It’s tough being positive in the face of uncertainty, when in the midst of adversity. Our mind is such, it is an expert at imagining worst case scenarios, at catastrophizing, at thinking of only bad things happening to us. Rarely does it come up with something positive—a happy image, an encouraging thought, hope, a belief in miracles.
But, you know, as difficult as it may seem, one can develop positivity into a habit. All you have to do is do it each day, every day, every minute, every second, especially when everything around threatens to fall apart.
All you have to do is push yourself to control your mind instead of the other way around. The mind is after all the strongest organ we have been blessed with. Controlling it needs efforts. We can’t see it or feel it, but it’s there, making its presence felt by conjuring frightening images when we need only heartening ones. But, controlling this monster is winning half the battle. Because when we control our mind, and make positivity a habit, we come up with solutions for our problems, for the many questions that crowd our mind on any given day.
Things going wrong, things not working out, people behaving strangely, all of it can be dealt with only if you have a mind that’s in your control. A mind that can come up with answers to our overwhelmingly difficult questions instead of frightening us with dark imaginings.
I have been working on my mind since the year started. With the lessons we learned last year, developing positivity into a habit was one of my intentions for the new year, self love being the most important one, around which revolved positivity. And, I must say, I have benefitted immensely thanks to this new habit. It’s not easy, at all. But nobody said life was easy!
Expressing gratitude for all that I have in my life, counting my blessings, believing in miracles, and holding onto the belief that the Universe knows what’s best for me and it will bring it to me when it deems fit. These are the things that have helped me complete these first two months of 2021 despite all that’s been going wrong. And, I intend to keep doing it, despite everything that keeps pulling me down, everything that scares me and fills my mind with doubts, because I have understood that the worst we can do for ourselves is entertain negativity, fear, doubt, worry, panic, anxiety. So, why not do what’s best for us?
Stay positive, come what may, for that is when we will understand ourselves, our strengths, our capabilities. That’s when we will understand the Universe and how it cares for us, and protects us when everything is going wrong.
It’s not easy, but once you get used to it, it becomes difficult going back to our old habits of negativity.
The above post has been written for #SoulfulSunday. I participate in it along with my friends, Vinitha and Esha. Do join in for this wonderful writing exercise. It’s fun!
Being grateful and staying positive are the choices we make every day, Shilpa, to embrace uncertainty with grace. So much has happened during the past year that has taught me the importance of positive thinking and learning to let go—be it people, things and events, basically whatever that does not add value to one’s life.
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Yeah, Esha. Last year has taught us so much, most of all being grateful and being positive in the face of uncertainty and stress. I think we all needed to learn this lesson and hence we are going through what we do.
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I too am learning to tune out the voices from outside and focus within, doing the best I can do and staying in the moment. Hugs, Shilpa.
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Staying in the moment is what helps most, Corinne. It’s difficult, but it helps. 🙂
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Staying positive will help us to get through this thing called life. But sometimes we lose hope, we feel down, we experience a lack of positivity. And that’s okay. We need to remind ourselves that it will be okay. It’s like how our body falls ills and needs rest. When the mind falls into the negativity spiral we need to nurse it gently back to its positive self. Having a happiness list or list of things to look forward to as a reminder would help I believe. I have a destress list which I often look back to when I feel down. Because when I feel down my mind is cluttered with all things wrong and forget to remember even the most basic activity like sipping my tea in the balcony or chatting with a friend (those are the activities that brighten my mind space).
Keeping a positive attitude will make life simpler in more ways than one. I am so glad this shift in mindset is helping you, Shilpa. 🙂
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Thanks for sharing this, VIni!
It is supremely difficult staying positive on some days. But there isn’t much else we can do, right? 🙂
Yes, I too think about all the things that are working for us and thank god for it all. It feels much better then.
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True Shilpa it’s so difficult to stay positive in adverse situations but training the mind will help and though it’s the most difficult thing to do will help us sustain especially in today’s world that’s so full of stress
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True. And, how better to do it than by being positive!
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