Finding the Ugly Beautiful: Why this New Year’s Resolution is Worth Committing to

The term “finding the ugly beautiful” was coined by a patient of mine a few years ago when we were discussing how to “turn the mind” from thinking negatively about a situation to reframing the situation in a more positive light. Here’s how it works:  take any seemingly awful, ugly, or negative situation and instead of focusing on how terrible it is, try to find at least one good thing about it. Let’s say it’s snowing and your car breaks down. Pretty ugly, right? Absolutely! And if you think about it, there are many beautiful aspects of the situation: at least you own a car, at least you have a job to earn the money to pay for a car, at least you have a cell phone to call for help, at least you have people/supports in your life you can call. Despite the ugliness of the situation, it’s not all bad. Finding the ugly beautiful is a worthwhile habit because it helps to decrease the personal negative impact any particular situation will cause. It also decreases rumination and puts life into perspective by reminding you that most often, the situation could always be worse. After a year of practicing finding the ugly beautiful, I can honestly say I am a happier person. Try it out, I guarantee you won’t be disappointed.

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