Have you ever noticed the evening news, in just as little as thirty minutes, the media spends a full 25 minutes on all the things wrong in the world and only five minutes at the very end with a “feel good story”? When considering the “News” or taking in any information, we must use our radar device to access what we do with that information. I believe that media is all just information, usually with a personal agenda, so we use discretion in what to do with that information. I minimize my intake of media for self-perseverance. At any given moment, we are choosing love or fear. Imagine if there were a greater balance in the media to unite and lift humanity rather than inform with judgment, fault, and fear. When we think about our world and how we relate to one another, how could the power of positivity have a larger impact on the state of things? Potentially we could be more effective at problem-solving and conflict resolution generating more unity, not to mention personal relationships and our quality of life and well-being.
Are you a “glass half empty or glass half full” person? A glass-half-empty person might be identified as someone who complains often, carries more anxiety or worry, and lacks confidence in themselves, their world, and the people they relate with. This personality type can tend to be more pessimistic or life energy-sucking. A “glass half full” personality tends to be a more optimistic thinker. They display enthusiasm, patience, courage, calmness, focus, gratitude, and determination. They will find that proverbial silver lining and are infectious to be around. The health effects of either are enough to make one at least hold their attitude accountable. The personal health impact of pessimistic thinking is more than just emotional health; they are more likely to suffer from degenerative brain disease, cardiovascular and digestive disorders, and compromised immune systems. The counterpart to negativity is the positive thinker; they can have an increased lifespan, greater immunity, lower rates of depression and anxiety, and less cortisol and adrenalin while experiencing an increase in serotonin, the feel-good hormone. Think about which one you are, and can you choose? I believe you can learn to choose most of the time.
Now let’s address the white elephant in the room; life just isn’t perfect, you say? Of course, it isn’t without a contrast how we would learn. Choosing to do better doesn’t suggest being perfect. It’s giving ourselves grace when we're not that person, and even getting neutral is more practical than the negative state of being. It is believed that negative emotions like pain, fear, and sadness spread more easily because the brain is wired to keep you safe. By default, we go to that negative place because, as a collective consciousness, we’ve generated neural patterns of thinking the same old way over and over, just like water running through a creek generates grooves and pathways. Still, the amazing thing about the human brain is something called neuroplasticity; we can change neural pathways built by habit by changing our behavior.
You might be saying some people are just “born this way”; it’s genetic. “Nature versus Nurture” is true that some of the ways we view life are a genetic character imprint. On the nurture side, an equal amount is generated from our thought forms highly influenced by our upbringing, culture, teachers, experiences, and the external environment. It’s in those thought forms that our true power lies. Every thought generates an emotion, good or bad. We can learn new thinking patterns by being mindful and self-regulating our thoughts. Emotion is contagious, and a positive outlook is infectious. Positive thinkers are just more pleasant to be around.
So how do we start to “turn the frown upside down”? Positive thinking is a practice. We can learn to begin to see life through a different lens. We don’t rely on external conditions to determine our happiness. It is finding peace in the chaos. Positivity is nurturing an inner barometer that helps us regulate chaos and return over and over again to a more peaceful, compassionate, and accepting balance. It’s maintaining your ability to find hope and to see clearly to a higher and more expansive view of life outside the tit for tat. . Here’s one practical mindfulness tool I love, and one that can at the least get you back to neutral. STOP - NOTICE - CHOOSE. A practice of self-regulation is becoming aware of when you are being energetically charged by something, a thought, or an external situation, as in an event or another person.
STOP- when we stop or pause, we make room for something else to occur.
NOTICE - why am I upset, or why do I default to a negative in these situations?
CHOOSE - what to do now, I can make a more favorable choice. I can examine why this experience always gives me a charge and work on that. Or how can I change my automatic response (neural patterning) to a more positive one to have a more positive impact?
When we fill our cups, they will positively flow over onto others; that is the power of positivity.
We are all a work in progress, and practicing mindful positive self-care can help support your health and expand the quality of joy in living; you’ve got the power! Here are some additional easy-to-do suggestions to help you along the journey to positivity.
1. Take a time out
2. Reframe the thought or situation
3. Focus more on gratitude
4. Don’t force a feeling of positivity; take a few resetting breaths, letting the charge neutralize.
5. What do I have to look forward to? What can I create to have something to look forward to?
6. Shift focus to the more positive qualities.
7. Consider writing a self-compassion letter.
8. Surround yourself with more positive people; remember it is contagious.
9. Be open to humor, and laugh a lot!
10. Practice random acts of kindness.
