Some people say positive thinking doesn’t work. And some people say positive thinking is nonsense. Here’s what I think… Positive thinking doesn’t mean that you keep your head in the sand and ignore life’s less pleasant situations.
Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness more positively and productively. So, how do you think positively and stay positive even when you’re feeling depressed? Here are the 3 steps you can take to think positively when you’re depressed…
1. Accept the situation and feel it
Many things in life are beyond your control. For example, traffic, weather, negative colleagues, bad economy, or a burst bathroom pipe. These are the things you don’t want or need, but things you cannot always prevent.
And not having control over things can make you feel sad, angry, frustrated, or anxious.
The truth is that trying to change something you cannot, or denying it, only leads to more pain and suffering.
Rather than saying, “why is this happening to me?” Accept the situation and things as they are, which means you let go of your expectations of how things should be.
It means to say to yourself, “It is what it is, and there is nothing I can do to change the current situation.” Or better yet, say to yourself, “Things have happened, and I can’t change it, but I can always learn from it and make it better.”
You see, trying to change reality is a battle you’re guaranteed to lose. You cannot change what has happened. The only thing you can change is what you do and how you feel at this moment.
You cannot change the past, and you cannot guarantee what’s going to happen in the future. The only thing you have control over is your present moment.
So, accept the reality that things have happened. Doing so allows you to recognize and face the actual problem.
Here’s a good read: The Power of Acceptance: Stop Resisting and Find the Lesson
It is normal that you will feel sad, angry, or disappointed when you first acknowledge that you have no control over a difficult situation, but acceptance will help you feel lighter.
And acceptance is the key to moving forward.
2. Boost your mood and replace your negative thoughts
Now that you have already accepted the situation, it means you understand the situation you’re in.
You cannot fix something that you don’t know is broken. You can only fix it when you are aware it is broken. And hence, you can do something to boost your mood and replace the negative thoughts.
First, use positive self-talk to stop negative thinking. Rather than thinking to yourself, “No one likes me.”, stop, and ask, “Why do I think that?”
Constantly thinking to yourself, “I’m in deep trouble”, won’t do any good. Rather than filling your head with negative thoughts, switch them. Change the thoughts. Stop thinking about your problems or troubles, instead, think about what you can learn from them, and how they can make you stronger.
When you change your thoughts, you change your focus, and you can change your mood.
Read: How to Talk to Yourself Positively
Second, reframe negative thoughts with positive ones. Chances are, your depression is because you’re finding something wrong in your life.
And the more depressed you are, the more likely you’re going to find things wrong in your life. When your brain starts focusing on the negative, make a point to find something positive that’s happening.
Make a list of positive things that are happening in your life right now. For example, your brain may focus on thoughts such as “no one is including me in their conversation,” or “I’m not getting anywhere in life.”
Instead, reframe your thoughts and look for the positive.
Rather than thinking no one is including you in their conversation, think that you’ve learned and observed a lot through people-watching.
Read: 7 Surest Ways How to Get Rid of Negative Thinking
And third, practice mindfulness.
Use mindfulness to help you stay in the present moment. Being mindful means keeping your mind in the present, which helps you reduce your worries about the future and your ruminations about the past.
By the way, do you know that the more mindful you are, the easier you can attract and manifest the results you want? You can learn how to manifest success by managing your thoughts here.
3. Make positive changes that will elevate your mood
There’s no way you can stay positive if all you do is just sit and daydream about the future you want. If you want to experience positivity in the long term, you must do something and make positive changes to your life.
For example, let’s say your problem is that you feel lonely on a Saturday night. Instead of dwelling on it, you might start listing activities you can do, like watching a movie, going shopping, calling a friend, making a necklace, or chatting in an online forum.
Here’s another example. Your problem might be that you’re worried about not having money for your bills. Think of ways you can make a little extra money, people who might let you borrow money, things you might be able to sell, or ways you can cut back.
Additionally, you might look up things you can do for fun that are free or browse job listings to see if there’s a better job you could apply for.
Besides, you can also do things that make you feel happy. What’s your hobby? Spending time doing things you love will surely put you in a good mood and get you out of depression.
Or you can also spend time with positive friends. Although your depression may make you want to stay at home, going out helps improve your mindset.
Social outings are important for your well-being, and they can lift your spirits if you just enjoy the moment.
The key is to take action and get into motion. Don’t stay stagnant. Just like when you are drowning, don’t stay there, move!
That’s how you get yourself out of a rut. Even when you’re depressed, you can think positively by doing something that attracts positive vibes.
Read: How To Stay Positive No Matter What Happens In Life
Takeaway
And these are the 3 steps to stay positive when you’re feeling depressed. First, accept your situation, second, switch your thoughts, and third, do something to elevate your mood.
So, what is the one thing that you love doing when you’re feeling sad? Do you go out and meet with friends? Or do you prefer to go hiking or just listen to some uplifting music? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.