I started to add a daily coping tip to the SQLServerCentral newsletter and to the Community Circle, which is helping me deal with the issues in the world. I’m adding my responses for each day here. All my coping tips are under this tag.
Today’s tip is to challenge negative thoughts and look for the upside.
In a world where controversy, complaints, and negativity are readily available, it’s easy to get down when you look at the news, social media, or even chat with friends online. I find many people present a much poorer version of themselves online. Even in person, often they’ve been affected by the world, so I can find interactions often start of with negativity.
Personally, I have found that I can get down not only from media and information around me, but also from things not going well for me. Work, coaching, life, all have things that go wrong.
Note: things lightly go wrong for me. Overall my life is pretty amazing, so I am getting down about little things that in the grand scheme of the world, aren’t that important. I know this.
For me, and I’ve written about this in a few tips, I had a minor bit of bad news regarding my last health checkup. I’ve made some changes, and with reminders from my wife, am looking forward. I’m not upset that my diet is changed, I’m not overly concerned, and I’m working to keep a few slightly high numbers in perspective. My health isn’t in immediate or immanent danger, cutting back and changing lifestyle isn’t that much of an impact, and missing a few things (some food, alcohol, etc.) really isn’t that bad.
I’m staying positive, enjoying my gains, letting the feelings of missing things wash over me, experiencing them, and letting go.