More Positive or Less Negative: Which One Actually Shifts the Needle?

Picture this: It's 2025, and three out of four of your coworkers are struggling with low mood right now. Not last year. Not "sometimes." Right. Now.

And here's the kicker—nearly half of employees surveyed said life was easier during the COVID-19 pandemic than it is today, Business Wire.

Let that sink in for a second. We're collectively more stressed now than when we were stuck inside our homes, fighting over toilet paper, and learning what "flatten the curve" meant.

So here's a question that'll make you tilt your head like a confused Golden Retriever: Which matters more—thinking more positive thoughts, or thinking fewer negative ones?

At first glance, they sound like the same thing wearing different hats. But they're not. Not even close.

When Sunday Nights Felt Like Sinking

I used to dread Sunday nights with a passion that rivaled my love of dad jokes.

After dinner, I'd start feeling that familiar sinking sensation—like someone dropped a large stone into the deep end of a pool. My wife could see it happening in real time. My mood would shift, my shoulders would tense, and I'd get quiet.

Not "peaceful quiet." More like "dreading Monday morning" quiet.

The crazy thing? I spent years trying to fix this with positive thinking. I'd tell myself: "Tomorrow is a fresh start!" "You've got great projects to work on!" "Think about all the good things about your job!"

But you know what? It didn't work.

Because I was trying to fill a bucket with a hole in it.

The Bucket with a Hole

Recent research shows that 75% of employees are experiencing some form of low mood, largely driven by politics and current events, Business Wire. The top stressors? U.S. politics (43%), global events (42%), and personal finances (37%), Business Wiremindsharepartners.

We're all swimming in the same ocean of 24/7 news cycles, doom-scrolling social media, and "breaking news" notifications. That negative thinking isn't just personal—it's become ambient noise in our lives.

And the impact? 58% of employees have considered quitting their job as a result of their mental health, according to Business Wire.

So here's what I learned: You can pour in all the motivational podcasts, inspiring quotes, and vision board energy you want. But if you're simultaneously swimming in a sea of negative thinking—if your internal monologue sounds like a hostile takeover by worry, doubt, and criticism—that positive thinking doesn't stand a chance.

Positive thinking is your fuel. But less negative thinking is clearing the runway.

The Shift That Changed My Sundays

Years ago, I found myself in a role where I constantly battled with victim thinking. I'd come home frustrated, take it out on my family (not proud of that), and dwell on everything that went wrong that day.

The crazy part? I thought I was being realistic. Practical. Just "seeing things as they are."

But what I was actually doing was feeding the negative. And the negative, my friends, has an appetite like a black hole—it just keeps consuming.

It wasn't until I told myself "Nothing I say or do is going to change the situation, so I need to change how I react to it" that things shifted.

I didn't suddenly become Mr. Positive Vibes Only. I just stopped letting the negative rent space in my head.

And you know what? Those Sunday nights? They stopped feeling like sinking. My "mosquito buzz"—that whisper telling me there's something bigger—got louder because it wasn't being drowned out by negativity.

Your Brain on Negative (It's Not Pretty)

Dr. Rick Hanson, a neuropsychologist, puts it this way: "The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones."

Our brains are literally wired to hold onto the negative. Which means we have to be intentional about reducing it—not just adding more positive on top.

Think of it this way: positive thinking is like having great dance moves. But less negative thinking? That's clearing the dance floor so you actually have room to move.

So What Do You Actually Do?

All right, enough theory. How do you actually reduce negative thinking—especially when the world seems determined to feed it to you?

1. Identify Your Negative Sources

Who are the people in your life who leave you feeling drained? What situations consistently trigger negative spirals? Which of your own habits feeds the negativity?

This isn't about blame. It's about awareness. You can't shift what you can't see.

2. Set Boundaries (Yes, Even in 2025)

Employees are reporting that politics and current events are major drivers of their low mood, according to Business Wire. You can't control the news cycle, but you can control how much of it you consume.

Maybe that means:

• Checking the news once a day instead of constantly

• Turning off notifications for news apps

• Unfollowing accounts that make you feel worse, not better

• Setting boundaries around political discussions that go nowhere

3. Catch Yourself in the Act

When you notice yourself spiraling, pause. Ask yourself: "Is this thought helping me move forward or keeping me stuck?"

If it's the latter, acknowledge it ("Okay, there's that victim thinking again") and redirect.

4. Replace, Don't Just Remove

When you remove a negative thought pattern, you create a vacuum. Fill it intentionally.

Instead of "I can't believe I messed that up," try "What did I learn, and how can I do better next time?"

It's not about being fake-happy. It's about choosing growth over dwelling.

Your Challenge This Week

Pick one source of chronic negativity in your life. Just one.

Maybe it's that colleague who turns every team meeting into a complaint session. Maybe it's the news notifications pinging your phone every five minutes. Maybe it's your own habit of replaying worst-case scenarios before bed.

For the next seven days, create distance from it. Set a boundary. Change the pattern.

Don't try to replace it with forced positivity yet—just remove it and notice what happens. Notice how much mental space opens up. Notice how your energy shifts. Notice how your "mosquito buzz" gets a little louder.

That's your edge. That's where the dance begins.

The power isn't just in thinking positive. It's in refusing to feed the negative.

And once you start doing that—especially in a world that seems designed to keep you stressed and worried—that's when the real shift happens.

Want to learn more about turning your Sunday Scaries into Sunday Claries? "You're the Shift" launches soon. Sign up at tylerjwirth.com to be the first to know.