Liberating Yourself from Negative Energy

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habit. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny ― Lao Tzu

Do you ever find yourself overwhelmed, confused or even fearful and not exactly sure why? With the hustle and bustle of modern life, negative thoughts and energy can creep into our psyche but that doesn’t mean they have to stay. The darker days of winter can be a wonderful time to travel inward to exam feelings of negativity that may be keeping you from living a more vibrant life. Accumulating negative energy can be as subtle as the changing of seasons and you may not notice it until you stop to reflect on your inner emotions. The good news is that once you become aware of negative energy you can uproot it with five simple steps that will put you back on a positive path and keep you there.

Becoming Aware of negative influences is the first step to eliminating them. Are there toxic people in your life? Chronic complainers that are unwilling to entertain change? Have you stopped doing the things you enjoy such as dancing, biking, strolling on the beach or simply reading a book? Take stock of what you listen to on the radio and television. Do you overload on news or jarring music or watch television series that are laden with violence? Have you taken on too much work limiting your down-time? All of these questions can help identify potential sources of draining negative energy. Once you have taken inventory you can create a plan to implement change.

Reclaim your creativity. Hush the naysayers (real or imaginary) by getting back to the things you love, those innate gifts that have always been there. Burying or neglecting these precious parts of yourself can causes a sense of unfulfillment or a vague uneasiness. Negative energy often feeds on the fears imposed by others. By taking action, such as picking up that dusty paint brush, or joining a poetry class or learning to play an instrument (creativity is limitless) you will refuel your imagination. You don’t have to be a Picasso or the next great novelist to enjoy things you are passionate about. By carving out time for your creative self, you will liberate your true nature, which ultimately douses negativity. Joseph Chilton Pearce, the renowned author and lecturer on human development says, “To live a creative life; we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Let yourself go and be a student of life again.

Take a walk, ride a bike, practice yoga or Pilates. The body is meant to move, too much hunching over devices causes your posture to slump and your spine to shrink and with it your spirits deflate. Giving your joints and muscles a workout stimulates endorphins (positive chemicals in the brain) that motivate and uplift negative moods. The side effects of exercise are feeling stronger and more empowered, which then seeps into all aspects of your life. One very useful yoga philosophy is change your actions; change your minds. In other words, by getting the body in motion, we get out of the thinking mind and the stories it has created. By releasing pent up stress, you free up space for positive thoughts. If time is an issue, exercise during lunch or snag an early morning class or put on music in the privacy of your home and dance. Making exercise a priority is a powerful way to combat fatigue and stress while paying homage to your body.

Walking can also be an opportunity to re-commune with nature. Smelling the seasonal scents, whatever they may be, reminds us of our connection to the earth. Feeling a soft breeze or the warmth of the sun renews and refreshes our sense of well-being and reminds us we belong to a world outside of ourselves. We are interconnected to the sunlight, the trees, the clouds.

Swap out negative language for words of encouragement and support. Write down affirmations to remind yourself to fold positive vocabulary into everyday conversations. Observe your remarks and gently replace negative ones with positives—find that proverbial silver lining. Try finding something to be grateful for every day. Perhaps tune into inspirational music (and by this I don’t mean religious) rather than music with negative words or messages. Find a favorite guided meditation or motivational speaker that you relate to. Play them when you feel bombarded with negative news or feedback. Enlisting your sense of hearing is another way to entice positive energy and this includes the language we use. Soon, exchanging a negative for a positive phrase will become habit and you’ll find yourself smiling more and worrying less.

Breathe! Slow rhythmic breathing melts away anxiety and revives the nervous system, stamping out negative vibrations. Experiment with counting to four as you inhale, pause, and then count to four as you exhale. Do this for several minutes, maybe close your eyes and visualize a comforting place; the ocean or a favorite park. Listen to sounds of nature (either live or on your phone or CD player). Seeking out solitary moments to breathe with awareness quiets the mind. Traveling inward is like taking a mini vacation from daily demands. Before long those negative impulses will float away leaving space for a calm mindset that you can access anytime.

These are but a few suggestions to help you reclaim a positive, vivacious life that serves your truest self, that is filled with joy and an appreciation for life.