Positive thinking is not for the weak of will. It is not just a bunch of happy words, wrapped with a bit of happy prayers, and some kind of invitation to do nothing about anything. Positive thinking is not wishful thinking. Its not a state of blissful, neglectful, childish ignorance. Quite the opposite. The person who pursues and uses the power of positive thinking knows better than anyone the reality they are facing, but they want to influence that reality. They want to shape that reality, in no matter what the circumstance, no matter how frail, and no matter how dire.
Positive thinking primes the mind to create something that otherwise will never come true. Accepting reality for what it is and feeling helpless against it produces absolutely nothing and positive thinking doesn’t always work. Some thing are irreparable, they are not mendable, and are not doable, but a positive mind never gives up, never quits, and is ready and willing to fight on.
It takes tremendous human will to be a positive thinker. It is not easy. It goes against our culture. It goes against the flow of conversation almost everywhere. A positive person is often viewed with suspicion. People try to find ways to put them in their place. They take extra care to notice when they are not having a good day.
But positive thinking is the greatest thing you can do to influence and bring about the life you want.
When things are not what they ought to be, a positive mind will see things that a negative mind can’t help but miss. A pessimistic mind never looks for alternatives in the first place. Everything has been determined. Doom is imminent, so why would you ever bother looking for a solution or another option. That is the power of positive thinking. It’s not that it contains some ancient secretes to make everything alright, but that it shows you that you are open to many possibilities.
Once you are open to many possibilities the things you face are not as monstrous or final as you once believed them to be.
You cannot serve two masters. You have to pick one. You’re either going to look for good in things, or you are going to resign yourself to accept whatever you find. Doing both accomplishes nothing.
Our human will and human freedom stems from joy and hope. Positive thinking taps into that hope, that it is the day that triumphs over day, that it is summer that comes after a cold winter. It is not the other way around. The universe and everything in it is here for us to have a meaningful life, it is not a game to punish us and teach us how lowly and miserable we are.
You should rethink how you think. Reexamine how you speak and what you say. Thoughts become things. Your positive thoughts, in time, will breed good results. You don’t have to believe me, but you should take some time to prove me wrong. Not in a day, or a week. Stay positive for a year or more. Persist and think positively about what you want and need. See what happens. Keep a journal. Look back and see for yourself that I’m not right.
Positive thinking is not for the weak of will.
Living is not for the faint of heart.
And happy thoughts need to be the norm, not the exception.
Cover photo generously provided by photographer Jungwoo Hong via unsplash.com