It is possible to adopt a positive mindset and live a happy life. All it takes is constant practice. Always think of positive things and any time you catch yourself thinking negatively quickly steer your mind back. With time the mind becomes used to positivity and whenever any negative thought intrudes it can fight it off without much conscious effort.
You may ask, how can one maintain a positive attitude in a negative situation? And, how can mere positive thinking change a reality?
Maintaining a positive attitude in whatever circumstances is as natural as driving a car when you have learnt how to. Your mind is wired to do so, all that is required to connect the wire is consistent practice. Be relentless and it will soon be self-evident.
Yes, positive thinking may not change the situation physically, at least not immediately. If you’re poor, the reality of poverty will still be with you. However, worrying about it cannot change it either but only worsen the matter, while optimistic thoughts can alter your perception of it thereby lessening its effects on your mood, making it less depressing.
As they say, when you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. It is all in the mind. Take hunger for instance. One who is fasting endures hunger better than one who is only hungry. Why? Because the one who is fasting, having made up his mind about it, thinks less of hunger, while the hungry man constantly thinks of food and soon exhausts himself into a stupor.
Of course, your positive attitude towards hunger will not make it go away. But it will make it less unbearable and allow you a clear mind to navigate your way out of the situation – which is the ultimate benefit of positive thinking!
Another word for positive thinking is optimism; thinking you can get out of a bad situation and visualizing how life would be when you are finally free.
When you think this way, you conserve the energy you would have wasted on depressive emotions like anger, hatred, sadness, frustration and other unpleasant feelings associated with reacting badly to negative situations. The energy so conserved, coupled with the resultant positive vibe or high mood, will propel you into positive actions that would bail you out of the situation sooner or later.
While it is true that you can’t be happy all the time, it is also true that you can be happy most of the time when you choose not to dwell on unhappiness each time it comes by cultivating the habit of positive thinking.
Remember, no situation is beyond redemption when you believe in yourself and trust the power behind all things.
Stay positive!
(c) Sumaila Umaisha
