Brave-Up on the OLC: Positive Thinking

Negative thinking has protected us in the past and present from mistakes, risks, and danger. In the past, survival required great caution because we were not the strongest or fastest mammals out there. We had to use our senses to the best of our ability and judge everything as a potential threat. This “cautious state" can be seen today as judging, avoiding and being cynical of everything around oneself. Negative thinking has permeated their minds, causing them to incessantly dishearten themselves and others in making something happen.

For most individuals, negative thinking is a combination of laziness and fear. It is simply easier to criticize and find faults than being positive. For example, it is difficult to design a t-shirt but incredibly easy to criticize it. If the design looks similar or simple, you can criticize it for being unimaginative or dull. If the design is creative or complicated, then you may criticize it for seeking attention or simply being too much. Similarly, if you don't have anything to contribute during a meeting, you tend to criticize the idea(s) put forth on the table already.

Being positive then, is a choice that requires work, even though some people are naturally optimistic. In various situations we can choose to focus on the positive aspects and choose to refuse to be fazed by difficulties. However, the choice of thinking positively is not picked often enough and this needs to change.

Positive thinking is a choice that can be life-changing. Contrary to popular belief, being optimistic or thinking positively does not mean you are disregarding difficulties and obstacles. One important aspect of thinking positively is being in touch with reality, while not getting discouraged. What this means is that there is the good, the bad, the difficulties and the obstacles, which you are aware of, but you're not going to let the latter put you down. You are going to keep pushing forward, make something happen and make an effort to have things turn out well. Also, choosing to think positively gives you energy, confidence and the boost you need to realize your dreams.

In a world that is constantly getting darker and violent to some, choosing to be positive will make your life and the world a happier place.

“The fact is that in order to do anything in this world worth doing, we must not stand shivering on the bank thinking of the cold and the danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.” - Sydney Smith

ABOUT AUTHOR ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

Jason is a Criminology major who is hooked onto policing as a career. But that isn't all, he is also hooked on helping others become the best and strongest versions of themselves. Through his blog, Brave-Up, he looks to educate, motivate, inspire and raise questions about counter-productive social norms within our society. "Man up" is now an archaic term - because Brave-Up is NOW. You can find Jason on Twitter at @BraveUp_jy.

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