7 Habits of a Negaholic

Have you ever met a negaholic and thought to yourself I wish I were more like them?

During these challenging times, it’s much easier than you might think.

Here are some surefire ways to jump-start your negaholic journey. World-class negaholics adopt all seven of these habits, but if you can make just one of them a habit, you will be well on your way to being a negaholic.

  1. Focus on what’s not going well. First thing in the morning, be sure to write down everything you can think of that is not going well in your negaholic journal. If you run out of things not going well, be sure to concentrate and focus on everything going wrong. I am sure you can find more things not going well—you’ve got this. Make a mental note of all the things you see not going well. That way, you can include them in your negaholics journal later (pro tip – keep your negaholic journal with you so you can capture the negativity right away).

  2. Tune into the news. If nothing is going wrong in your life, turn to the news. It will show things that are going wrong elsewhere. And if nothing is going wrong in the world, the media will show reruns of things that have gone wrong. The news is an extraordinary source for negativity – be sure to tune in. Be sure to tune in shortly after you have written in your negaholic journal and tune in before bed. During the day, look at your “smart” phone frequently to check for news updates and set up news alerts, so you don’t miss any updates.

  3. Associate with other negaholics. Want to become a negaholic? Then stay closely connected to other negaholics. Not only will they nitpick you, but they will also help you stay engaged with negativity you may not know about, and they can introduce you to other negative people. Be sure to interrupt them if they say anything remotely positive.

  4. Refuse to take care of your health. Eat lots of processed food with lots of added sugar and drink lots of caffeinated drinks. Avoid water, fruits, and vegetables, and get as little sleep as possible. Watch lots of violent and depressing TV shows and movies.

  5. Assume the worst in all people, including yourself. Be very quick-tempered. Don’t trust anyone. Moreover, if someone offers help, refuse it right away. Never say thank you no matter what, and when someone is kind to you, be very suspicious of their motives. Also, believe everything that negative voice in your head says: “you don’t deserve to be happy,” “you are a bad person,” “You are fat or skinny” (choose the one that hurts you the most). For maximum impact, it is best to write these thoughts in your negaholic journal.

  6. Consume zero personal development content. Don’t read personal development books or listen to inspiring stories or messages. Instead, stick with the tried and trustworthy news.

  7. Repeat negative affirmations!  Practice saying negative things to yourself in the mirror. Say things like: “This won’t work,” “I am no good,” “things will never change for the better.” 

Bonus: Worry and fret about things that are entirely outside of your control!  

Which of these habits have you picked up? Good luck with your negaholic journey!