Gaining Independence from Negativity by Staying Positive
- Sanders Coaching Team
- Jul 4
- 3 min read
Embrace a Positive Mindset
If you receive our Friday Food for Thought emails, you have likely encountered the insightful information shared in this blog post. This month, we are embarking on an inspiring journey to cultivate a more positive mindset, and John’s FFT serves as a fantastic starting point. Together, let’s explore transformative ways to shift our perspectives and elevate our daily lives.
Your Journey Begins Here
We invite you to read through the insights shared and reflect on how they resonate with you. Are you ready to embrace this opportunity for growth?
If you're looking to deepen your practice and stay inspired, our Mindfulness Membership is the perfect next step. You’ll receive regular tools, guidance, and encouragement to help you stay grounded, focused, and connected—no matter what life throws your way.
Let us know if this is something you’re interested in working on. Together, we can foster positivity and make a meaningful impact on our lives and those around us.
What would you genuinely like to be free from?
For many, it’s not a political ideal—it’s freedom from the internal weight we carry every day:
Financial worry
Job insecurity
Relationship strain
Health challenges…and the constant mental noise that comes with them.
When left unchecked, this stress can spiral into negativity, anxiety, and even deeper emotional and physical health issues. But here's the good news: you can begin to break that cycle.
Below are simple, achievable strategies to help you release negative thoughts and reactions—and start building a more positive and empowered mindset.
How to Free Yourself from Negative Thoughts & Reactions
1. Understand Your Negativity Bias
Our brains evolved to focus on threats—negativity tends to stick longer and more deeply than positive experiences. Recognizing this is the first step toward rewiring your mindset.
2. Pause & Label Your Emotions
When negativity strikes, hit "pause." Acknowledge, e.g., “I’m feeling frustrated.” Labeling emotions helps create distance and reduces reactivity.
3. Reframe & Challenge Negative Thoughts
Catch yourself engaging in all-or-nothing thinking or catastrophizing. Ask: “Is this true? What’s one alternative?” Turn “I always fail” into “This was one missed shot, not the whole game”.
4. Install Positive Moments
Use the “installation” trick: when something good happens, pause for 5–10 seconds and really savor it. This helps build new neural pathways that counterbalance negative bias randytaran.com+15emilychristensenphd.com+15nypost.com+15.
5. Practice Gratitude Daily
Each morning or evening, jot down 3 things you’re grateful for. This signals your brain to focus on abundance, not lack buzzsprout.com+1reddit.com+1.
6. Use Habit Triggers & Habit Stacking
Pair positivity habits with existing routines—e.g., after your morning coffee, identify a daily intention or highlight mooremomentum.com.
7. Embrace Self-Compassion
When negativity emerges, offer yourself kindness: “This is hard, but I’m not alone.” Practice a self-compassion break: awareness → common humanity → self-kindness verywellmind.com+8randytaran.com+8ahead-app.com+8.
8. Ground Yourself in Action & Connection
Feelings are data, not directives. Use negative emotions to fuel constructive steps—journal, go for a walk in nature, or connect with a mentor or trusted friend.
Simple Daily Practice Routine
Morning Label one feeling + write 3 gratitude items
Midday Pause and savor a positive moment
Evening Reframe any challenging thought + self-compassion check-in
Whenever negativity flares, use thought-stopping, a brief walk, or a grounding breath exercise.
If you're looking to delve deeper into the science and practical strategies for overcoming negativity, here are a few excellent articles that offer fresh and thoughtful perspectives.
We all process life differently. What drains one person might barely register for another. But here’s one universal truth: we all benefit from tools that strengthen what uplifts us and quiet what drags us down.
Whether you're navigating a tough season or want to boost your daily resilience, these resources can offer valuable insight—and perhaps even a few “aha” moments—as you take back your mental and emotional freedom.
Your co-worker surprised you with a chocolate chip cookie, but a teammate took a dig at your report. As the day goes on, you’re more likely to dwell on the criticism than the act of kindness.
It sounds paradoxical, but accepting our negative emotions will actually make us happier in the long run. Psychologist Susan David explains how.
Cheers!
John and Dawn
Sanders Coaching Team
Click here to visit our Book With Us page and schedule a complimentary Discovery Call.
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