Elevate Your Energy: A Guide to Shifting Negativity and Embracing Positivity

It all started with a negative thought that spiralled. Now your whole day is out of whack and you feel way out of alignment with your goals. Yep, bad days, low moods, and negative energy happen to all of us.

But before you write the day off as a failure or pull the duvet back over your head we want you to know, it’s nothing to feel badly about. In fact, negative energy can actually serve a very important and very positive purpose. (Hear us out here.)

Without low moods and negative energy, not only would we not appreciate the good times half as much, we also wouldn’t grow. Negative energy alerts us to areas in our life that need attention and that overcoming the tough stuff actually helps us to become the people we want to be. Without it, we’d never move forward.

Where do bad moods come from?

Good question, right? They’re generally a result of negative thoughts that stem from emotional stress. Say you have received a rude email and felt agitated and irritated about it or you didn’t sleep well and started your day feeling tired and cranky. Left unchecked, those bad feelings would attract more bad feelings, and they would grow and grow until your mood has seriously depleted.

Energy is contagious too. Ever noticed that when you’re in a funk everyone around you seems to be peeved off too? It’s not your imagination – scientists know it as the mirror neuron system. This system means that we mirror the behaviours of others. When we observe other people, our brains automatically mirror their actions as if we were performing those actions ourselves, so if you’re feeling low there’s a chance someone close by will be too. While that might seem like a bad thing, it’s actually a positive because by shifting your energy, you’ll be helping others to feel better too.

When you’re angry, sad, or just feeling a little off colour, it can be hard to know how to help yourself. This World Mental Health Day, we're here to guide you on a journey to shift that energy and realign with your goals. Here’s how you can make it happen:

 
How To Shift Your Energy

1. Practice self-compassion

What’s the first thing you do when you’re feeling out of sorts? If you answered ‘give myself a hard time about it’, we’re here to put a stop to that because the last thing you need when you’re feeling low is a side order of guilt. Beating yourself up for feeling bad doesn’t help; it just compounds it. So right this second, give yourself permission to feel the way you feel.

This simple act releases a massive chunk of negative energy and makes room for some positive emotions to flow your way. Grab a The Head Plan Journal and get your thoughts out on paper if it helps. Take five minutes for some deep meditation or breath slowly and just allow yourself to be still with your emotions.

Mindset coach Vex King says, "the first step in transforming negative emotions into positive ones is using love and compassion". That means speaking to yourself with loving-kindness. If your friend was feeling low you wouldn’t tell her to snap out of it and get over it. You’d treat her with love and care; reserve that compassion for yourself too.

2. Reach for a better feeling thought

By focusing on the positive feelings, spiritual authors Esther and Jerry Hicks say you can gradually shift your energy and change your vibrational frequency.

They say, “There is no thought that you cannot eventually have… but you cannot instantly jump to a thought that has a vibrational frequency very different from the thoughts you are usually thinking.”

In other words, you got to start slow. It’s about shifting your energy bit by bit. Motivational speaker and author Gabby Bernstein calls it the ‘Choose Again’ method. To begin, she says, consciously ask yourself, “What is the best-feeling thought I can find right now?”

Got it? Find it, focus on it, and then ask yourself that question again. Each time you do you’ll feel a little relief, your mood will improve and pretty soon you’ll have access to really good thoughts.

Struggling to get started? Try repeating “I will deliberately choose my thoughts so that I can feel better.” Congratulations – you’ve started your emotional scale journey.

3. Dial up the self-care

Let us ask you a question: what makes you feel really good? Like on-top-of-the-world, floating on cloud-9 kind of good? It could be an hour-long chat with your best friend, treating yourself to a scoop of salted caramel ice cream (yum!) or getting into bed with your favourite book. Now is your time to indulge in all of your favourite things.

Today, give yourself permission to pack the next few hours with all the things that make your heart sing: your favourite childhood film, a delicious dinner, an early night. Pop them into The Head Plan Journal like you do with all of your other daily tasks.

Countless studies have shown that self-care has a remarkable impact on our self-esteem, is a powerful way to counteract stress, and can dramatically improve our well-being, so, what are you waiting for?

 
4. Move it

Trust us - move your body if you're feeling in a low mood.  Science shows that just 15 minutes of movement a day can be enough to fend off negative energy – and what’s more, it could help you achieve your goals.

Manifestation and financial empowerment coach Amanda Frances says, “There is something about moving your physical body that can erase the negative energy. The endorphins flow, the resistance shifts, and you begin to see things differently.”
In this state, Amanda says you can more easily tap into the energy of your goals. By holding the intention of what you want to bring into your reality while moving, she says you can call the things you want into existence.

The best bit? You don’t have to deadlift your body weight or run 10K (unless, of course, you want to). A quick walk around the block, a few star jumps, or even cleaning the house can make all the difference.

Our pro tip? Create a playlist of the most upbeat, can’t-help-but-sing-them-aloud songs you can find and blast it anytime you’re feeling low. You’ll feel like you’re ready to take on the world after 10 minutes of listening/dancing/singing to Beyoncé. 

5. Go to your happy place

One sure way to shift your energy? Embody the person you want to become. All you gotta do is close your eyes and picture the very best version of ‘you’. Can you feel your energy rise, your excitement build, and that feeling of happiness and satisfaction flood your body?

If visualisation isn’t your thing, try scripting. It’s the process of writing out your ideal reality as if it has already happened. Kinda like a diary entry from the future where all your dreams have come true. It helps the creative juices flow, puts you in a happy, high vibe place, and banishes the blues.

Negative energy, who?

Get those good vibes…

Need more ideas? Read an inspiring book. Watch a comforting TV show. Be still with your thoughts. Use The Head Plan journal to get excited about your goals and future. Look at pictures of your favourite people. Hit your #DailyDrench goals. #Nourish your body. Get out in the fresh air. Treat yourself to a special purchase.

The list is endless and finding relief is always within your control. Sure, taking that first step to break out of a funk can feel challenging, but it’s totally worth it and it gets easier. 

As Vex King puts it, “Your Vibration, your vibe, is important. It’s the energy that courses through you, and that you radiate out into the world; and by extension, you welcome back.” So, protect your energy, nourish it, and know that, no matter what, you always have the power to shift it.