written by Anne SkyvingtonJanuary 8, 2023
The Benefits of Positivity
It seems like such a small movement to go from “half empty” to “half full”, but it’s a universe of difference to your psyche, when you choose on the side of plenty.
Our brains interpret words in a black-and-white binary kind of way. Minds do the rest of the work, placing positive or negative meanings on symbols assumed by us.
I know this sounds complex and confusing, but our brains and minds function within opposite parameters. The brain “thinks” in words, while the mind prefers symbols.
Why does it cause such a huge effect to move from one state, empty, to another, full? I believe that this is because the mind is mightier than the brain!
Personal Experiences
My personal experiences have shown this to be true. I made this shift in my thirties and forties, and the effects were life-changing. I’ve written a story about this, that I would like to get published to share with others: Voices from the Deep. It’s about my journey of healing from long-term depression to positivity. I believe my sadness was caused in part by clinging to wrong thoughts and emotions.
Some of these images were implanted in my psyche at a young age by trauma. I had to face these events by bringing them to consciousness, in order to heal. Not everyone will have the same experiences, nor the same therapeutic journey, of course.
The second half of my life has been much more peaceful and positive than the first.
My Writings on Positivity
I have written about positivity before on Medium. One of my posts can be found in the publication, New Earth Consciousness (NEC).
Is There Such a Thing As Toxic Positivity?
In 2022 Whitney Goodman wrote a book about toxic positivity: About keeping it real in a world obsessed with happiness.
Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter how dire or difficult a situation is, people should maintain a positive mindset. While there are benefits to being optimistic and engaging in positive thinking, toxic positivity rejects all difficult emotions in favor of a cheerful and often falsely-positive façade.
I have written a lot about overcoming depression and also about Carl Jung‘s ideas on the shadow. He believed that you could only be whole by considering the darker sides of oneself.
Today, many people refuse to think about real and difficult issues, such as climate change and the destruction of nature. They prefer to put their heads in the sand and think positively. But some problems require us to act now and to confront negative topics like this.
Take Away:
It is important to stay positive as far as possible, and not get pulled down into depression or negativity. However, it is also important to be aware of the darker side of life, and to admit that not all is softness and light here on earth.
A spiritual approach is often necessary for most people—and for this writer—to walk this narrow line. By opening up to the spiritual in the broadest sense of the word—not necessarily religious—I have at last managed to be positive and realistic at the same time. One of the hardest things for me is to see suffering and not to be able to do anything about it, apart from praying. Perhaps that is a huge thing, and one that has an effect, even though it is unseen by us, just as meditation is powerful for alleviating stress and self suffering.
The author classifies this as a spiritual post: Why is this so?What is toxic positivity?Why does it make such a huge difference to choose on the side of plenty?Why is it important to see the negative side of positivity?
Great message, thanks