Beating the negativity bias in 2021

Psychologists generally agree that our brains are hardwired to put more of our focus and energy on bad news. Maybe it’s because we are surrounded by it, now more than ever in the age of Covid 19, instant news and videos of tragedies being uploaded seconds after they happen. But does that mean the human race is doomed to live in a cloud of negative energy? Most experts say no.

One way to combat this is to approach the outcomes of negative situations with a learning mentality. Find one small takeaway from a situation and your perception of that situation as negative will start to shrink.

Many people believe you can train your brain to combat the negativity bias.

The general consensus among experts is that showing a positive attitude is all about your demeanour. We know from our personal experience at P3 Business Care and our Business Partner visits to our client offices, that showing a smile rather than looking miserable can alter the mood of an entire office. Also, the way you react to situations and relate to co-workers can make a big difference

If you are constantly reverting to negativity, it will take an applied and concentrated approach to break this habit. Stick with it and eventually you’ll see that the grass is actually greener on the bright side of life.

To Be Positive, You Have to Unlearn Negative Thinking

It might seem strange, but it is easier and seems to require less effort to be negative and think negative thoughts. People are usually not born with a positive mindset. There is so much negativity around, and the media seems to emphasise negative news, since it’s more dramatic. Many encounter difficulties, obstacles and problems, and tend to focus on them, thereby, maximising their effect.

To be positive, you have to unlearn old habits and negative attitude, and build new, positive, constructive ones. You need to learn to change your mindset. This of course, requires some inner work on your part.

You need to learn how to think positive, and there are special techniques that can help you in this respect.

You need to learn about the importance of this way of thinking and learn about people who have developed this attitude and how they did it

You have to undo negative thinking and adopt a positive attitude toward life, people and your goals.

The good news is that you can learn and adopt a positive attitude. You can develop this skill, and there are certain methods that can help you do that including reading several very popular books that have stood the test of time.

5 positive thinking books to read in 2021

These books are motivating and inspiring and can change one’s mindset from negative to positive.

Most people, who want to improve their life, make progress and realise goals, are attracted to such books, and if you are reading this article you are most probably one of them.

I would like to mention a few positive thinking books, which you should read. To get a greater benefit from these books, you need to read them several times, imbibe their meaning, and strive to follow what they teach.

1. The Power of Positive Thinking – Norman Vincent Peale

The first book is of course, The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. It is the classic self-help book on positive thinking, originally published in 1952.

In this book, Norman Vincent Peale offers practical instructions, and describes how to achieve an optimistic attitude through positive conscious thought, using affirmations or visualisations.

2. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living – Dale Carnegie

In his book, Dale Carnegie teaches how to solve worry situations and about the negative consequences of worrying.

He writes about how words can change your life for the better and how to free the mind. He also writes about celebrating your uniqueness, and about accepting and loving yourself as you are.

His book can help you break down worries and stress and understand why they are unhealthy for your mind and your body.

3. Think and Grow Rich– Napoleon Hill

This is the classic book about positivity and success by Napoleon Hill. More than 100 million copies have been sold worldwide.

The book is about making more money, but the author says that his philosophy can help people succeed in any line of work and become anything they can imagine.

The book has helped and inspired many to achieve success in their lives.

The book asserts that desire, faith, and persistence can propel one to great heights if one can suppress negative thoughts and focus on long-term goals.

Among other things, Napoleon Hill speaks in his book about desire, faith, autosuggestion, imagination, the power of the master mind, and other topics.

4. Learned Optimism-How to Change Your Mind and Your Life – Dr Martin Seligman

Known as the father of the new science of positive psychology, Seligman draws on more than twenty years of clinical research to demonstrate how optimism enhances the quality of life, and how anyone can learn to practice it. Offering many simple techniques, Dr. Seligman explains how to break an “I—give-up” habit, develop a more constructive explanatory style for interpreting your behaviour, and experience the benefits of a more positive internal dialogue.

5. Zero Negativity: The Power of Positive Thinking– Ant Middleton

Ant Middleton is the front man for Channel 4’s hit show, SAS: Who Dares Wins. Born in Portsmouth and raised in rural France, Ant set his sights on a career in the armed forces and didn’t stop striving until he achieved his goal. Over the course of his career, he has served in the Special Boat Service, the Royal Marines and 9 Parachute Squadron Royal,

Middleton show’s you how to embrace failure and use it to your advantage, how to see change as the foundation of your future success, how to develop resilience, how to deal with bullies, what it means to be a positive role model, and how to live a life with no regrets.

This book will not tell you who to be, where you should live, or what job you should do. That’s up to you. What this book is for, however, is to give you the tools you need to become the best possible version of yourself.  To own who and what you are, and to live your life with Zero Negativity.

The value of a positive attitude

In last month’s Blog we discussed how people want to feel valued.  Not only does having a positive attitude in the workplace make your day much more fun and more productive, but it affects your co-workers as well.  Would you prefer to be surrounded by co-workers with negative attitudes who all hate their lives and their jobs, or would you prefer to be surrounded by co-workers who are focusing on their wins, no matter how small, and learning from their failures?

As we approach 2021 let’s beat the negativity bias by taking positive steps forward.

About P3 Business Care

P3 Business Care is a Community Interest Company and social enterprise operating across the UK. Supporting your business on a weekly basis we provide personal and proactive care to your employees working in partnership with the company. We develop trust & relationships so we can identify and address issues before they become crisis, absence, or staff turnover.  Read more about our services here