Most of us try to stay positive. But when we ignore the negative or shove it to the side, that's when it creeps up on us like an unexpected case of IBS.
How many times have we been there? When we know something sucks. We know we hate it. We know we don't want to do it.
But we shove it to the side in the name of being positive.
Here's why it doesn't work. Do this experiment with me.
I want you to NOT think about an apple pie right now. Okay?
Continue to not think about it. That crisp apple pie with the whipped cream on top. Think about anything else aside from that.
Think about...hmmm...how about kale? Yeah, kale.
But definitely not apple pie with whipped cream and ice cream on the side.
So...how did that go?
If you're like me, you'll probably stop by your local farm on the way home from work today. (Or wherever people buy homemade apple pies from....)
When you ignore the negative, it finds its way back in weird ways. Rather than trying to push it away, give it some space. Allow yourself to confront it.
If the idea of practicing doesn't feel good, just say it out loud. "This sucks." "I don't like this."
Write it down. Explore it further. Why does it feel negative? What are the details and the nuances? More often than not, there's some kind of quirky survival mechanism at work.
Once you give the negative side some space, you'll probably feel better. It will have been heard. Then you can clear it out, and let action lead the way.
Not only with a positive mindset, but also with a better understanding of the whole you.