Positive vs. Negative

When is enough enough? At what point are we able to train our brain to think positively no matter what the situation is? I have recently realized that some people think being too negative is a bad thing, while being too positive is also a bad thing. Someone recently referred to it as "unrealistic" to be too positive. Why? How? Give me an example. There are of course terribly sad situations and life experiences where it is very difficult to remain positive or to even understand what is happening. That, however, does not mean better times aren't ahead. It does not make thinking positively "unrealistic."

The way our mind works, we make gut reactions, or snap judgements, according to author Malcolm Gladwell. The amount of time it takes to form a gut reaction, initial opinion, first impression, is within seconds. It's the same amount of work whether the reaction is positive or negative, so why not teach ourselves, train our brains to react in a positive way?

Luckily throughout my life I have been surrounded by very supportive, loving, and positive people. Those that have had a negative impact on my life have been weeded out as I came to the realization that these few people were toxic to me and creating negativity around me. It became my ultimate choice to push them away, to make a healthy improvement in my own life. Again I see negativity around me; in my students and the burden they carry along with them as the lives they live are extremely difficult. I understand that, and I recognize it's a different situation for each of them. I try to brighten their days, I try to give them some hope, something to look forward to. I am doing my best of being that positive influence and role model that these students so desperately need. I have found that I was able to practice positivity. It didn't used to come so naturally to me; it takes practice as do most things in life. It took practice, determination, and most importantly, self-awareness and recognition.

I wish some people close to me would understand that. I wish they could see the chain effect that being negative has on people they work with, live with, are close with. I wish they could see benefits to thinking positively, no matter what. I'll be realistic about one thing, it's a lot more fun to be positive. There is nothing like being told I am an inspiration to other people based on the attitude that I carry and that I portray. So go ahead, give it a try. Be positive. It's contagious.