The Power of Positivity

On any given day, we can wake up to a number of negative thoughts and feelings. Maybe we’re overwhelmed by problems at work, health issues, family or relationship difficulties, worries about world events, and so on. Unfortunately, we are often stuck in a cycle of negativity that can create a downward spiral that leads to sadness, hopelessness and depression.

But it doesn’t have to be that way! There are always ways to look for positive elements in life, even during struggles that might seem insurmountable. The power of positivity is undeniable.

Dealing with negativity is part of being human. That’s especially true when we’re dealing with a daily flood of discouraging negative information from multiple sources. All you have to do is scan your news feed, watch the local news or read the daily paper to find story after story of negative events.

There’s an old saying in journalism: “if it bleeds, it leads.” The idea is to attract readers through fear, violence, conflict, etc.

Social media sites such as Facebook, X and even LinkedIn can also subject us to a flow of disturbing news or obnoxious opinions.

I’ve mentioned in a previous post the phenomenon of negativity bias, a learned bias where things of a more negative nature such as unpleasant thoughts, emotions or social interactions have a greater effect on our psychological state than neutral or positive things.

Stuff happens, even minor things, that make us go negative. For example, my computer just crashed a few moments ago while I was working on this post. It was a momentary irritation. But it illustrates that even small things can push us away from being positive, if even for a brief moment.

I’ve faced some significant events that have thrust negativity into my life. This includes a number of health issues that I’ve described in previous posts. I’ve had seven jobs in my career since graduating from college, not counting my time as a freelance writer over the past two decades. Two of those ended in layoffs, and one resulted in my being dismissed, in part because of the health issues.

Each of these examples provided me with plenty of negativity. In some cases far more so than others. I’m not sharing this as a way of whining, but to show some examples of how life can put us in a negative mindset. I’m sure many of you have faced major challenges that have plunged you into a negative mindset.

When I think about it, though, I’ve had so much more to be positive about than negative. It really is about taking an upbeat approach to life.

Positive thinking and optimism can lead to a number of health benefits, according to the Mayo Clinic. These include:

• Increased life span

• Lower rates of depression

• Lower levels of distress and pain

• Greater resistance to illnesses

• Better psychological and physical well-being

• Better cardiovascular health and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease and stroke

• Reduced risk of death from cancer

• Reduced risk of death from respiratory conditions

• Reduced risk of death from infections

• Better coping skills during hardships and times of stress

Those are some convincing benefits! Given this, why would anyone not want to take a positive approach?

There are four simple ways to develop a more positive attitude, according this article in Psychology Today.

One is to use and strengthen the positive pathways in your brain by spending more time thinking about positive things. For example, memorizing and recalling lists of positive words.

Another is to look for the silver linings. People with a positive attitude always find the upside of things. If you want to change your perspective, practice finding the good in situations. To start, the article says, anytime you are down about something find at least one benefit.

The third way is to practice random acts of kindness. This is something we all should do more of, including making efforts to be kinder to others. Examples including paying compliments, offering congratulations, or bringing food to someone who is ill.

The final way is to smile, laugh and generally try to enjoy life. Deciding to enjoy life more is a key step in developing a positive attitude, the article says. We can choose to be upset, angry, anxious, fearful—or not to be.

I would add this to the list: be around positive people as much as possible, because positivity can rub off. Also, watch uplifting or motivational videos. Check out this one about “How To Change Your Life In One Year: 8 Simple Habits,” by Frankie Molinelli on YouTube.

Recently I changed the name of this blog to “Embracing Gratitude and Positivity.” I added the positivity part because I think it’s so important to have this in our lives.

Many of the public and private comments I’ve received since starting this journal have been about how people are trying to overcome cycles of negativity in their lives. Some of them are heartbreaking.

We all need things to be hopeful and optimistic about. We can think of the good aspects of a situation or of our lives in general, rather than wallow in the bad and the negative. The good news is, we can all do this if we try.

“Stay strong, stay positive, and never give up.”—Roy T. Bennett

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