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At first glimpse, it would appear that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But a lot of us with ADD acquire negative thinking patterns as we become defeated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even more difficult for us to manage those challenges and move forward.

Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our strengths and achievements, which increases happiness and motivation. This, successively, allows us to pass more time gaining progress, and less time feeling down and perplexed. The following tips supply practical suggestions that you can use to help shift into more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself - It’s much easier to be positive when you’re eating well, working out, and getting plenty of sleep.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For - Stresses and challenges do not look quite as bad when you’re constantly reminding yourself of the things that are in good order in life. Taking only 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions - A fear of not being liked or accepted occasionally leads us to take for granted that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are generally not reality. If you have a fear that an acquaintance or family member’s bad humor is due to something you did, or that your colleagues are secretly gossiping about you behind your back, speak up and ask them. Do not waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have validation that there’s something to worry about.

4. Abstain from Practicing Absolutes - Have you ever told a spouse “You’re ALWAYS late!” or complained to a friend “You NEVER call me!”? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like ‘always’ and ‘never’ makes the situation seem tougher than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts - Your thoughts can’t hold any power over you if you don’t judge them. Whenever you notice yourself holding a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don’t follow it.

6. Squash the “ANTs” - In his book “Change Your Brain, Change Your Life,” Dr. Daniel Amen talks about “ANTs” - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like “Those people are laughing, they must be discussing me,” or “The boss wants to talk to me? It must be negative!” Once you notice these thoughts, realize that they’re nothing more than ANTs and crush them!

7. Practice Lovin’, Touchin’ & Squeezin’ (Your Friends and Family) - You don’t have to be an expert to recognize the benefits of a good hug. Supportive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an fast pick-me-up. One research study about this topic had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She picked up higher tips from these customers than from the ones she did not touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity - By expanding social activity, you reduce loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, cheerful people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person - Everybody feels good after assisting. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you release into the universe, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination - If you find yourself ruminating, an excellent way to end it is to disturb the pattern and push yourself to do something entirely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It’s never productive, because it is not rational or solution-oriented, it is just excessive concern. Try changing your physical surroundings - go for a walk or sit outdoors. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

When it concerns the corporate world, protocol is pretty much the religion. To recognize the things to be done are the basics of productivity, but interaction and maintaining a steady mind makes up the entire path to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they’re rare ones and we are human and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skins won’t solve our troubles. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to acknowledge that we’re turning into workaholics than tell ourselves that we’re not doing our best.

Filed under: Self Improvement