What comes to your mind when you hear the word “positive”? Well, lately, a lot of us have been connecting this term to the coronavirus. But apart from that, for me, the mere thought of positivity has quite often made my eyes pop out as a physical reaction to my feelings about it.
This word can be interpreted in various ways by different people but when we read a refreshing quote on certain mornings prior to getting out of our beds, most of us do feel slightly motivated even if we are uncertain about the rest of our day—it might not go the way we want it to, after all.
I have thought about my own thoughts regarding positivity for many years now and it has played differently during different stages of my life. Now, when I am a hundred miles away from home and my family, I have realised how important a smile can be for an individual. “Smile”—a sweet word and a sweeter gesture.
Every individual is different in terms of how they choose to present themself—some have short hair and others long—but a smile can never go wrong no matter what a person looks like. Whoever you are, however you identify, a smile might always work for you.
During my school and college days, whenever I would come out of an examination hall and see my mother waiting outside with a smile, my feelings of stress and anxiety would immediately be replaced with optimism. Additionally, every time I took a viva exam or gave an interview, seeing the other person smile at me with pleasantness on their face would make me feel much more motivated and confident about my responses. A smile, after all, is a non-verbal expression with a hundred interpretations. It could mean “have a nice day!” or just make you feel as if you are not alone.
These days, when I leave for my classes in the morning and someone smiles at me on my way to the university, I feel that “the game is afoot”. It brings out a different charm and spark in me.
Over the past few years, I have realised that many of us don’t take pleasure and joy in little things that come our way. We only wish to be attracted to bigger, larger things in life. Getting higher marks in an exam can make someone feel good about themself, but a nice quote from a dear one might not bring them joy. A person receiving a high grade can keep challenging themself to do better the next time, but someone with lower grades might gain more self-confidence if they are shown kind gestures. Thus, internalising positivity matters much more than one’s performance.
Channelling a positive attitude is a process which many people compare to meditation. The techniques can be different, but the main aim is to bring a smile to one’s face and make them feel that they are precious.
Let’s all keep smiling and spreading positivity!