by Marcel van Wiggen

On a regular basis I am meeting people who have become experts in feeling miserable, frustrated or even anxious. Whatever happens, their very first reaction is negative. This does not happen consciously or deliberately. They have, over time, unconsciously, trained themselves in becoming outstanding in negative thinking.

It does not matter who you are and how you perceive life, the destructive habits below will make you feel bad. So, make sure you are not picking up these habits!

• Think as much as possible in risks!
  Imagine what happens if your company goes bankrupt and you lose your job; or your spouse finds a better life-partner. I am sure you can think about more scenarios. Make sure you think a lot and frequently about all the risks in life;
• Blame your parents!
  Look back to how you lived life until today. Think about all the things your parents should have done differently (read: better!). Maybe you did not get sufficient encouragement and that is why you are lacking self-confidence today or maybe they were over supportive and that is why you cannot deal with today’s setbacks in an adequate manner?
• Be critical!
  Be opinionated about everything, make early judgments and especially be critical, not only to others but for sure also towards yourself. You still have such a long, long way to go. You have accomplished so little in life.
• Don’t enjoy the small things in life!
  Ignore that special moment with your kids on a sunny Sunday morning or that great conversation with a good friend. Make sure that your mind is, no matter what, on business or “other important things”
• Reconstruct the past!
  Make the past more beautiful so you can dwell on all those fantastic old days. And realize yourself that those days will never return. Or make the past more dramatic. Did you ever experience difficult moments in your life? Make sure you never forget about them and re-live those moments as often as possible.
• Exaggerate as much as possible!
  Through exaggeration things will get more impact. Somebody did not just make a comment but was truly attacking you as a person. Make sure you use powerful language: everything goes wrong all the time; it is impossible to work for that guy; the whole world is on the verge of a collapse; I am a complete failure.

If we occasionally show these behaviours it is not an issue at all. However, if this kind of behaviour becomes a habit it will always have negative consequences. The way you think is directly influencing the quality of your life.

Do you notice your mind is occupied with negative thoughts and fears? Is your glass half empty and do you anticipate failure instead of success? Don’t worry! It is not difficult to change your attitude and thoughts. It all starts with consciousness and your DECISION to do things differently. Change your daily habits and you will change the quality and direction of your life.