3 Negative Behaviors That Will Hold You Back In Life

You’ve heard the proverbial phrase before, “Is the glass half-full or half – empty?” Of course, what the question is really asking is, “Are you an optimistic (half-full) or pessimistic (half-empty) type of person?” The answer isn’t always straightforward. Maybe some days you’re a ‘glass half -full’ kind of person and other days you only see it as half-empty. Thanks to COVID-19, social unrest, looming wildfires, and really the entire year of 2020, we’re all feeling a
little more ‘glass half-empty’ these days.We’ve said it a thousand times before and we’ll say it again…
It’s OK to not be OK! However, it is important to evaluate your mood, your mindset, and your general attitude in life. Constant negativity can fuel anxiety and depression. The good news is you have the ability to change your mindset – – it’s not set in stone! You can shift your attitude and perspective anytime you’d like.If you feel like negativity and pessimism have caused a constant grey cloud in your life, watch out for these three negative behaviors that dampen your mood.

Does your brain go from zero to worst-case scenario in situations? Do you tend to see things as far worse than they actually are? People who catastrophize live in a mindset of ‘doom and gloom’ even when they have sufficient resources to deal with the problem at hand.

People who have a negative mindset tend to practice avoidance in order to eliminate risks – even when they are small. If you don’t take a risk, you will never learn what you can manage. Often, when you continuously avoid something, it builds and builds to an unmanageable point. Sometimes the things you are avoiding are actually personal triggers and deserve further evaluation from a mental health professional.

We all have routines and preferences, but when you never step outside of your comfort zone, you set yourself up for failure. A negative mindset can cause you to view things as threatening just because you don’t understand them.

No matter how much you strive to eliminate doubt from your life, the truth is you already accept a lot of uncertainty every day. No one knows what lies ahead but we stay rooted and focused on what we can control.

Unfortunately, for someone with anxiety, irrational fears and worries can take hold day after day. It can be hard to think logically when fear is always in control. Anxiety is that general feeling of worry, unease, or nervousness regarding an imminent event or something with an outcome that’s uncertain. Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life, but persistent anxiety could indicate an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety isn’t something you have to live with, we can help you move forward in wellness. If your anxiety is interfering with your daily life, contact Pacific Mind Health for quality mental health care and support.