One pattern that I see all too often is negative, cynical people who use the excuse of being a "realist" as to why they act that way. If you're the type of person who is always finding or expecting something to go wrong in any situation, guess what? You're not a realist...you're jaded.
I'm not saying bad things don't happen to good people, they do. All the time. That alone is enough to put anyone in a crappy state of mind...but that is not running your life, that is letting life run you. What I'm saying is that life is only 10% things happens to us and 90% how we react to them. True story. Even at some of the hardest times in my life, looking back, the issue itself was not the main problem, problems arose from choosing to react in a way that adds more negativity to an already bad situation. It is all about outlook.
I'm sure we've all had times during our lives when we were extremely happy most of the time, and times when we were really low for a while. If you really think about it, what major things were different during those times? Probably not much...Reality is what we make it. If you have a negative attitude and outlook, then you will only recognize the negative around you. So sure...that is your reality if you choose it to be!
I've never quite understood that frame of mind, because going through life choosing to be cynical is like putting a cloudy filter over everything. You will only recognize negativity in life if that is all you are giving out. Negativity also tends to attract more negativity...It is a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you walk around scowling all day then of course you'll receive that back from people...and therefore assume that people suck, and the cycle repeats itself.
The beautiful thing about it, is so is positivity. If you consciously decide to appreciate everything, every day, and see the beauty of everything life has to offer...it's a like a switch is flipped. I guarantee if you smile and bring joy to every person you interact with in a day, you will receive positivity back. You start noticing things like how nice of a day it is, how healthy and energetic you feel, and of the endless things that are awesome. They're always there, whether you notice them or not.
The key is the wisdom to know exactly how to use the knowledge of past things that went wrong without feeling bogged down by it. THAT is being a true realist. Acknowledging negativity, learning from it, then letting go of it and making it a point to keep your mind on what makes you happy. It is hard to be dragged down when you are too busy finding things to be excited and happy about...and the possibilities for that are endless. So the next time you're having a bad day....remind yourself that there are no "bad days"...there are just days, and how you choose to think and react in them is what shapes your reality.
No comments:
Post a Comment