The Effervescent Power of Positive Thinking
It's true that life is not all moonbeams and sunshine. It can be really hard. I am not even talking about the big scary stuff – like disease, solitude, poor living conditions, and other hardships. I am talking about normative day-to-day things in which decisions need to be made, logistics need to be arranged and contact with people who inadvertently (or not) rub you up the wrong way needs to be had. You know...the little stuff.
Which one of us hasn't taken a deep breath when entering a room to speak to a person who will definitely say the wrong thing, at least once? Or, for you parents out there... I know that people say that teenagers shrug or roll their eyes, but I seem to have almost perfected the eye roll move myself when my kids ask me to settle another silly argument.
I always advocate for the side of change management: adversity is healthy and beneficial. We need to learn to deal with it, leverage it, and become more adept and skilled at embracing it. However, I would like to – for once – argue the case of allowing ourselves to reframe adversity – not just acknowledge it for what it is, but allow ourselves, delusional that it may seem, to be incorrigibly positive in our attitude. No matter how dire the situation: to squeeze out the purest kernel of hope and optimism. This is more than just an exercise in faith or positivity, it is a legitimate way to deal with hardship and give oneself strength to get through it.
Positive thinking presupposes that if you anticipate a positive outcome, you will be able to overcome even the most overwhelming of obstacles. This mentality doesn't deny the hardship, it just allows you to make giant mental strides to resolving the challenges. It is true that optimism and affirmations don't come naturally to a lot of us. It is easier to err on the side of caution and to be pragmatic. However, the beauty of positive thinking is that – like water on a stone – positive reinforcement does leave its mark eventually.
So positive thinking, if you are not naturally optimistic, is a bit like a soap bubble, it seems almost magical, a bit unreal and somewhat disconnected from the reality around it. It is also fragile and shy – a reluctant guest. But at the same time, it allows you to see the world through spectacular colors and combinations. And, best of all – believe it or not – it was made by you and for you. Something so simple, and yet so promising. A phenomenon that if you can do it once, you can do it again. There are endless soap bubbles to be blown. You don't even need faith to create the bubble, you just need the right frame of mind, the tiniest bit of energy and a bit of bubble juice. That is the power and beauty of positive thinking.