Let’s try a resolution for 2020, to combat the constant stream of bad news involving politics, world military combativeness, economics, and health. Sun City: Let’s go on a Low-Bad or Positive Diet of Thinking!
Wall Street Journal (WSJ) informs us, in their REVIEW Section published in December 2019, about the negativity effect.
“Also known as the negativity bias, it’s the universal tendency for bad events and emotions to affect us more strongly than positive ones. We’re devastated by a word of criticism but unmoved by a shower of praise. We see the hostile face in the crowd and miss all the friendly ones.”
For the past two decades, social scientists and behavioral economists, as well as psychologists, have been learning that peoples’ reactions to negative occurrences have all been superseded in strength to their reactions of positive happenings. It is thought that the survival instinct of early man, needing to overcome hunger and wild animals, has evolved into this stronger reaction to the negative in our daily lives. Here are a few helpful hints to help all of us counteract the power of negative thinking:
1. First, Do No Harm
The success of long-term marriages has leaned on the married partners’ ability to practice positivity in overlooking their partner’s flaws. The article explains, “When something goes wrong, they either give their spouse the benefit of the doubt or respond calmly so as not to escalate the conflict.” The opposite is true of failed marriages.
2. Remember The Rule Of Four
Through extensive research it has been discovered that a negative event or emotion has at least three times the impact of a comparable positive one. For example, keep that ratio in mind in terms of your effort to overcome a negative happening in your life when seeking out a social media story coverage. Find at least four uplifting stories for every bad one to get a much better and more accurate view of the world.
3. Put The Bad Moments To Good Use
Our story describes the upside of the negativity effect in its power to teach and motivate us. This can be seen in religion and work and school focusing on what one can seek for self-improvement after harsh statements are made by those in charge.
4. Capitalize On The Good Moments And Then Relive Them
Sharing great news helps make the success story that much more powerful. Our authors tell us that the ability to engage in nostalgia (as seniors often do) can brighten the present and future. Nostalgia can create savoring of past memories “instead of obsessing about today’s worries.”
5. See The Big Picture
Follow the advice of a popular song from the past that proudly repeats the words, “Accentuate the positive. Eliminate the negative.” This can be done in your daily lives by refusing to listen to the negative bias of so many political pundits and public opinions found on computers and television. In addition, don’t watch for hours the horrifying coverage of a mass shooting or terrorists attack. Instead, surround yourself with the power of positive friends and family members.
In summarization, our info on a No Negativity Diet, proposed by WSJ, concludes “By rationally looking at long-term trends -you’ll see that there’s much more to celebrate than to mourn. No matter what disasters occur in 2020, no matter who wins the presidential election, the average person in America and the rest of the world will in all likelihood become healthier and wealthier. Those who go on a Low-Bad Diet will also become wiser – and happier, too.”
Part 2: Stress Relief and Better Health Accomplished through Positive Thinking Behavior (next publication)
