Positive Thinking
I always have been a pretty negative person. My biggest skill is my acerbic wit, and I can always be counted on for a well-placed ironic comment. So, when I started to go into a deep depression, positive thinking was not my first idea of a way out. I had a friend who always started every morning with a positive thought for the day, and I couldn't even conceptualize how he managed to do it. It seemed really forced to me at the time. I had read a little bit of positive psychology, but I had my doubts. I figured that it was just self-deception to pretend that everything was good.
What I didn't realize it the time was that negative thinking is every bit as deluded as positive thinking. The difference is, of course, that positive thoughts make you happy and negative thoughts make you sad. This should be enough of a reason for most people to try thinking positive. Until you give it a try, you probably won't understand how manageable it is.
You see, I was so accustomed to negative thoughts that I didn't realize that thinking was something you can control. Don't get me wrong it does take some work, but you can get a handle on it pretty easily. The key is to be persistent. Do not let yourself get in to the same negative thinking techniques. You'll find your mind drifting off repeatedly into negative thoughts. Every time that happens, pull right out again. Sooner or later, you'll start to have a more optimistic outlook on life. And that outlet can change everything for you.
A lot of people talk about positive psychology as if it is some secret. They seem to imagine that positive thinking makes magical things happen for you and that you will get rich effortlessly once you learn the right thinking techniques. In reality, there is nothing magical about it. It is pretty simple. If you always tell yourself that things will not work out, you will give up easily and won't expect them to work out. If you tell yourself that you can make whatever you want happen by working hard enough, you will work harder and accomplish more. This isn't to say that all your dreams will come true, but more of them well if you are willing to strive for them. Ultimately, is simply the best way to live your life.
