By being aware of these five stages, you can keep track of where you are and notice if you have been stuck in a stage for too long. If you have been gradually moving through them, as bad as you feel, this is a normal process, and you can find some solace in the fact that you will reach the end of it.
It is normal to feel overwhelmed after a job loss. If you feel this way, you should not feel rushed about moving forward. Give yourself some time to take a breath, sit back, and let it pass. Whether you use this time to process your grief or just let your stress levels simmer, it is valuable either way.
It is much healthier to talk about the problem, but in a healthy and child-appropriate way. Don’t overwhelm them with details, but you can share what you feel and ask for a hug. Then, say how even when times are hard, you feel lucky to have them with you, and know that you can get through this together.
Whether you are reading third parties’ vitriolic political arguments, buried in yet another rant about everything that the poster views is wrong with the country, or just reading up on the latest tragedy or injustice across the world, all of this information will bring you down, and it will bring you down hard.
Harvard Health suggests this fun game. When you feel down, flip a coin. If you get heads, do something for yourself. If you get tails, do something for others. Either way, you’ll feel better!
Repetition and kind words are great ways to bring positive thoughts into your mind space. Choose a mantra to say to yourself whenever you start feeling upset, overwhelmed, or even just first thing every morning to start your day off right.
In Ledgerwood’s talk, she describes how people tend to focus more on the negativity of failure, more than the positivity of success, even of success happens more often. Failure sticks around much longer, she cites an example of the glass half full/half empty concept.
If you make it a point to try to look for opportunities to help people, you will invite more positive energy into your world. You will feel helpful, accomplished, and needed, which are very validating feelings. It creates a sense of fulfillment to do something for someone, especially those that you care about.
This podcast shares interviews of real people who turned lemons into lemonade. We like the variety of stories: a widow who found life after a loss, a mom diagnosed with multiple sclerosis who refused to let her illness define her, a teenager janitor who got ahead by hard work but learned the importance of giving and taking.
The Bible is a fantastic source to reference when looking for guidance towards happiness and positive thinking. There you will find plenty of self-affirmation texts and plenty of reminders about why you should keep your thoughts uplifted and joyful.