A Thought for a Positive Plan
I’m a reformed pessimist or maybe an optimist in training is a better phrase. Choosing the half-empty glass was typically my way of being a “realist.” It seemed like a better attitude to have if I were to prepare myself for what life might dish out – if I kept a negative outlook. I felt that if I looked at all the bad options and sorta hoped for the good ones, then it would be less disappointing if bad happened and more thrilling if good occurred.
There has been loads of research concerning brain patterns and the benefits of positive thinking. “The Power of Positive Thinking, ” was written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in 1952. This book is still popular today and referenced by numerous people who long for a better outlook on life. For many people it comes down to realizing “what do I have to lose by thinking positive?” At least it was for me. My negative anticipations were not getting me anywhere besides frustrated. I’m not saying that I never reached any goals or that I never experienced any achievements in my life. It can be done; it’s just a matter of time until the forced state of depression becomes, well… depressing. To better explain, it wasn’t that I intentionally wanted to be bummed out, but I was trying so hard to not look at what could be that all I was seeing was the poor outcome of events. After some time that is all that I was really getting out of life, and it was because I wouldn’t even let positive ideas into the equation. If I didn’t let it even be an option then how can it be the selection? It becomes selecting the lesser of two evils. Pick bad or worse. How do you expect to get good of it’s not even a choice?
It gets tiresome. After sometime one comes to see that if good options get thrown into the possibility pool then it just might surface more often than not. It is also important as to what kind of attitude you have while you wait for the good or bad things to occur. Often while I held back the feelings of what it would be like to experience the good outcome I would actually feel the bad feelings. Why waste life feeling bad on purpose?! I’m not saying to ignore the fact that less positive outcomes occur. Yes, those need to be thought about and prepared for, not dwelled on to the point of misery.
Take a chance. Try tossing some positive options into your pool of life and see what you might catch. While you wait try to wonder how good it will feel to prosper. If the end result is less than desired at least you felt good for a little bit. Sure beats a double dose of disappointment. While I am still a recovering pessimist, I can positively say that the optimistic training plan is working better that expected. -ed