By Andrea Schulman, BodyMindSoulSpirit.com
So maybe you already understand the Law of Attraction, and maybe you already do a lot of intentional positive thinking. You’ve probably seen a lot of benefits from it, but maybe you still have a bad day here and there. Maybe you’ve wondered “why do positive people still have bad days?“
The truth is, being positive is a relative concept. Even with focus and practice, our vibes still fluctuate. Regardless of our intention or effort, even the most skilled positive thinkers can have a few shaky moments here and there, and that’s ok!
So if you’ve been wondering why you still have a few bad days, despite your efforts to be a positive thinker, this article is for you. Hopefully, this post will both provide some clarity as well as some comfort!
Reason #1: Negative Focus
Most people who are aware of the Law of Attraction have heard this before, but it is still very much worth mentioning! When we focus on the negative, we attract negative events and circumstances.
We all have that one friend or relative who always griping or complaining, and (not surprisingly) they always seem to run into troubles, get into arguments or experience bad luck. When we focus on the bad things, we just get more of them!
Sometimes we are aware of our negative thoughts, but other times we are completely unaware of them. Many times positive people still have some underlying limiting beliefs that can cause a bad day or two.
If you are having a hard time identifying negative thought patterns, let me offer some quick advice:
Sit down with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Then, simply ask yourself, what thoughts, actions and words have you had or used that may have caused your bad day? Then, brainstorm as many ideas as you can on your piece of paper.
Review your list, and look for the items that evoke the most emotion from you. Those are your predominant negative thought patterns. The good news is that once you have identified them, you can start to reach for better feeling thoughts on the same subjects. You can also work to change any words or behaviors that have been working against you. This can have a dramatic effect.
For example, if one of the reasons I think I’ve caused my bad day is because “I’ve been working too hard,” I can take some extra time to relax. I can remind myself of all of the times I’ve enjoyed leisure, and I can focus a little more on the moments I’ve been calm. I can also pay attention to the aspects of my work that I enjoy and put me in the flow.
So, if you’re experiencing hard times, one of the first (and easiest!) things you can do is become a little more aware of your thoughts, behaviors and words. Seek to find any negative thought patterns that bringing you distress, and then make adjustments accordingly.
Reason #2: Lack of Balance
Recently, I had a turn of “bad luck,” and experienced a fairly severe cold, and then threw my back out! UGH!
I usually think of myself as a healthy person, so to have two health incidents in a week is a little out of character for my vibe. I’m someone who almost never gets sick, and I am in pretty good shape. I’m strong and flexible (thanks to yoga!) and I have good endurance. My expectations for my health are largely positive.
So, in this case, I believe the reason for the health issues wasn’t negative thinking, but rather a lack of balance. Chances are you’ve experienced this before too.
Sometimes we get so invested in one area of our lives, that the lack of balance causes another area of our lives to fall dramatically!
For me, my website and business has become my main focus in life, and I spend hours and hours communicating with clients and readers, writing blogs, and making improvements to my website and business.
While I love doing all of this (and it’s been a very positive experience for me!), my total attention to the website has had some unintended consequences. As a result of this hyper focus, I’ve also experienced a lack of focus in other areas of my life that are also important to me, most primarily my health!
While I usually enjoy doing yoga and meditation daily and getting outside for fresh air and sunshine, the last few weeks I’ve been totally glued to my computer, working on some new projects that have had me very interested. Exercise and good health have taken a back seat.
The problem with being hyper-focused is that when are overly attentive to just one area of our lives, we simultaneously withdraw our focus from the other areas. And as we known, we only get what we are focused on. So, when we fail to focus on our health, we lose it. When we fail to focus on our relationships, they fade away.
For this reason, it’s a great idea to list out all of the things that are most important to us, and then make it a priority to attend to those things regularly. You’ve got to water the grass if you want it to be green!
Reason #3: New Challenges
The last reason why a positive person may have a bad day is because he or she is “leveling up!”
Sometimes positive people still have bad days! New challenges and experiences can often result in a few bad days here and there. While some people are able to enter a new job, start a workout routine or have a baby with little interruption to their vibe, for many of us, the new challenge can result in a few dark periods.
Why is this? Well, part of the reason we may experience dark times during change is that we are simply unfamiliar with the new position we find ourselves in. Life can be a little more sporadic and unpredictable when we are in uncharted territories, which is great because we can reach new heights we’d never new existed, but can also result in some new lows we never anticipated.
New challenges are like roller coasters. They can be fun, but they can also be a little scary. However, after you ride the ride a few times, your fear reduces. Unfortunately, so does the fun!
The thing is, if you really want to have fun, you have to get on the ride. This is why many positive people often take on new challenges.
The silver lining:
When I first learned about the Law of Attraction, I had a period of several months where I felt as if I was floating on a cloud. I applied lots of processes to make my life easier and more prosperous, and everything was going splendidly. Wouldn’t everyone like to live life like that every day?
Well, I found that the answer for me was actually NO! After a little while, I missed the sensation of overcoming obstacles. Go figure, right?
Well, here’s the thing: when everything is zen and happy and wonderful, life can get a little stale. It’s fun to be happy, but when you never have a challenge or a struggle, you limit your potential to reach even higher. We appreciate the high times even more when they are periodically punctuated with a few lows.
So, while I absolutely believe that raising our vibrations is a fantastic idea so that we may attract more of the things we want in life, I have also come to appreciate the harder times now as well. You’ll never feel quite as alive and exhilarated as you will after you’ve gotten back up after getting knocked down. The movement from negative to positive is quite blissful, and exciting!
If you’ve been experiencing hard times, take heart! Bad days are always temporary, and they often occur for very good reasons. Do what you can to restore balance and focus on the positive, but remember that hard times are often indicative of new challenges, and that these struggles always provide us with an opportunity to reach greater heights.
Remember, it’s ok to have bad days once in a while. You can still be a positive person even when things aren’t going perfectly. Perfection is tedious anyways.
Do what you can to raise your vibration and attract good things to yourself, but be willing to get a little dirty now and again. There’s nothing quite so fun as working yourself back into light.
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About the author:
Andrea Schulman is a former high school psychology teacher and the creator of Raise Your Vibration Today, which provides free and easy Law of Attraction techniques. She will be available for group educational seminars and webinars starting in the summer of 2015.