A few words about Positive Thinking

Posted on by Troy Headrick

   “Really? Positive Thinking? I have real life problems here! Shut the f*ck up!” you might think. I’m hearing about this term all around me, but no one seems to refer to the things I’m thinking when I hear it. People around me think that positive thinking means to see butterflies with some pink glasses in a grey world full of sh*t.

   In my opinion, positive thinking refers to the fact that we see the world just as it is, but we choose to deal with the crap while enjoying the non-crap. We might even enjoy the problems we face because we can choose to see them as a way to prove ourselves and to the world how strong we truly are. Each problem is a challenge and also an occasion to learn something new while developing our problem solving skill.

   “Are you insane? How can you see a problem in a good way? Why the f*ck do we need that problem? We’re wasting money and energy with problems” Well, it’s not easy because the first impulse is to get angry. Each problem comes with some sort of a loss (energy, money, things, people and so on), but with a problem can also come a new perspective. A problem can show you what’s important in life and it can also show you how strong you are. Think about this: have you ever faced a problem you haven’t dealt with one way or another? I mean, you can either fixed it, or you talked to someone that helped you fix it or you could do nothing about it, but you somehow moved forward despite that problem.

   That’s interesting about us. We always find a way to move forward. We might not find the right way to do it, but we do find a way. For example, dealing with the loss of someone by developing an alcohol addiction is a way to deal with the problem. Is not a good way and it creates another problem, but it is a way. And then, we should deal with the alcohol problem and so on until we finally find a better way to cope with things.

   There is this saying What doesn’t kill you, it makes you stronger. I find it very interesting because it states that as long as we’re alive, we’re moving forward somehow, or at least time moves forward and it takes us with. As long as we’re alive, there are chances for us to get better.

   In conclusion, a problem can weaken us for the moment, but we become stronger later. That’s what I think positive thinking is all about. As long as we know that we can get almost everything we encounter (if a car hits us and we’re dead, we stay dead), we can at least enjoy the ride.

   What’s your opinion about this?

49 thoughts on “A few words about Positive Thinking”

  1. Nice write-up! 🙂 Positive thinking is a matter of shift in perspective.It has huge impact on our mindset. It is the choice available for every human whether or not to be positive with life in general or not. People see results accordingly.

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  2. I think being literal and having less or more understanding, I do not know if these concepts are good for everyone in the world
    I get the point and agree but disagree to the aggressive negative side of determined choice of proving oneself to the world instead of teaching themselves
    Maybe actions and words are being abused in the world to make it perfect in picture ?

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  3. Our life experiences differ from person to person. People that have truly experienced some things, will view situations different. I’ve been told that I’m constantly living in the “gray area”… True! I make the effort to understand all point of views because our “rights and wrongs” may not align. Being “simple”, in my eyes, is being “difficult” to most, until they shut the f*ck up and listen to my rationale. I’ve dealt with giving lives, preserving lives and losing lives… So I respect LIFE, entirely different than most. Realistic expectations have faired better than positive thinking, in my opinion. Positive thinking, leaves room for expectations not to be met and failed expectations lead to disappointment. Even as a child, the worst thing we could do was, disappoint our parents. That was worst than any punishment they could render… “Big” and “more”, is what the world is all about now. Very unrealistic for most. People will spend their last $500-600 on a Versace belt, and not pay their car note, because their “positive” is showing the world what they have, not what they are capable of.

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      2. Maybe because fitting in might mean not knowing the own character or it might mean to lose some parts of that character which are not accepted by others?

      3. I can accept that! The “fear of death”… Death also comes in many forms. Even when it comes to “killing” off bad habits. But with any type of death, comes grief. The 5 stages of grief which most of us attempt to avoid. At the end of the day, it’s necessary for personal growth.

  4. I agree totally with the thoughts expressed in this post. Negativity will get you nowhere fast; it compounds the problem. There are resources at our disposal to get us through those rocky places; we just need to remember that and call on one of those resources to help. Positive thinking is itself a resource.

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  5. Love this thought…so many people think positive thinking is lying to self. But it is actually accepting the present situation without worries. Being in the present itself is actually enough positivity but we ruin it with regrets and worries.

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  6. I take issue with the positive thinking approach if it means that certain thoughts/feelings/experiences are considered negative and therefore unacceptable. The reality is, we are going to experience “negative” emotions and thoughts, and I prefer more of an acceptance viewpoint where these states are acknowledged as valid but temporary, and part of a greater context where there is still room for positivity and hope.

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  7. I spent nearly fourty years of my life being negative and miserable. I learned to talk down to myself and not believe in me because I was taught that. I had to teach myself that I am stronger than I think, braver than I seem and capable. I was pretty much house bound before because of the fears. The new self talk didn’t make me believe I was now better than I am or that everything in life is coming up roses. The positive helped me to see the negative self talk was a lie.

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      1. I don’t feel bad about myself anymore. I didn’t feel bad about being negative back then either. It was simply all I knew. Fear and negative was so tightly wound around me that I thought it was me. Turns out it wasn’t.

      2. I totally understand. And I think the fact we might not know other views can cause problems.

  8. Very nice, very nice approach. positive thinking is a rarity in my world. Some of the insight you suggested could be an awakening (for lack of a better word) for some moments of positive thinking in my life. Don’t think of me walking around all day dragging my lip to on the ground waiting for negativity to hit me over the head, although some days this is true, but mostly it is the way I handle things or expect others to view me or what I have done. Your latest post is a eye opener for me and some who struggle like I do.

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    1. I’m so happy that my words can bring some help in your life! This gives me strength to continue doing what I do.

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  9. Pingback: A few words about Positive Thinking — Pointless Overthinking | Lady Dyanna

  10. Positive thinking is my biggest setback in life… Because I can never do it. It’s the one thing that drives my man NUTS, and I can’t blame him, it’s hard to think positive when nothing seems to ever work out. It’s not even like you have a pint of reference like “well, I remember that one time things worked out”… It get challenging to take a chance and be positive that things will turn around.

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    1. Try thinking about moments when things went good and make a list. Every time you remember a good thing/situation that worked out, write it on that list and carry it with you. Whenever you think that things never seem to work out, just read the list. Do you think this could help you?

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  11. Love this, this is what my blog is all about and what I strive every day to advocate for. Positive thinking can definitely be looked over and made-fun-of. But there’s a simplicity and hard-truth behind it that I think is hard to swallow at first. You describe it perfectly. Thanks for sharing!

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  12. I absolutely loved this!! I do not fancy myself a “optimistic” person as much as as I do Realist; by that I mean, I 100% HOPE fpr the best but prepare fpr the worst. So either way I’m covered. I think trying to find the sliver-lining in difficult times is one of the most beautiful things that a human being can do for oneself.
    Thank you for posting this.

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    1. I love the fact that you love it! thank you for reading and sharing your thoughts! Positive thinking is not necessarily positive, but it’s non-negative.

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  13. I totally agree with this. I believe in the power of positivity—-that is you say seeing the world as it is and enjoying the bumpy rides along the way. 🙂

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  14. I think there’s a pragmatic balance. I’ve known people who think only “positively” and then are confused when their attitude didn’t make things happen the way they wanted – and then they become bitter or jaded. There are positive aspects to almost everything, it does take some practice to look for them. And it’s okay to have an “off day” where you just feel worn down. It’s getting back up and trying that is important.

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  15. I believe in positive thinking with all my heart. As you said the problems make us stronger later. Every time i am in problem i think that struggle is a necessary requirement. Stuggle is a definately must to get something better, if i am struggling and working hard i will get to reap it as well and, this thinking only helps us move on to from the problem optimistically.

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