Turning Negatives Into Positives
At the suggestion of Lightuptheworld, I thought I'd start another 'Turning Negatives into Positives' thread like there is on the old forum. Below is a quote from Antria who started the thread on the previous forum which I think explains the idea of the thread quite well.
"Sometimes it can be helpful to turn our thinking around and begin to challenge the way we look at things. Turning negatives into positives is a way of doing this! Basically, think of something that happened today, this week, this month or at some other time that felt negative and see if you can find a positive in it (or that came out of it)."
I find posting in this thread really helps me to look at things in a different way or see positives that I might not have noticed if I'm in a negative headspace. I'll start the ball rolling:
Negative: My friend didn't turn up to class this morning and I was worried I would be alone because I don't really know anyone else in the class.
Positive: It gave me a chance to sit with new people and get to know them better 🙂
Over to you!
Negative: feeling dark and alone
Positive: I'm lucky I have a friend I can call.
I love this thread 🙂
Negative: I'm exhausted
Positive: I've been working hard and thinking heaps 🙂
N: Didn't go skating or do any exercise tonight.
P: Managed to make dinner instead.
Positive: I can take it one moment at a time and use my coping strategy plan. I have good support too.
Negative i have bipolar
Positive I HAVE BIPOLAR!!!
Positive: I need to try to hang on. I'm cyclic, and it's been a while since I've been depressed, so hopefully, it should uplift.
Negative: I feel so weird. One minute I'm pumped and all's good, and the next I'm trapped and ready to implode.
Positive: Just need to chill out and if the pattern holds then I'll be back to feeling good in a bit.
Positive: I can take it slowly and ease myself into it. Mutual trust takes time. I'm still new here so it's alright.
Negative: Someone accused me of having an affair which is not true. LOL
Positive: I think I am able to give an opportunity to other people. 🙂
- For some reason I use one book for all my subjects. 
Oh why me? WHY!?
- During exam time it gives me another purpose for rewriting all my work... if I do it...
- Exams. Oh monkey feathers! 7 in exam block, which is only a few days and 3 out of exam block. One of which is tomorrow. And one assignment left! Incoherent screams of anguish!
- It was four assignments. 5-6 even 7 of the exams will be guarenteed easy. Besides, I'm going to pass them. Probably.
- I am procrastinating right now. And I don't like it.
- Then stop.... or oh my gosh! YES! This song! This song! Oh so worth it! "Don't let the cave in get you down Sokka!" Oh my gosh so beautiful... River people! Oh the joy!
All negatives gone. Love you Nomads! And your songs!
Negative - I can't bring myself to put words to a real negative, because it might lead me too close to the edge of a hole I won't escape from.
Positive - I know there's a hole. I'm not quite sure where the edge is, but as long as I'm on the right side I can put up a big fence with huge warning signs and just stay away from there. As long as I'm on the right side...
negative: i've gotten way behind on a short course i'm doing on forensic science
positive: i'll have time on sunday to catch up, and i'm behind because i haven't been feeling well.
negative: i have to increase my medication dosage so i'm going to feel really blah and sick.
positive: i'm getting closer to finding the right dosage for me, and my boyfriend is really proud of me!
negative: i need new glasses and it's so expensive...
positive: it's not urgent and i'll be able to save up over the next few weeks, plus i only have to put down half a deposit on them rather than the full amount all at once.
this is an awesome tool
Positive: I'm still at least going to classes, even if I only have a few, I'm still regular meals eating, and sort of trying to look after myself.
Positive: I need to make the most of my time with my family, once I get moving I'll feel better. There still here for the next 2-3 days. I can still spend time with them.
Negative: I did really poorly at work presentation. I got the task wrong in addition to being a bad public speaker...
Positive: Made me rethink about joinging up to toastmaster and I now be extra careful reading instructions
Negative: People told me I am worthless and will never succeed. People destroyed me. People disbelieved in me. People hurt me.
Positive: I am an author and have published my book and is selling worldwide, including Australia. I am a regional winner at my work's vicinity. I am a director/philanthropist who is helping prevent poverty worldwide and I am no longer allowing anyone define my life nor dictate my life.
Pos: got to speak to her on the phone for a bit and it didn't actually bother me too much that we had to reschedule.
Neg: One of my teachers accused me of being a liar when I was telling the truth.
Pos: I remained as calm as possible without sounding too rude (although I'm sure I did) and continued to tell the truth.
Neg: I feel horrible. I don't even know if it's from emotional or physical reasons but I still feel horrible.
Pos: I have so many things in my life that make me happy and if it is physical reasons well meh because I don't care.
Neg: It's cold...
Pos: I don't have to get up for school in the morning.
Negative: I am sad.
Positive: I can partly speak backwards. Which is awesome and makes me smile!
Negative: I don't want my siblings to visit me next year, only my parents.
Positive: They have to come. But they can't ruin it and they won't ruin it.
Negative: Feeling a bad case of the sniffles... that feeling of really wanting to sneeze but not actually sneezing, throbbing nose and trouble breathing through a blocked nose. If only I didn't hate the smell of eculyptus so much.
Positive: Maybe I'll miss out on some school!
Negative: The spell check button is gone.
Positive: Who cares? I can still spell most of the time.
Negative: My bed is always icy col when I get into it despite three blankets! (well, two blankets and a quilt. Like a quilt sandwich! Blankets for the bread and the quilt for the... quilt middle 
)
Positive: It warms up.
Negative: Keep putting the letters in the wrong place! Took me three goes to try and write the word people! And I made about three or four mistakes in this one sentence! Make that... seven or eight plus one. Ugh...
Positive: Just sleepy. If you'd just go to bed instead of procrasinating sleep.
Negative: I'm really over stressed currently, so much that I feel like I might burn out soon, which (just the thought of that) stresses me out MORE!! 😧 It's really tough too, because the next week will be really full on work load (9am to 9pm) so I can't even take a day off! I'm freaking, mannn.
Postive: I've got so many things that I can use to help me relax; I got ReachOut, heaps of TV shows to watch, chocolate, my favourite tea, new books.... all these things I will do after the work to try and relax. I'm also going to ask for a break if it get's too much. I have faith in myself, and my ability to look after myself, which is really rad.
Positive: only a little while longer until I enter my hypomanic phase
Negative: so stressed out, exams are so soon
Positive: I'll be done soon, then I can relax during the break. Really need a break
Positive: I still enjoyed my walk and the rain calmed me down.
Negative: my mood has been chaotic all day and I felt horrible
Positive: I've used my strategies and was able to stay safe
I'm sick 😞
I get to stay at home, out of the rain, in warm clothes and often in bed.
Neg: Realised today this weeks budget is not going to cover the new book I wanted.
Pos: Spent almost an hour in a lovely second hand bookshop this afternoon, spoke to the owner about our favourite books, he recommended one for me and now I have a pre loved book that was only $5! 
Negative: I'm becoming increasingly worried about my boyfriend. He's still in hospital and it's really getting to me. Naturally he's getting really upset about it all.. I just want him to be happy, healthy and be able to relax.
Positive: When he does get out he'll be feeling a lot better and we'll be able to appreciate the time we have together even more. Plus, he has some really good nurses looking after him at the moment. I'm sure they're taking good care of him.
