Fighting the negative

I've been surrounded recently with negativity.

There's been plenty of complaining about people not doing what they should, not telling others what they need to know, not treating others the way they should, not having the same opinions... it goes on and on.

Along with this has been the stress of the "silly season" and the hot weather.

I've also been hearing of hard times that friends and acquaintances are suffering through.

Then there's all the craziness that's going on in the world at large, along with the fears and deeply-held convictions and conflicts it stirs.

And I find myself fighting desperately against this vortex of negativity.  I don't want it to suck me in and suck the life from me!

So how can I fight the tide?

I try to start with a little self-care.  You can't fight anything if you've got nothing in your tank, so I try to get enough sleep, nutritious (and delicious!) sustenance, and soaking the stress away at the end of the day in the pool is a good start (if it was winter, I'd be running a bubbly bath and lighting a couple of scented candles).

Next I try to remember how much good is in my life, and the things I like about the people around me.

This can be exceptionally hard when the people around me are making my life difficult and adding stress to my day, so it helps to have a list in the back of my head from when times aren't so stressed that I can whip out on days like these!

That person who just turned a busy patch into insanity, may also be the person who takes the time to ask about your life, adds laughter to the day, and contributes significantly to the great environment that normally exists.

You can't go past the power of music in the fight against the negative!  For me, the most effective is a bit of Michael Bubl'e, Meghan Trainor, Human Nature, or good Christmas carols.  Although, a bit of P!nk is often great, too!

Find something that makes you feel good, move, sing (even if it's out of tune!) and lifts the tension.

Finally, doing something for others is SO good for the soul and is a powerful weapon on the war against negativity.

Grabbing a cheap box of icy poles and distributing them to over-heated, cranky workers out in the sun, delivering a care-package to a friend who's having a bad time, making a call to someone who's lonely, or sending a letter to a loved one (a hand-written, snail-mail posted letter is incredibly special!) - it all takes your focus away from the negativity you're surrounded by, and lifts your vision to the "possible".  It reminds you that there's more to life than the current period of stress, and that people are worthy of love and respect.

I don't always win this battle.  There are moments, days, sometimes months when I succumb and dump my bleuch all over the world along with everyone else.

But I will keep fighting because I want my life to be full of the positive, the life-affirming, the reality that life is a beautiful thing.