Negativity involves feeling sad, skeptical, and pessimistic. When our thoughts are shrouded in negativity, we can easily find the worst in any situation, even situations that are not that bad. Because negativity makes us feel bad, it tends to be bad for our well-being.

If you struggle with negativity, you are not alone. Humans have a negative bias. A negativity bias means we notice and feel negative things more intensely than positive things—negative things significantly impact our mental health. So that means we could experience many positive things, but one negative thing could ruin our day. This can be especially true for us if our thoughts are plagued by negativity.

How do we stop feeling so negative?

First, I would like you to go easy on yourself. Remember, we are all negative sometimes, and that is okay. Remember to have self-compassion as you work to shift your negative thoughts. However, it is also helpful to know that our brains like to do things the way they have always done them. If we have been negative for a long time, regulating our emotions and shifting to positive thoughts may be more complicated and take longer. You can just keep at the strategies below to see improvement over time.

1.      Make positive concepts more accessible in your brain

Our brains prefer to go to whatever is familiar—it is easier, quicker, and requires less energy. So, undoing negativity involves making positive concepts more familiar and accessible in the brain. One way to do this is to have a "positive word of the day." Alternatively, memorize a series of positive words each morning and ask yourself to recall them each night.

Although research has not shown that there are positive regions of the brain per se, strengthening the connections between positive concepts and your ability to generate positive thoughts, words, and emotions likely makes it easier to do this again in the future.

2.      Deconstruct your negativity

When we feel negative, it can be easy to see the external causes of our negative emotions but not the internal causes. Our thoughts have just as much (or maybe more) to do with our negativity than our situations. We do create our reality.

To deconstruct how your thoughts lead to your negativity, engage in self-reflection by asking yourself if you do any of the things below:

• Do you often expect that everything will turn out horrible?

• Do you only see the bad without seeing the good?

• Do you ignore or devalue the positive things?

If you do any of these things, you can shift your thoughts in ways that decrease negativity and increase positivity. Use these questions when you are feeling negative to shift your thinking away from the negative and onto the positive:

• How could this situation turn out better than expected?

• What are the positive parts of this situation?

• Why are the positive things in this situation essential or valuable?

Forcing your mind in a new direction can help shift your emotions, too.

3.      Check your attribution style

Do you feel like nothing you do matters and the world is responsible for all your woes? Of course, this may be true sometimes, but this "external attribution" means we have given up control of our lives and can make us feel worse. To shift this thinking, try to think of the things you do have control over. We all have control over some aspects of our lives.

Or do you feel you are to blame for all your woes? This "internal attribution" style, where we blame ourselves for the wrong things, can hurt our self-esteem and emotional health. To shift this thinking, recognize that not everything is in your control. We all have done bad things, but we can move past them when we see that we did our best given our situations.

Both attribution styles can be problematic when left unchecked, so please remember.

4.      Generate positive emotions with your imagination

When we struggle with negativity, we get good at imagining negative things. This is why forcing yourself to imagine positive things can help change these patterns. So please give it a go and try imagining positive things. Imagine eating your favorite food, seeing your favorite person, or visiting a favorite place.

5.      Halt ruminative cycles

Do you dwell on the bad stuff, working yourself up until you have steam coming out of your ears? We all do this occasionally, but it is rarely helpful and unsuitable for our well-being. Still, stopping rumination can be challenging. Telling our minds to "Stop!" thinking of something can often make us feel about it even more. Instead, activate your body to stop the negativity fast. For example, you could go for a run or take a cold shower. These physical bodily jolts can force your energy resources to go elsewhere and help stop a negative racing mind.

6.      Practice gratitude​

Practicing gratitude makes focusing on the good and accepting the bad easier. We realize that things are not as bad as they may seem, and this helps us stop the negativity. To practice gratitude, write gratitude notes, gratitude lists, or a gratitude journal.

When we notice these excellent things, savoring them can also be helpful. Maybe your mom calls to check in on you. Instead of focusing on the things that annoy you, you remind yourself that she is calling because she cares, and you savor that feeling of being cared for (easier said than done,  I know). Just keep trying until you find what works for you.

7.      Do positive things

One of the easiest ways to feel less harmful is to do things that make you feel less damaging. Engage in activities that make you feel good—spend time with friends, go hiking, do crafts, listen to positive songs or podcasts, or dance—whatever helps you feel less stuck.

On the flip side, try to stay away from activities that make you feel negative. For example, watch how much time you spend on your phone or social media. These activities can feel good at the moment but can increase negativity if we are not careful.