How Negative Thinking Can Help You Be More Positive
Be positive!
That is the message we hear all the time. Feeling down? Feeling sad? Feeling depressed?
Just be positive…right?
But sometimes a little negative thinking is exactly what you need to feel more grateful, happy, and positive.
I am talking specifically about the Stoic practice of Negative Visualization. It is a powerful practice to increase feelings of gratitude. The practice of Negative Visualization is reflecting on how things could be WORSE than they are.
How does the practice of Negative Visualization work to make you more grateful?
- Unhappy with your job? Imagine that you were unemployed.
- Frustrated with your kids? Imagine they were sick.
- Wish you had a bigger house? Imagine that you were homeless.
No matter how bad things may seem, they can always be worse. You can be thankful your situation isn’t as bad as it could be.
It sounds, well…negative.
But Negative Visualization helps you realize how good you have it by taking time to briefly reflect on how much worse it could be. The intention here is not to go around all day thinking about how much worse our lives could be. That would be depressing.
But taking a moment to reflect on how things could be worse will make you more grateful for how they currently are. Things aren’t nearly as bad as they could be. Or even as they may seem in the moment.
So, the next time you are feeling down. Instead of trying to force yourself to feel positive, take a moment to be a little negative.
And be grateful for how good you have it.
