Having a positive attitude could be the difference between a miserable existence and a fulfilling one. It’s normal to feel down sometimes, sure, but if you find yourself complaining more often than not, there’s a serious problem. Here are 10 signs you’re not just bringing yourself down but everyone around you too.
- You thrive off gossip. Are you the type of person that jumps for joy and reaches a bowl of popcorn when it comes to talking crap about other people? Maybe it’s the only excitement you feel you have in your life, but what you may not realize is all that drama of worrying about everyone else’s lives and passing judgment are feeding the negative energy. How are you supposed to focus on the positive when you’re so consumed with feeling joy with other people’s drama?
- You constantly compare yourself to others. You get so caught up in envying everything other people have that you don’t despite the fact that you’re sure you’re smarter/prettier/thinner/more hard-working/etc. That’s ridiculous. If you’re comparing yourself to others all the time, how can you grow as a person or build an amazing life for yourself? People can sense jealousy right off the bat and it’s going to push them away. Forget about what others have that you want and focus on what you can work towards yourself. Confidence is contagious and it’s the type of vibe you want to give off.
- Your body language sucks. Believe it or not, your body language tells people a lot about you. Think about the last time you were talking with someone face to face. Were you avoiding eye contact, not completely facing them, or crossing your arms? If so, that leaves the other person no other option but to feel like you’re unapproachable. If you’re trying to give off negative energy, this is one way that will nail it!
- You let your feelings get in the way. You’re human, so it’s only natural that you’re going to let your feelings get the better of you from time to time. However, if your inability to calm yourself and be realistic causes you to get defensive over little things, you’re hanging on to negative energy and others around you are aware.
- You participate in negative self-talk. You talk yourself down from doing something you really want. For example, you may have a huge weight loss goal but you self-sabotage by thinking, “My goal weight is too far away, I’ll never reach it.” Of course, you’ll never reach your ideal weight because you’re going to give up. Nobody likes a Debbie Downer and eventually you’ll have nobody to support you because you’ll chase them away with your negative outlook.
- You’re always on social media. Social media addiction is an excellent way to start talking and thinking negatively. Why? Because each day you’re bombarded with a news feed five miles long about breakups, gossip, horrible events happening around the world, and other people being negative about their own lives. If you’re constantly scrolling through Facebook, it’s no wonder you give off such negative energy. You consume that type of information daily and your brain starts to react to the constant negativity.
- You hate your job and complain about it often. Hating your job means you’re likely bringing home some work-related drama at the end of every day. Maybe you’re a chronic complainer about things your boss does to make you mad or how people in the break room won’t stop stealing your yogurt from the group fridge. You probably assume everybody hates their job and you can just vent it out, but it’s best to leave work-related issues at work. Sure, one or two complaints are fine, but to consistently be negative about your job is going to push people away. Your friends and family have limits too.
- You’re often depressed but refuse to seek help. If you find yourself with depressive symptoms, you’re no doubt giving off negative energy. Serious depression is no joke and it’s also not your fault, but if you refuse to seek treatment in order to restore some equilibrium for yourself and those you’re closest to, there’s a serious problem.
- You keep your guard up 24/7. You never feel safe with anyone, no matter how trustworthy they seem, so you always have your guard up. The thing is, the people you’re closest to can sense that. Trust is a huge factor in friendships and romantic relationships and without it, you can’t dive deep and really bond. You have to work on letting your guard down to let the negative energy diminish.
- You’re living in the past. Living in the past prevents you from moving forward and growing in life. Holding onto ancient history will keep you from pursuing your goals and building the awesome life you always dreamed of. Negative energy will radiate from you if you don’t let your past go. It’s time to look toward the future and start giving off positive vibes.
