The concept of positive thinking is widely known. The most common understanding of positive thinking is that you focus on good things in life. You also need to look at all situations in life from a positive perspective. Or that even if something bad happens, it isn’t as terrible an event that we think it is or that something good will happen in the future.
This type of thinking is thought of as being life-enhancing and that you’ll see a number of benefits when you focus on good things in your life. Although this concept often shared as advice during hard times, it has also been criticized.
Some critics point out that positive thinking can be harmful. Negative thinking serves its purpose because it helps us survive. After all, if we weren’t afraid of illnesses, we would indulge in bad habits. Likewise, if we weren’t scared of doing poorly at work, we would likely lose our jobs and means of living.
However, there isn’t enough information about positive thinking available to most people. And what is shared and believed today consists of myths. In this post, we’ll demystify some of these misconceptions so that you can apply positive thinking for the best effect in your life.
Positive thinking denies reality
The idea that thinking positively keeps you from facing your reality comes from the notion that you have to force yourself to pretend that things are good even when they aren’t. However, this isn’t the right application of positive thinking.
Rather, thinking positively is about opening yourself up to possibilities. It’s not about denying that it’s hard when you lose a job or fall out of a relationship. The idea is to not immediately categorize challenging events as being a final statement that defines one’s entire life.
When you think positively, you accept your reality and then acknowledge that there are still other options available to you. For example, Leaving a job is hard but it may compel you to start writing, build your own business, or travel and find other opportunities.
The experience of a relationship falling apart may send you down a creative route and you can start writing a blog or sharing your story to help others.
Life becomes easier
There’s a myth that if you think positively, then life becomes easier by showering you with luck.
However, this isn’t true at all. Just because you choose to look at the bright side of things does not mean that you avoid any unpleasantness.
Events such as relationship issues, health concerns, and much more happen to people in general. But feeling down on yourself and adding to these stressors by thinking in an overly negative way can make it worse.
You’re far more likely to find solutions and deal with stressors by using your brain optimally. And this is possible when you look at life as having possibilities and opportunities in spite of the challenges you face.
Let’s look at an everyday example, a medical student who needs to learn a copious amount of information will only make it harder to study if they occupy their minds with ideas that they are in a bad position. Feeling more positive, appreciating every small achievement, and freeing one’s mind to do actual work will help you move forward.
Positive thinking is not about life becoming mysteriously easier. You still need to work hard and thinking positively will give you the mental resilience you’ll need to manage life issues in a proactive way.
Conclusion
Positive thinking is not a cure-all for problems in life. But it is an essential behavior and thought process that enables us to become more resilient.
When used properly, it gives us hope and helps us move ahead by improving our lives. We also end up influencing others in a way that uplifts them. This is especially important during this holiday season where we need to share our holiday spirit with others after a difficult year.
So, be aware of the myths that surround positive thinking and be open to possibilities in life. When you do this, you’ll impact your own and other people’s lives to create long-term, sustainable emotional wellbeing.