Positivity Amidst the Rubble

Minutes froze as I struggled to focus on the task at hand. Empty silence filled the air except for the ticking of a nearby clock. It had been an early morning of rushed, last-minute errands before my shift. With little sleep and no breakfast, my day started on a sour note. My work shift consisted of disgruntled coworkers and long hours of mundane routines, and lousy weather.

The afternoon dragged for what seemed like years, but it was finally my last hour on the clock. I couldn’t wait to leave work and take the night off, relaxing at home with a good movie and a bowl of buttered popcorn.

As the clock struck 5:30, I grabbed my purse and dashed to the door with a “See ya tomorrow!” to each coworker I passed. Starting up the car, I reviewed my mental checklist of leftover errands I needed to finish. Oh well. Errands could wait till tomorrow. I headed home with a sigh of relief—I’d cleaned my house the night before so that I could relax without any housework.

As I fumbled my keys, a slight bark greeted me from the other side of the door. I cautiously turned the doorknob, and my heart immediately sank. Scattered throughout the entire apartment were dog bedding and polyester foam. What a mess! I tossed my keys and sank into a chair, full of frustration and lost delusions of a relaxed evening. As I walked throughout the apartment, I noticed a massive hole in the linoleum floor and shaved wooden trim. I spent the evening cleaning and adjusting our financial plans to pay for new flooring in our rented apartment.

Embracing Positivity

Do you ever feel like when a bad day hits you, everything negative multiplies? Whatever the situation, big or small, the day continues to get progressively worse. These days, I struggle to remain optimistic about the rest of my day. I let the stress of work and small inconveniences set the tone of my week. I’ve developed this mindset that my entire day will involve frustration and stress when something goes wrong. Although this is an unhealthy practice, it’s normal to get bogged down and let negativity control your emotions. I’ll admit that, more often than not, I allow unpleasant circumstances to dictate my life. And due to this, I’ve ended a lot of my days in negativity. So how can we redirect our negative emotions into a mindset of positivity?

1. Tell yourself it’s not permanent. Life is filled with millions of moments, and this moment of frustration will soon pass. Despite uncontrollable circumstances, you can control or redirect your attitude. A moment doesn’t have to dictate your day; it only controls you if you let it.
2. Surround yourself with positivity. Although this might sound cliche, it’s one of the most effective ways to let go of frustration and negative thoughts. Treat yourself, or better yet, treat someone else to something nice. Serving others spreads joy and allows you to focus on others instead of your own negative emotions.
3. Bathe your thoughts in prayer. If you’re still struggling to rid yourself of a pessimistic mindset, ask God for guidance. If you can’t seem to have a positive focus on a light at the end of a tunnel, go to the Light. Talking to our Heavenly Father will often give one peace and clarity.

In moments of stress, ask God to help you redirect your day. Try focusing on the good, and dispose of the bitter taste you might wish to dwell on. Develop a mindset of positivity that looks for the good amongst the rubble. We all experience setbacks, but if we redirect our thoughts and take them to God, He will help us prevail against our natural human instincts.

If you liked this, you might also like Go Negative | Staying Positive During Covid-19 and the Power of Words 

Madeleine Lowe writes from Indiana.

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