How do you avoid burn-out in a small town?
Over the years, I have learned one lesson for myself: negativity can only impact me if I allow it to. It is very easy to chime in with general lamentation and join the club of those who choose to look at the dark side of everything they see.
Every time I look at something, I make a conscious decision of what aspect I want to look at. I found that there is always something positive, and that’s where I give my attention to.
If I feel myself surrounded by negativity, I picture myself in a bubble of positive energy, and I do not allow negativity to penetrate it. That does not mean that I am not aware of it but I decide not to make at a part of my person.
I look for positive individuals to surround myself with, and I noticed that people sometimes give my way of looking at things a chance. They usually find that they are much happier for it.
One last thing I apply with great energy: I do not gripe about things that are beyond my personal control. If I can change things, I’ll try and give it my best effort. If I cannot change the external circumstances, I try to change my attitude about it.
This is probably as generic an answer as it gets but it works for me in any situation. It was the path I decided to trod, and I will hope that you will find one that works equally well for you.