If you haven’t been living under a rock, you know that intermittent fasting is ALL the rage right now!

Convenience foods have made it super easy for us to eat…well, constantly!

And, unfortunately, the grab-n-go foods most Americans have come to love and adore are filled with ingredients our bodies despise, like refined sugars, grains, and highly processed oils.

By giving your body a 12-16 hour break from digesting all calories (aka a brief “fast”), you may be able to lose weight more easily, reduce inflammation, boost brain health, increase longevity, and even prevent cancer.

Personally, I’m a huge fan of intermittent fasting because of the way it makes me feel. When I fast, my energy levels, digestion, and mental acuity all benefit.

My love of regular caloric fasts got me interested in another type of fasting, which can have equally positive results: negativity fasting!

Never heard of it? I hadn’t either. But trust me — IT WORKS!

WHAT IS NEGATIVITY FASTING?

What is negativity fasting, you ask?

I first heard the term on Bulletproof Radio episode #562—“Negativity Fasting and Spirituality Hacking”—in which host Dave Asprey interviews biohacker, Luke Storey.

Storey explains that “thoughts carry energy and they actually have power.” He also admits that he was “addicted to complaining.”

Storey’s defines “negativity fasting” as…

“Negativity fasting, it’s anytime that my perception paints something as dark, negative, wrong, bad… to get really quick at a thought sniper-like practice where I’m seeing anytime my mind says “that’s bad, that’s wrong” and deleting that thought and eliminating that thought. And it’s really kind of based on the Shakespearean principle ‘there’s no such thing as good or bad, only thinking makes it so.'”

In my words, negativity fasting means abstaining (as best you can!) from the negative thoughts that put a damper on your day. (You know the ones I’m talking about!)

However, in my experience, this practice is much easier said than done! For me, it’s easier to refrain from the tangible — like food — than it is to refrain from the intangible — like negative thoughts.

But when I actually make it happen (stay tuned for some tricks!), I feel happier, less stressed, and more satisfied with my personal life.

When it comes to my nutrition coaching business, successful negativity fasting helps me feel more motivated and confident.

Here’s how I do it…

4 WAYS TO CREATE POSITIVITY IN YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIFE

It’s worth mentioning again that negativity fasting is not easy (at least for me!).

But here are some of the ways I incorporate the practice into my daily life.

1. THINK POSITIVE

I constantly remind myself to “think positive,” a phrase I borrowed from my dad.

Growing up, my dad said these two words to me over and over and over…

Me: *crying with skinned knees after falling off my bike*
Dad: “Think positive! You didn’t break anything!”

Me: “My math teacher is the worst.”
Dad: “Think positive! You won’t have him next year.”

Was I annoyed that he said this phrase all the time? (And by all the time, I mean multiple times a day!) YES, I was. Am I grateful now that this phrase echoes over and over in my mind? Also, yes.

Finding the silver lining in most situations helps me avoid little pity parties. And days that I’m best at “thinking positive” are usually the days I feel most content and satisfied!

2. GIVE OTHERS A BREAK

I try to give people the benefit of the doubt.

This one can be really tough, especially when you’re walking down the street and someone rudely bumps into you without apologizing.

What a jerk, right?

It might be human nature to jump to negative conclusions about other people; what’s difficult is giving annoying strangers, coworkers, and even family members the benefit of the doubt.

But that’s what I’ve been trying to do!

Instead of cursing at that person in my head, I’ve been trying to come up with a scenario that could justify their actions. Maybe they’re running home to a sick child and are so flustered that they didn’t even notice they hit you!

The more I work this “thought sniper-like practice” (as Storey calls it) into my daily life, the less stressed I feel.

Yes, some people are just plain mean and selfish. But the more negative thoughts I think about them, the more I let them affect me!

So really, when you get worked up about other people’s actions, the only person you’re hurting is yourself!

3. GRATITUDE

I think of FIVE things I’m grateful for before I even get out of bed!

Starting the day off right is OH, SO important when it comes to negativity fasting.

Before any negative thought tries to creep its way into my psyche, I stop it in its tracks through this daily gratitude practice. Try it!

4. USE SOCIAL MEDIA INTENTIONALLY

Using social media sparingly will help you avoid the comparison trap.

The more I compare my nutrition coaching business to others’ businesses (usually on social media), the more negative thoughts creep into my mind.

• “How come she has so many more followers than I do?”
• “He has it all figured out, and I have NO clue what I’m doing!”
• “Her brand voice is so cool and clear, and mine stinks!”

The only surefire way I’ve found to practice negativity fasting in my business life is to limit my mindless scrolling through Instagram, Facebook, and the like.

I still love to post regularly, engage with my followers, and reach out to new accounts, but it’s the mindless scrolling that really gets to me.

IN SUMMARY

I love the fact that Storey echoed the Shakespearean principle, “There’s no such thing as good or bad, only thinking makes it so.”

Mr. Shakespeare was really onto something!

The more we’re in control of our thoughts, and the more we can prevent negative thoughts from seeping into our daily personal and professional lives, the better chance we have at being happy, fulfilled, and successful!

If you haven’t tried negativity fasting in your own life, give it a shot! And when you do, let me know if you come up with any tips or tricks to make it happen!

For more on Brooke, head here!