An Article About Positivity

Introduction

To begin this article, I’d like to discuss toxic positivity briefly. Although toxic positivity has good intentions, it lacks compassion and can shut down opportunities for connection. In no way in this article am I condoning poisonous positivity. Toxic positivity is being positive at all costs and disregarding emotions during life-altering events by saying “just be positive” or something of that sort to overlook the matter at hand. I’m fully aware that it’s hard to keep positivity in times of defeat or loss. At the same time, feelings will evolve, and you will grow.

Staying positive 24/7 can be exhausting at first, especially when someone upsets you and challenges your growth. I always think I’ve grown until someone tests that, and they end up getting knocked out, but I’ve finally learned how to control my OG side. Knowing when you’ll ever need to take it there is the key. Growth is key.

It seems like people who are always negative are just not confident enough to believe whatever negative thought they’re having; if there is one thing that stays with me, no matter what, it’s essential to keep your confidence. When someone is confident about what they do and who they are, it’s easy to believe in their vision. With confidence, you’re naturally more positive on an everyday basis. Positive thinking helps with stress management and is likely to improve your health overall.

If you don’t know, you control your thoughts; your thoughts are not in control. Now that that’s out the way — if you’re like me and get a little boost of creativity once or maybe twice a month, I know it’s probably hard for you to keep going. It’s hard to constantly be positive because I know it is easy to slip up into your old habits, but this is where spirituality comes in because a person must be mentally aware of knowing that they are going back into their old ways. Being mindful in your everyday life will increase your level of growth because once you acknowledge your habits, it’s easier to change them. Even when it comes to positive thinking, once you’re able to stop your negative thoughts as soon as you acknowledge them, it’s easier to think positive thoughts instead.

Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

One of the books that helped me develop this mindset was The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. In that book, he emphasized the power one has over their mind and how it can help one achieve your greatest dreams, which compelled me to read it quickly. I would highly recommend it to people who want to develop a growth mindset. If you don’t already know about the growth mindset, it’s continuously adapting to seek growth. I will break it down for you in the following few paragraphs, but for now, understand there is a difference between growth and fixed mindsets.

People who have a fixed mindset believe their essential qualities, like their intelligence or talent, are fixed traits. They think they can never get more brilliant because they grew up a certain way or another excuse. They spend their time documenting their intelligence or talent instead of developing them. They also believe that talent alone creates success — without effort. I can admit that I, too, was in a fixed mindset during a different era until I began to read more and learn. I learned that it’s essential to be a lifelong student and embrace that you don’t know everything. That’s when you develop a growth mindset.

People who have a growth mindset believe that even if they struggle with specific skills, they will get better at said skills. They know that with work, their skills can improve over time. These kinds of people love to learn under any given circumstance; it can be from a situation, a person, a book, a class, etc. But it’s deeper than the act of learning. Growth mindsets understand the importance of persistence and determination. By changing the way you think, you can change how you learn.

Action Steps

Positivity in itself will come naturally once the growth mindset develops because now, instead of thinking that you’re just not cut out for something, your mind shifts into thinking of ways to get better at the goal to achieve it. I want to give you three examples of ways to develop a positive mindset:

1. Focus on the good things. Every day, I write down three things that I am grateful for in my Morning Manifesto journal or notes app. Expressing my gratitude helps me see how easy it is to be grateful; no matter how big or small the blessings are, all blessings are still blessings. Creating a gratitude journal has been recommended plenty on the internet, but things aren’t a cliche for a reason. I love how practicing this task has made me look at life from a glass-half-full perspective. I’m glad that I can see beauty in all things.
2. Understand that every day is a new day. Every day that you wake up is a chance to change your lifestyle. You can reinvent yourself as many times as you want, no matter who doesn’t like it. It’s easy to start new habits, act “brand new,” always be that person you aspire to be. Every day you can make small changes in your life that will slowly adjust to the bigger picture.
3. Loosen Up! It’s okay to laugh at things after they happen or after you mess up. Understanding that life doesn’t always have to be so severe is hard to grasp. I, too, am one of those people who takes things seriously 24/7. I don’t particularly appreciate making a fool of myself in front of myself. I care about my image so much, but as I get older and look back at all the things that have made me look like a complete fool, I giggle because it’s in the past, and if anything, I learn from the situations that still randomly haunt me. When I say haunt, I mean those random stories you think of that make you level 10 cringe. All you have to do is fill your mind with things that make you happy. I know it’s more complicated than it sounds, but it’s all about putting it into practice.

I continue to write articles about different aspects of personal wellness because I know other people desire a specific version of themselves but continuously fall off or become disconnected somewhere. There will be times when I’m super positive, but one thing will happen, which spirals into a chain of events that have discouraged me. I love feeling that refreshment once I return to earth and continue writing my story.

In Conclusion

Remaining positive can be a task at first if you’re not used to looking at life in a brighter light. Still, once you focus your mind correctly and put healthier habits into play, positivity will come naturally. After being under a dark cloud, I love finding that space of positivity. It reminds me of experiencing “the light at the end of the tunnel” because, as I mentioned, these feelings aren’t eternal. Humans naturally mature and learn from various experiences. I know that I don’t have all of the answers, but I slowly become more accepting and curious. The more I understand, the more I want to share. I’m grateful to have a platform where other people are just as interested as me.

Sincerely,

Sunny