When you hear the phrase, “Think Positive” what type of thoughts does that bring to mind? What does it mean to you?
Does it mean ignore all negativity and just be positive at all times? Does it mean to always view the cup as half-full instead of half-empty? I wanted to take a moment to share a realistic perspective on Positive Thinking because it might not be what you think.
The human brain (or our ego, really) is hard-wired to look for patterns. Our past experiences shape these patterns and as we experience similar outcomes in similar situations, those patterns become beliefs. These beliefs shape us. They cause us to take certain action toward or away from things we encounter. A belief isn’t really good or bad, it’s just a belief that we have created for ourselves – often unintentionally – that we reference when making decisions.
Have you ever noticed that when you tell a positive story you may have an audience of one, or maybe two people that want to hear how it ends? They’re genuinely interested. However, if you then tell a negative story – let’s just pretend it’s a story of a horrible car accident – several people in the room will now be raptured by your story and eager to hear how it ends. We naturally gravitate toward not-so-good news. We even gravitate toward things that aren’t healthy with us like eating poorly or not going for a walk when we know we could use one. We tend to spend money when we know we shouldn’t. There are things at play here and a lot of them have to do with our dopamine addiction. The more instant our gratification, the more dopamine or the “Happy Hormone” we produce for a quick feel-good vibe.
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Positive Thinking is Harder Than It Sounds
Being positive all the time is actually very difficult to do. We are bombarded all day long with things that can be perceived as negative. On a daily basis, I end up tackling an issue that cropped up in an effort to get something else done. It’s like the saying goes, “One step forward, and two steps back.”
If “Thinking Positive” means never letting anything get to us and suppressing all of the negative thoughts and emotions, then we’re all running down a very unhealthy path.
Our emotions are like a compass. They tell us if we’re on track with our Higher Self or with our Destiny. When we feel good, positive emotions, we are in alignment with what our Soul craves or with our Destiny.
When we feel negative emotions, we are out of alignment with our true Self. Our emotions aren’t really good or bad, they’re just there to guide us. It really is that simple.
However, getting yourself to focus on what makes you happy, or on the positive and to take a positive approach to life, is much more difficult than it sounds. It’s not about suppressing thoughts and emotions, it’s about choosing how you will react or respond to the emotions and situations you face. It’s about choosing how you wish to experience life going from this moment forward. It’s about looking at things in-the-moment and looking into the future with anticipation and excitement. Positive thinking does not include looking into the past for guidance. That’s our ego talking. That is not our Higher Self trying to communicate with us.
External Influences are 24/7
We can’t control the situations we encounter. But we DO have a choice as to how we choose to respond or to react to each situation we encounter.
We can choose to be angry and frustrated or hurt, or we can choose to not be. In some situations, choosing to be angry, frustrated, or hurt is very much appropriate and healthy. It is healthy to allow all types of emotions to be expressed within us.
Emotions are meant to be felt! You can still choose how you will react to them. You can feel an emotion of anger without choosing to lash out. You can feel frustration without choosing to quit or to hold a grudge.
When we suppress our emotions and our thoughts as an effort to stay positive, we miss the message that our Self is trying to send us. Think of your emotions like a 6th sense. They are part of your energetic compass, your connection to your Higher Self, to Source, to God. Whatever you choose to call the connection, your emotions guide you toward it.
A realistic perspective on positive thinking means that you allow your feelings to be felt. Acknowledge them. Don’t hide them. Don’t bury them. Don’t turn the other way just because you feel angry or frustrated or hurt. Allow those feelings and even the thoughts to be heard. Then choose a positive perspective that allows you to once again align with your Higher Self and your Destiny.
Law of Attraction 101
When we think about something we desire in life, we create the possibility of it. A vibration is born. The more we think about how much we desire it, the more closely we align our vibrational energy with that of the thing which we desire. All thoughts and emotions and our very existence are comprised of vibrational energy. You can create anything you desire, simply by thinking about it. Even if you don’t fully believe that yet, just bear with me for a moment.
The Law of Attraction is an all-inclusive law of the Universe. There are no exclusions to what we attract. This means, that if we think about something negative for long enough, we create that as part of our existence.
Have you ever noticed that there are some people that just really seem to have a hard time and it’s like they’re plagued with bad luck? That’s because they’ve made difficult circumstances part of their beliefs. The never-ending pattern of negative situations is now what they are expecting to happen. They may want to experience something else, but because they expect to not be able to, they keep themselves from actually changing the belief and the vibrational pattern. Does that make sense?
Let me give you another example.
Say you are looking at a new truck. You have your eye on a certain one and you’ve been dreaming about it a lot. By doing so, you have made that truck a part of your reality. It’s on it’s way to you. It will be yours if you allow it to happen. The key words here are “if you allow it to happen.”
If you think about your truck but then you think about the fact that you don’t have it yet or that you don’t know how you’re going to get it, you shift your vibration from that thing which you desire back to the vibration of you not having it. Do you see how easy that is? Does that make sense? The vibration of desire is the opposite of the vibration of thinking about something that you wish you had but didn’t.
By simply focusing or worrying about how you’ll ever make it happen, you push that truck further from reality and further out of vibrational alignment. For the Universe to provide, we must believe it can happen and allow it to happen. Stop worrying about HOW things will happen. If you want them, desire them. Think about them. Dream about them. Imagine yourself with them or in the place you desire experiencing what it is that you want. The HOW will take care of itself as long as you are in vibrational alignment with what you want or desire.
THAT is what Positive vs. Negative thinking really is.
Positive Thinking requires thoughts of anticipation, excitement, happiness about things that you desire, things that make you happy, things that light up your soul or just anything your heart can dream up.
Take Note of Your Emotions
If you can’t tell if you just shifted your vibration away from something you desire, let your emotions be your compass. That is what they are designed to do. Does your thought of not having something make you frustrated or sad or even angry? Then you are out of alignment with what you want. We are here to create any life we want. The trick is to stay in vibrational alignment through positive thinking so that we can allow our desires to manifest for us.
The Ego vs. Our Higher Self
Negative thinking is not our Soul and vibrational alignment to our Higher Self at all. Negative thinking is our ego that thinks about the excuses that we have, or why we don’t deserve something. Our ego is what tells us we aren’t good enough or can’t afford it. Our ego bases decisions on past experiences and out of fear. Our ego creates our beliefs.
It is so easy to fall back on negative thoughts without even trying to. We just do it. Our ego is a powerful force and it takes practice to set aside our ego and our beliefs. Getting ourselves to instead focus on the excitement and the anticipation and in trusting the Universe to provide it is a difficult journey. But now that you’re aware of how the Law of Attraction works you can start to be more mindful of your thoughts. Stop focusing on the things you want and yet don’t have or on the fact that you don’t know how to make it happen. The universe will provide them if you desire them and if you allow them to happen. Trust that the things you desire most – that raise, a supportive relationship, that healthy happy baby girl or boy, that new car, that trip to some tropical destination – will find their way to you. All you have to do is desire them and trust that they will happen. Allow them to happen and they will.
Like the blossoms on the photo at the top of this article. Don’t focus on the flowers that are wilting and falling to the ground. Instead, focus on the buds that have yet to bloom. Look with anticipation for all the new growth that will appear again next year. Focus on what you desire or where you want to go and not on the fear.
So go on and “Think Positive” while still witnessing and acknowledging all of your emotions.