How to turn negative into positive thoughts

It's easy to get caught up in negativity. But fortunately, it's also easy to change your thoughts for the better. If you're feeling upset, sad, or frustrated about anything in your life – no matter how big or small – here are a few things you can do to start thinking positively:

Ask yourself why you're experiencing these negative feelings. Is it because someone has said something hurtful? Or because of what happened last week? Or perhaps it's that situation that will never resolve itself? Once you know the root cause of your negative emotions, make a list of what might be causing them. Then ask yourself if any of those causes could ever change and produce more positive outcomes for you. For example: Is the root cause of your anger because you're studying for a test that's a week away, and if you fail this test, you'll fail the class? In this case, the only thing that can change is to study harder.

When I was in college, I was taking a French class in which all of the students had to write a paper, orally defend it in front of the class and then grade each other on their presentations. I could have easily gotten upset about how everyone else in the class was presenting their papers perfectly while I struggled to get my points across. But instead, I asked myself what was causing my feelings of negativity. That was the moment I realized that I was making myself feel bad about my performance in the class because I felt guilty for not doing well enough to match my peers. Instead, what could I do to raise my grade? It turned out that doing extra research and reading up on grammar rules would have helped me finish my paper on time.

Write a negative sentence or statement down and then reverse it by turning it into a positive one. For instance: "He hurt me." (negative) -> "He loved me." (positive)

For many people, the words "coulda, shoulda, woulda" will quickly raise their blood pressure and make them feel hopeless. Yet, you can turn these words into positives by asking yourself what you could have done better. Or what you should have done differently. And, if you had the chance again, would you make that decision?

Recognize when your negative thoughts are going to pull you down. If they do, try to shake them off and replace them with something more positive. For example: "I hate cleaning my fish tank!" (negative) -> "I love my fish!" (positive)

Try talking to someone about how you feel. This can be helpful because it will remind you that other people may also be in a similar situation as yours. Or maybe someone has been through what is upsetting you and knows how best to handle it. If you don't want to talk to someone, you can write down your feelings and then list the positive outcomes that could happen if you were able to let go of those negative thoughts. For example: "I hate cleaning my fish tank!" (negative) -> "I love my fish!" (positive)

Learn better techniques for dealing with your feelings so that you don't have to beat yourself up over them. Stop asking yourself why things are happening, and instead, think about how they might change in the future. For example: "I hate cleaning my fish tank!" (negative) -> "I love my fish!" (positive)

How to Turn Negative into Positive Thoughts

Like the majority of people, the first time I felt upset about something was when I was younger. That's because I'm prone to negative thoughts and it doesn't take much to make me feel upset. But all of these tips can help you turn those negative feelings into positive ones that'll have you feeling better and happier more often, too. [END OF ARTICLE]

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Title: The Art of Making Good Friends

 ARTICLE START

The Art of Making Good Friends

Have you ever had a friendship that just fell apart? Was it cut short when you or the other person did something so wrong that there was no turning back? Or, maybe instead your friendship became strained as time passed and you or your friend started to change. Either way, it's natural to feel saddened or frustrated by losing a friend. After all, having someone to talk to about what's going on in your life can make you feel happier and more fulfilled. Nevertheless, it can be hard to know how to stop a friendship from disappearing or make sure that new friendships are formed. Fortunately, these 8 tips will help you learn how to find and maintain great friends who will stick with you for the long haul.

You may have noticed that there are people in your life who are supportive of most things you do, but there are also others who really understand what makes you tick. The first kind of friend is easy to keep around because their opinion of you won't change depending on your actions. The second group of people will fully understand you and your motives for doing things. They'll never take your actions personally and be there for you because they like who you are as a person.

This way, your friends will never blame anything that happens on their actions, but instead focus on everything that can go wrong will. This makes them feel better about themselves because they won't have to worry about being blamed for anything negative. So do you want to cultivate an understanding friend or two? If so, here are some tips that'll help you make this happen:

Start by being open with them. When you share your real self with friends, you can feel comfortable enough to let them know what's going on in your life. They'll appreciate and support you if you're honest and they'll be here for the good times, too. Instead of being dishonest or concealing things from friends, try asking them to get involved if they want to help out.

This will also give friends a chance to help contribute to your life. If they feel like they have something worthwhile to offer, then they'll feel great about doing it and will enjoy being around you more. And that's how it should be because relationships are about giving and receiving love and friendship, not getting something for nothing!

Take an interest in what others are doing. When you genuinely care what friends are doing, it makes you feel good. You'll no longer be concerned about whether or not they're "doing their own thing" and whether or not they've moved on with their lives. Instead, you'll worry about making sure that everyone around you is happy and that none of them are sad about anything.

This will make them want to talk to you more because your honest interest in them will give them the feeling that they can share anything with you and don't have to hide things from you.

Conclusion

Here's a quick recap of the top 8 tips to make good friends and keep them around:

Be honest with friends. Take an interest in their lives and contribute to it. Be accepting. Don't blame each other for things that happen. Communicate openly and honestly with your friends, but don't assume that they know you already. Communicate about everything openly and honestly, including personal problems or feelings that you may be dealing with or want to deal with. Completely understand one another by listening well and asking questions when needed. Be yourself as much as possible by being honest about your feelings, thoughts, insecurities, strengths, weaknesses, wants and needs with friends.