Close Ad

Cultivate gratitude - Thankfulness
Mindset

How to Break the Cycle of Negativity by Cultivating Gratitude

We often meet people in our lives who are unhappy. Sometimes they might not even realize it themselves. They might get angry at everything, or have trouble communicating. They might not like being alone with themselves for very long.

Is it possible to beat that state? There are many examples of people who do. So can you.


Break the Cycle of Negativity by Cultivating Gratitude

How to Break the Cycle of Negativity by Cultivating Gratitude

Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.

- Eckhart Tolle

Everyone has trouble from time to time, and it can seem there are always reasons to get angry or upset. If you start to think of everything bad that has happened to you, be it with relatives, colleagues, situations, or mistakes you've made, it's easy to feel a sense of loss.

But our minds are like computer programs in a way. When we focus on our sense of loss and get sad or depressed about the negative things that happen in our lives, we create new neuro-connections in our mind. This repeats every time we do it, and we end getting ourselves caught in a negative cycle that keeps bringing us back to the same dark places.

We literally feed our negativity with our thoughts. The important question here is whether you want to continue that suffering. If the answer is "no," then here is our next step: We can't get rid of trouble in our life, but we don't have to focus on it. Our mind is programmed based on what we focus on. Instead of anger, trouble, and complaints, we can focus on gratitude.

Create an anchor of your gratitude

The easiest way to break the habit is to create an anchor. Find some small thing that you like -- a stone, a little key-chain, a cross, an amulet, anything. Hold it in your hand and start thinking of everything you are thankful for in your life. Can't find what to be thankful for? If you are reading this, you can at least be thankful for your eyes, for life, for the world, for words and language, for thoughts and heart.

That process of holding a symbol of that gratitude in your hand will always be available to you. And now, every time you get into a negative cycle, just take that amulet and start feeling gratitude for what you have. Each time it will be easier. At some point, you won't need a symbol anymore, because you will have enough new neuro-connections in your mind to get to your place of gratitude without it.

Change your thinking, change your life

We often consider our brains to be ourselves. We forget that it is more like a tool that we have control over. Negativity, anger and sadness come mostly from safety mechanisms. Our emotions and brain are both there to protect us, and our neuro-connections respond to situations with the aim of protecting our habits. If complaining is your habit, your mind will try to protect it. 

Begin by being thankful for your mind, and expressing your gratitude by giving your mind time to rest. With time, you can change your mental habits, to create a world of neuro-connections that are built for joy and love. With these emotions in your life, there will be no room for negativity.

Hot Stories

Why Paul Walker Left His Only Daughter With Vin Diesel

Vin Diesel & Paul Walker were more than just friends, they were …

content.jwplatform.com

When the tragic news of Paul Walker's death surfaced, the world was left in shock. As one of the most beloved stars of the Fast and Furious franchise, his passing was felt deeply by fans around the globe. But perhaps the most devastating impact was felt by his daughter, Meadow Walker, who was left without a father.

Keep ReadingShow less
Life Stories
4 Signs You've Found a Kindred Spirit, Not a Soulmate
friends wearing same outfit

Spirituality exists beyond words — to a dimension where language can only hint at deeper truths. Any words used to attempt to describe or explain it will always be poor translations because words often fall short when describing spiritual experiences. It's like trying to capture the ocean's vastness in a photograph. It might show its surface but there's no replacement for the direct experience of reality.

RELATED: The Psychology and Spirituality Causes Of An Identity Crisis

On Defining Spiritual Connections

Throughout history, people have tried to capture extraordinary experiences and spiritual connections through language. Terms like soulmates, twin flames, and kindred spirits attempt to describe these non-ordinary bonds. Yet these labels are merely signposts that point to something mysterious and won't fully capture it.

Keep ReadingShow less
Relationships
Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his parents Randi and Pat
Archive

Make no mistake about it: Patrick Mahomes is the face of the NFL. The Tyler, Texas native is the son of Pat Mahomes, a former Major League Baseball player, and Randi Martin.

He burst onto the scene in 2018 when he made history by throwing 50 touchdown passes and 5,000 yards in a single season — a record he shares with Peyton Manning. He followed up his initial success by leading the Kansas City Chiefs to an incredible victory at Super Bowl LIV. If that wasn’t enough, he carried the team through to yet another Super Bowl the very next year, though they ended up losing to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Mahomes has gone to two more Super Bowls since and he's won back-to-back titles (2023 and 2024).

Keep ReadingShow less
Family