best for you?

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14 Ways To Change My Mindset from Negative to Positive? | oursubconsciousmind.com

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We all fall prey to negative thoughts every once in a while. But it's letting them linger that leads to a negative mindset. Even when you think you're successful, consistently keeping your mindset positive is essential. Changing your mindset from negative to positive is possible, but it takes work.

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The media has power over our views and opinions. We are greatly affected by this.