Motivational speakers, paternal figures, and many characters in drama TV series tend to say one thing in common. You will often find them saying, “You are your own worst enemy.” And it’s more or less true.

Many factors and decisions are taken into account to shape people into who they are, or who they might become. People have different capabilities. We get help and guidance from other individuals in our lives: family, friends, pastors, coaches, etc. But in the end, one critical element is required for success, for happiness, for a life. And it demands something of us.

It’s only right that people ought to be involved in their own destinies. They simply need to be an active part of their own lives. Life requires us to take the wheel. We have to take calls to action; we have to make choices. But this is difficult when your morale is low or your mindset is far from optimistic. This can be fixed several ways.

Trying to restore hope in your fellow human beings can be a great remedy for a negative way of thinking. If you don’t see the fruits of good proactive people in society, then it can become difficult to see the good traits in yourself. Alter your mentality to see the benevolent, world-changing capabilities others have been bestowed with. If they can do it, you can too.

For many people, a lot of the negative self-talk is a mental argument. The hope is to have the better half win. No one ever loses their worth. Every human being has potential and dignity, and we need to see that in others to be able to also see it in our very selves. The mentality needs to change from seeing our fellow human beings as obstacles when, in fact, the primary obstacle in an individual’s life is the individual himself.

The individual needs to let go of certain things and start to pick up others. People need to make resolutions and then persevere in them. Another element which can instigate negative thoughts or self-reprimands is the overall mood of the other people in one’s life. The family life will have a significant influence on the individual’s mentality, whether for better or worse.

So another practice to try to instill into your life is pointing out (or at least observing) the positive sides in a conversation or situation. For me, I have several people in my life who have a special kind of humor, to say the least. I love them, but their humor can be extremely negative at times. It can be funny but kind of sad funny. As a result, to counter this overemphasis on negativity, I try to point out the best in people, their behavior, and their actions.

There’s only one person that can change your negative mentality: you. You pave the path to positive thinking. If more people were to see others and themselves in a positive light, the world would host a lot less hatred.