As we interact, we share positive energy, but we also take in negative ones. The negative energy transmitted by others in the form of words, actions, comments, texts are often absorbed by us which begins to hinder our thought process or perception of ourselves. We often let what happens externally affect us internally.

Hence, self-awareness and self-regulation play a key role to help us have better Well-being. While some get affected by it and end up caught in the negative loop, many others learn how to decode it effectively and focus on self-development (i.e., being self-aware and self-regulating).

Self-awareness is the ability to perceive and understand how a particular situation, person or their communication style helps you or hurts you. Self-regulation is your response and action to such helpful/hurtful situations.

Opinions are formed based on personal perceptions or experiences, they could be favorable or unfavorable. They can also have a huge impact on the receivers depending on how we welcome and handle them. In our lives, many of us would have come across negative opinions from our loved ones and friends. It could have made us feel doubtful of our decisions, but we always have the choice to convert negative opinions into a matter of reflection or reaction.

Dissecting criticism and negative feedback can be split into three categories (i.e., helpful, hurtful, and neutral). Ask yourself whether the criticism / feedback is based on facts or opinions. Ask yourself if the person, moment, and how it was communicated are the reasons it hurts and offends you. Reflecting on all these aspects will help you to work on your own biases and denial.

So, if you find yourself experiencing a challenge in handling negative opinions, start adopting the below points in your life:

  • Be an active listener
  • Learn to differentiate what is important and not to relieve the load on your mind space
  • Get into the habit of decoding feedback thoughtfully
  • Welcome thoughts and opinions from others’
  • Work on improved self-awareness and quality introspection

This will help you to work on issues like low confidence, low self-esteem, anxiety, feeling negative, being overly critical, etc.

Anxiety is a fight or flight response that aid human survival instincts. Self-awareness and self-regulation can also enable one to have better control. Knowing when feelings of anxiety are bubbling up is important in facilitating the channeling of feelings of anxiety to creativity.

These are some of the ways we can redirect feelings of anxiety into creativity:

  • Movement of your muscles
    When you feel anxious, you can do some exercise or dance to your favorite music. Skills don’t matter here; it is simply focusing on a fun activity to dissipate the negative energy.
  • Art
    Colors have been known to heal and calm. If you have an availability of paints, crayons, color pens, or other art materials, engaging your artistic mind helps to ease your thoughts and emotions.
  • Journal writing
    When we pen down our thoughts, it can help us untangle the complexities of our emotions. Writing a story can help you feel better, or you can also write a note to yourself.
  • Make a voice note
    If things are bothering you and you need to release it, you can also choose to record whatever is going on in your mind.

We often call the emotions that are too fragile to handle as negative emotions but when we start befriending them, we can see how we have a wand in us that can turn the challenge into an opportunity. Being creative and handling a negative situation with a calmer mind can be the key to better living.