Monday, January 28, 2008

Why Be Positive?

Why Be Positive?

Why be positive? Well, being positive puts you in a state of mind and body for higher productivity, greater success, better health and relationships and more joy.

Just ask yourself? would you enjoy being around a perpetual sourpuss? Most people wouldn't; unless they're grouches themselves. When you're negative, with a sullen and gloomy disposition to boot, you're sending out signals to others to stay away from you. Since you seem to judge almost everything badly, people assume you'll feel the same way about them. But if your demeanour is cheerful and embracing, people naturally resonate with your open and optimistic vibe. Having a positive attitude helps you attract and develop relationships.

The body takes its cues from the mind. What the mind believes to be true, the body seeks to align itself with. That's why in clinical trials, placebos have been shown to be effective for patients who thought they were taking the real medication. This is also the reason for athletes picturing their victory even before the game starts. Even if it's all baloney, you've got nothing to lose if you think positively. On the other hand, if it's true, imagine how much damage you could do to yourself if you have a negative mentality.

When we adopt a positive outlook, we strive to look for the good in every situation. We try to find the lesson, or at least the fun. We learn to laugh at ourselves, and even in the face of adversity. We recover faster and are back on track sooner. And because we tend to see the good in everything, we also experience more joy. That's why positive persons also tend to be happy persons.

You are what you think. That's why after a lousy day, an exhausting ordeal or after receiving bad news, sometimes all it takes for you to feel a whole lot better is a line from a song, a book or magazine, or a remark by a friend; a phrase that sums up what you're feeling but shows it in a wholly different light.

I once heard that even if we didn't achieve any pleasure or joy today, at least we learnt something. Even if we didn't learn anything, at least we didn't get sick. And even if we did get sick, at least we didn't die. Indeed, most of us have a lot to be thankful for. If we can turn our attention away from what we don't have and focus on what we do, we will naturally be positive!

Developing a positive attitude will not be easy for everyone. But if you can become more conscious about when you're turning to the negative, arrest that thought and flip it over to see the positive, you're well on your way to higher productivity and joy, greater success, better health and more rewarding relationships!

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