While growing up, one of my mentors made a statement that I still remember, he said that "negativity is a cunning thief, which subtly creeps into the mind and wrecks damage." You will agree with me that what you allow will not just remain but will multiply - this also applies to negativities. Negativity starts from the mind through the thoughts, and when it is sustained, it will breed actions, the acts will definitely lead to negative results. What you do not want to see happen, then it will be unwise to watch it start. In order to prevent a tree from growing, then do not plant the seed. To avoid negative results, then fight it from the root which is the negative thoughts.
A lot of people need to understand the root cause of negative thought in order to fight it. Negativity can stem out of either internal or external sources, or both. Internal sources can include fear of failure, bad experiences in the past, self-doubt, etc. While external sources can include words of discouragement from people, criticism, wrong environment, etc. But whichever case it is, you need to understand that you do not have to give room to it, so that it will not form abode in you. If you do not stop negative thought and its negative emotions, it may stop you in the future. Now let us consider ways to resist negativity.
The first point is to be mindful of your environment and of the people you company with. Just to let you know, negativity is communicable and contagious and staying with people who are negatively inclined can also make you to pick up the same trait. If you came around someone and all they will be saying is bad news and woes, then you should stay away from such person. In fact, anyone who has more bad news to share than good news should not be your friend. This should tell you the mindset of the person. Does it mean that it is only bad thing that is happening in their world or they just choose to focus on the bad things? Just stay clear of them.
The next point is to guard your mindset and your heart to wad off any negative thought. It is what you allow into your mind that will form your dominant thoughts and your actions. You need to start to pay critical attention to the kind of thoughts that you entertain. The very small negative thought you entertain today might blow up beyond what you can ever imagine in the future. Trust me, the people that now do bad did not just start doing bad, it started from the mind as thought until it manifested into the bad act. So you have to censor what you permit in your mind.
Another way to wad off negativity is to get yourself busy and distracted. It is when your mind is idle that it will begin to breed unwholesome thoughts. When you keep your mind busy with things that are profitable, you will keep your mind occupy and distracted from thinking negatively. Instead of spending your time thinking negatively, why not look for the things that add positive value to yourself and do them? The busier you get, the less likely your mind is to wander wild into unwholesome thoughts. This is why I believe that the cure to negative thoughts is not just positive thoughts but busy hands and by being active.
I have noticed that each time I focus on growth and on working towards achieving my goals and on things that add meaningful to me, I feel motivated to do more and by that, I will not become open to welcome negative thoughts. It is true that life can present some challenges to you, and things may not move the way you had anticipated, but you do not have to empower it by thinking negatively. Always remember that your thought has the power to influence and create a lot of things about you, so use it wisely. If you can control your thoughts, then you have gained control over a very fundamental aspect of your life.
Thanks for reading
