Truth be told, it is difficult to remain positive at all times. When we are confronted with life’s most unpleasant circumstances, our first impulse is to react negatively to them.
Oftentimes, negative emotions like fear, anger, sorrow, or hopelessness get the better of us when we come face to face with adversity. These are normal responses – and healthy to some extent – but we should not dwell in them or let them control us for the rest of our lives.
Whenever I hit my low point, I always find consolation in the wise words of the great philosopher Aristotle: “It is during our darkest moments that we should focus to see the light”. This has helped me get through tough times and continues to give me the morale boost that I need in these uncertain times.
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Why you should focus on the positive
Positive thinking doesn’t mean blindly taking an optimistic stance at all times. It means recognizing the difficulty and approaching it more positively. When we focus on the positive, we re-wire our brains to find the good in the bad, or the opportunity in tragedy.
Although positivity doesn’t come naturally to us, the following reasons could give us the motivation to start cultivating a positive mindset today.
- Focusing on the positive enables us to see the situation differently.
When we cultivate positive thoughts, we begin to see a difficult situation as a stepping stone, rather than a stumbling block, in achieving our goals. We learn to focus more on the possibilities for success and not on the potential for failure.
When we choose to be positive in the midst of crisis, we develop an inner strength to fight for our dreams, move forward with our goals, and do our best to reach them
2. Focusing on the positive reinforces our coping skills in stressful situations.
Stressful situations can surely test our strength and coping ability. In such cases, it can help to examine our thoughts, acknowledge how we feel about the situation, and maintain a positive attitude.
Whenever we find ourselves in stressful situations, we must choose to avoid making self-limiting statements such as “I can’t do this” or “it will not work”, which only add to the stress that we feel. Instead, practice positive self-talk to help us ease out stress. When we encourage ourselves to face the situation, we can manage stress more effectively.
3. Focusing on the positive benefits our mind and body.
A negative attitude and thinking can take a toll on our overall health. When we allow negative thoughts to run through our heads, interfere with our daily lives, and affect the way we view ourselves and others, we are prone to developing mental illnesses like anxiety and depression. In the same way, they also contribute to certain health conditions like a weak immune system, insomnia, headaches, digestive problems, heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
That’s why cultivating affirmative thoughts is crucial to our mental and physical health. The more we feed our minds with positive thoughts, the less susceptible we are to feel anxious or depressed, and the healthier we become.
Our thoughts and attitudes are powerful enough to make or break us. If we allow negativity to rule us, we end up in misery for the rest of our lives. But if we attract positivity, optimism will grow in us and we become more resilient in facing the challenges in life. So, let’s choose to focus on the positive and begin to change our life for the better!