How do you stay positive?

[HollowEve]

Sad to say, I watch the clock. When I'm at work for 7 hours, I give myself milestones like 'You survived 3.5 hours! Have some cake!' I spent 15 months doing that.
When all else fails, though, I hold origami cranes and remind myself that this life is only temporary.

[OgonoArtFamily]

I stay positive by turning any negative situation into a positive that I can learn from.
In addition, I practice meditation. So the entire process helps me chill out in general.
I can't have bad vibes slowing me down when making Osca

Here's a cool story! In the past, when I used to feel down about the path I took. I'd always re-watch Griffith's speech to motivate me.

[LordVincent]

I'm kind of an optimist these days so it just comes naturally? But before anything like that comes naturally you need to learn to do it actively. I guess I could mention the things I did when I was still learning??

I remind myself that the only way to make a bad situation better is to work towards getting better.
I try to see the positive things instead of the negative (Got a home to live in? Got food to eat? Got clothes that keep you warm? That's things people have struggled much harder to have for thousands of years!) People are way too quick to get caught up in a negative thing that happens in their life and turn it into something bigger than it is, when there are so many more good things happening that far outweigh the negatives.
I think towards the future, what I want it to be like, and then I work on the things needed to make it so. I don't leave any spare time to overthink any negatives.
Back when I had a job where I witnessed knife threats and was threatened myself I got pretty damn skilled at viewing things in the most positive light possible. Held out much longer than most people would have.

When all else fails I remind myself that the douchebag who sexually exploited me in my teens was a pessimist, and that I'd rather die than become a pessimist like him.

Works surprisingly well

[AlkseeyaKC]

I'm usually an optimist. But when things get ruff in life it can sway. To get me off negative thoughts, I do something to distract me like read comics, play video games. Then sometimes drinking something with caffeine helps.

I was being depressed the other day this week. Pepsi and drawing a merman turned me around.

[Testaccount]

When I'm depressed, I think about my merman story and that makes me smile =)

I love how we both like mermen. I feel they don't get enough attention. There really isn't any good mainstream stories about them.

[Testaccount]

You always have enlightening things to say. I've been having a pretty rough time the last two weeks, so that's why I asked the community how they stay positive. And just to make it clear, this has nothing to do about reads or subs on Tapas, this post is about my personal life.

Today, I focused on all the positive things in my life and how I plan to make it better. Thanks for your inspiring words; they are always helpful.

[NickRowler]

I deal with clinical depression and have a lot of time where I just feel awful.

The number one thing I can suggest is NEVER become cynical about it. If you become a hateful asshole, you end up dragging down everyone around you and you are more or less digging your own hole of despair. Try to avoid jealousy. Try not to approach people with different views in a hateful manner. Some people might have awful views, don't feed their hate, but wish upon them that they weren't so full of hate.

Similarly, you should not obsess over past "regrets". Yeah, shit happens, and what is done is done. Instead you need to learn from your mistakes and use that to move forward and improve yourself.

It is also good to have hobbies or something you just enjoy that helps relax you when you are stressed. Have a social life beyond just chatting with people online.

But sometimes at the end of the day, you might need professional help. Like talking to a therapist and such.

[375]

I remind myself that I shouldnt look at the glass half empty but half full. Sure, terrible things are happening and everything feels like its all crap-a-dap but I always try to find the positive things in situations. Sometimes we get too caught up in looking at all the negative thats happening to us that we take for granted the positive things that are happening.

[creepsville]

2 Things: I look into success stories of people I enjoy and find that they are wrought with rejection and peril. And I take a break from my work to make a faux book cover or movie poster for my project. This visual inspires me to keep working towards the goal of making it a reality and is fun to look at. It keeps me excited about the project and my worries melt away.

[natchevil]

I just finished dealing with the biggest rumble with depression in a decade.
The level of despair was such that I contemplated selling my tablet and computer and trashing all my sketch books.

I'm better now.

But that kind of pitch in your heart is a toughy.
I would not be drawing today if it were not for my friends.
Fans of my work since when I started drawing Natch Evil back in 2001.
Hardcore fans who have seen me dive into these kinds of fits before.
They grabbed me on discord and listened and talked and offered to show up and beat the crap out of me until I saw sense.
You know.
Pals.

I credit my friends and my fans for keeping me going.
And I honestly don't deserve them.

Now to draw another page.

[Rayenae]

Thanks a lot for making it, I've been going through some rough stuff myself and this thread really helped. Lately I've been kind of depressed and started questioning whether I even really enjoyed doing this or if I really wanted to continue doing it. I found just making myself do it anyway actually helped me feel better. I think I was building it up as being more of a chore than it really is.

[XzynderVexymous]

MOTIVATIONAL SPEECHES.

These motivate you to do something. Listen to DIFFERENT speeches daily and you will have to motivation to take over the world.

[Sanz]

My positivity is a lie. I have to tell myself to be happy. Or people will ask what's wrong and I know no one cares.

[joe_galindez]

"Conan! What is best in life?"

[Rayenae]

Magick Words :: Baby Steps | Tapas

I hope it's ok to do a self-post here, but I'm currently working on a series that's all about positive affirmations and mantras to help with motivation and other issues. I've just started (6th episode goes up Sunday), so don't have a whole lot that apply to work/creativity specifically yet, but I thought this one in particular was a good one to share.

For me, the number one thing that I seem to have a problem with is that I try to take on too much at once, or set lofty goals for myself, and then go into a depression when I don't achieve it. I need to remind myself a lot that I'll actually get a lot farther taking a lot of Baby Steps, than constantly starting and stopping from all the issues that come with being TOO ambitious.

[punkarsenic]

ohhhh...

im pretty damn bad at that. watching good tv helps

[samueltcopp]

For me, I just go forward. Things don't always go your way or how you imagined, but you just continue. I forget where I have heard it, but "you have to fall in love with small and big will be attracted to you."

[Testaccount]

You're welcome! When times are rough, it's nice to have supportive people to lean on^^

I hope things get better for you =)

[Wishjacked]

I pace in circles for at least 45 minutes every night. I know, that sounds insane. But it really gives me a good time-out where I can't be doing any work, which is important for decompressing. I spend the time praying or listening to music, or just thinking about things.

Sometimes I'll get home from work at midnight or later and I'll still pace for a good bit before bed because it's such a helpful thinking/decompressing tool. The brain just loves repetition, haha. Give it some routines. XD

[joe_galindez]

I do something something similar, but for 3 minutes out of every 45. Gotta irrigate the extremities with blood.