The Power of Positivity

Like many of us, I have been asked several times throughout my life what I would change about the world if there were no limits on what I could change. While there are many things that I would love to change, one of the first things that always comes to mind when the question has been posed is the way that many people view themselves.

With the emergence of the internet and social media especially, it’s easy for someone to become a victim of what I call the “metaphorical battle.” This battle is one that cannot be won. It occurs when one measures themselves against the lives of strangers that they’re never going to meet. This illusion of the perfect life creates yet another obstacle in the struggle to maintain a positive outlook on life. I understand the battle well. I’ve been there a time or two myself. It’s normal to ponder the outlook on your life when you consider that you may work a “regular” job, pay student loans, and can’t afford to party with the celebrities or travel the seven continents. If you spend too much time pondering, it can diminish the positive things in your life and make you falsely believe that you are less than amazing.

I know it sounds cliché, but the power of positivity is vastly undervalued. To provide you with some context, last September I was stressed and sad in ways unfathomable. I had so much going on at the time. I was concerned about my final year of college, had just broken up with my boyfriend, started a new internship, and was having car trouble seemingly every other day. Just thinking about my schedule and life in general genuinely started to alter what was previously a “generally” positive state of mind.

I’m not religious, but I am very spiritual. Why am I telling you this? Well, I remember one night during my low point in September that I’d found myself in my car crying with my head glued to the steering wheel as if it was a pillow for at least two hours. After being “sick and tired of being sick and tired”, I told God that I could no longer deal with all of the stressors that he’d put on me, and instantly it seemed that the solution to my problems became abundantly clear... “Change your outlook on life and your life will inherently change”.

Essentially, in short, what I just described is called manifesting. Following my talk with God, I began to do a lot of research in order to get a genuine understanding of what manifestation meant. Initially, I was apprehensive of it as an authentic practice, but once I let go of my doubts and mastered how to do it, I noticed that it really does work. You attract into your life what you are. If you think negatively, you attract negativity. If you have a low outlook on life, you’ll stay stuck. The reverse is also true. If you think positively, you’ll attract the same. If you have a great outlook, you’ll position yourself for greatness.

It’s been almost seven months since that incident and I can genuinely say that I’ve changed for the better. Shifting my outlook on life from a sometimes positive person to a person who strives to be positive all the time, has brought me an abundance of joy, amazing opportunities, positive/non-toxic relationships, support, and much more.

Because of this, I’ve been able to genuinely stop caring about what other people think... When you’re happy with and in love with yourself, you become oblivious to any negative comments... Now that’s not to say that I am perfect. Being positive and being perfect aren’t one in the same. However, instead of dwelling on the negative, I realize and acknowledge my faults. I breathe through my anxiety. I accept that there may be bad moments, but if I’m breathing then something good has happened to me that day and I’ll focus on that understanding. I seek to do better and make corrections when necessary but I embrace my faults just as much as I love my positive qualities because they make me, well me.

So yes, if I could change anything, I would start by making it mandatory that everyone view themselves in a positive manner. It may sound difficult and complex but it really is as simple as deciding to find the good in the bad, instead of the other way around or not at all.