Most of us have heard of “The Secret.” Considering Oprah talked about it on her show, I’m almost positive everyone knows what I’m talking about. The Sparknotes version is this: think positive thoughts and you shall receive positive outcomes. But it’s all a bunch of hooey, right? Wrong.
I don’t know if I will go as far to call it “the secret” of life, but positive thought and energy are some things I strongly believe in. Positive thought has powerful results. One way to show the benefits of this mind set is by explaining its polar opposite: negativity. We have all been in a situation where we have become negative and angry after listening to others complain. It is way too easy to get wrapped up in negativity. If you listen to someone constantly complain, you are likely to start complaining that all they do is complain! See the cycle? Luckily, energy is a two-way street.
Unfortunately, even the most optimistic person cannot keep a positive outlook if surrounded by negative energy. Nobody wants to hang out with Negative Nancy all the time. Don’t worry collegiettes™, there is hope—simply surround yourself with positive people. These people will help keep you positive and focused on the good in your life. This is not to say that you should bury your unpleasant feelings of anger, hurt, frustration, and the like. Allow yourself to truly feel the emotions you experience, vent to someone you trust, and move forward.
The process of venting is therapeutic. It unburdens you of negative emotion to make room for happier thoughts. If you choose to brush the negative emotions under the metaphoric rug, they will only fester and grow within you. We do not want to hold on to any residual anger and accidentally blow up on an unsuspecting victim who doesn’t deserve our disproportionate rage. Pretending as if everything is fine and dandy when it isn’t will not allow you to surround yourself in happiness. You may seem happy outwardly, but on the inside, the negative feelings are buried deep like a ticking bomb with no stopwatch attached. Be true to yourself by expressing your emotions. Just make sure to express them in an appropriate manner.
People often think that opposites attract; however, if you examine your life a little closer, you will find that the people who stick around are the ones most like you. People with similar values, ethics, morals, interests, backgrounds, etc. are the people that you spend your time with. I know that this is the case for me. This proves the point I am about to make. I mentioned before that you need to surround yourself with other positive people in order to keep negativity at bay. Luckily, once you find the positivity (commonly referred to in religion and meditation as “the light”) within yourself, other people with the light will notice and be drawn to you. The simple act of changing your mindset can change your attitude, outlook, friends, and life.
It is difficult to justify the true power of positive thought. I believe a critical piece of the puzzle is believing that everything happens for a reason. Positive thought does not mean thinking something will happen and having it occur every time; it is believing you will receive something and knowing that if you do not get it, it was not meant to be because something better was destined for you or a lesson needed to be learned. Oftentimes, it is arduous to be this optimistic. It is perfectly normal, acceptable, and expected for you to, occasionally, be melodramatic and personalize a negative situation. We are merely human beings. We are not perfect, and therefore, cannot hold ourselves to those impossible standards. Positive thought is an infinitely evolving personal journey that can never be perfected.
I challenge you, collegiette™, to apply this state of mind for a week. I hope in that time you can see the incalculable power in positive thought and choose to carry the light within you. Let it shine.
Edited by Amy Coyle
Picture courtesy of: http://blossomclinic.wordpress.com/