Do you crave delicious lemonade like I do?
You need the perfect combination.
A little tang.
A little sweet.
A little ade.
Maybe even a mint sprig if you are feeling bodacious.
This article is not about making lemonade. In fact, I'm not really going to talk about lemonade at all. I will talk about cereal. I will talk about this clumsy girl named Debby. I will talk about why people love positivity, and then I will let you answer the question "why if everyone loves it so much, why are people so negative?"
The hardest part is getting people to click on an article that is titled "Living Life More Positively" or "How to Be More Positive." First of all, I wouldn't even want to read an article with that title. It sounds as though the author has never had a problem a day in his/her life. The condescending nature of one trying to promote positivity is often hard to overcome causing people to reject the notion without even looking into the idea. People say "Oh that could never work for me, no one understands my problems" or "I don't need that in my life, I'm not that kind of person " The truth is, everyone could benefit from reading a little bit about how others attempt to remain positive throughout their lives.
Although I consider myself a fairly positive person, I think everyone can relate to this article. I think everyone can identify with being negative sometimes. It is surprising how in a world where people undoubtedly thrive in positivity that the copious amounts of negativity outnumber it. Remaining positive when life is challenging is not always easy. Living a more positive life doesn’t mean you are happy 24/7 because that’s not human. At times life is frustrating. Life is messy. Negativity comes into our lives when we feel out of control or frustrated, but when problems arise, instead of sulking, there are many effective ways to combat problems and keep a cheerful attitude.
The first and quite possibly the easiest or the hardest step is identifying what in your life is causing you to feel negative. At times it is obvious, but other times recognizing it can be tricky because we are not as in touch with ourselves as we would like to think.
Pre-knowledge: *Debby is having some serious issues (work, family, financial, etc)*
*Debby makes cereal*
*Debby spills*
(and it is the most epic picture of spilled milk ever photographed)
*Debby cries*
(and it is the most over-used picture of Kim Kardashian ever photographed)
Now Debby is literally crying over spilt milk, but it is more likely she was upset about a bigger issue going on beneath the surface. In some cases it proves to be harder to really understand what is causing someone to be frustrated.
On the other hand, maybe Debby really is just sad about the milk. After identifying the problem, rather than looking for a solution, she is so distraught she can’t think rationally.
In this case, to put Debby in a better mood she should talk herself down. Minimizing the problem (even if the problem seems overwhelming) can help to better evaluate how to move forward. Even if it is a stressful situation, freaking out over it does not make it any easier to deal with. Discrediting the problem, even if is a lie, will at least increase your morale in times of crisis enough to devise a solution.
Debby reaches out to her friends, who give her tons of suggestions, but Debby would rather have a one-way conversation consisting of only her whining (If you can’t tell already, this Debby is kind of a downer).
Rejecting hearing any kind of solution is the same as fueling the problem. Fueling the problem, fuels negativity. Also, no one likes a complainer. Instead of complaining, a more effective approach would be if Debby tried putting her life into perspective. The whole “woe is me act” doesn’t work when you remember you have a pretty good life outside of poor cereal crafting abilities. Thinking about the good things in your life, especially when problems arise, is the best medicine. Remind yourself of all the blessings you have all around you. Be thankful. In rudimentary terms this could be called seeing the glass “half full.”
Debby is still upset about this spilt milk.
Although she tried to remind herself of her great family, friends and the delicious Chipotle burrito she has that gives her so much joy, she failed to cheer herself up. At this point the advice I have to give her is fake it 'til she makes it. A slogan most people hear, but don’t actuallycomprehend its value. A smile, fake or not, has been scientifically proven to increase your mood. Smiling releases dopamine and serotonin into the brain. These chemicals create a feeling of happiness in your body, proving it is always better just to smile.
Debby sits trying to force a smile and is glad Nancy is not there. Nancy is very negative. For example, Nancy would yell "Whatever, you don't need milk. Milk sucks. You don't need milk ever again. Cereal sucks too, and HEY my life sucks more than yours." Although Negative- Nancy may mean well, this advice proves to be counter-productive and irrational. It is so crucial to surround yourself with positive people. It is the key to getting through life’s struggles, and it is the key to living a long and happy life. Fill your life with people who bring you up if you happen to get down. Fill your life with people who bring you even higher when you are already happy. Dismiss the Negative Nancy’s of the world and remove unnecessary stress from your life.
People make excuses for their Debby-downer and Negative-Nancy attitudes, but at the end of the day no one wants (or at least shouldn’t want) to wallow in their sadness. There is a time to be sad, sure, but life shouldn’t be about living problem to problem. Life should be about enjoying living and then picking your battles. Learning to let go of negativity can be hard. People obviously have bigger problems then Debby-Downer spilling her milk. Everyone has problems, but those who choose to let their problems define them are the ones who live unhappy lives. These are the people who constantly face the struggle of finding things to be thankful for. These are the people who sit around and feel badly for themselves and their “crappy lives,” but no matter how crappy your life is, there is always a way to turn it around.
Living a more positive life is a mind set. Improving your mental state is the first step to living a better life. Better lives are not lived by sitting around talking about how bad life is. Better lives are lived by taking advantage of exciting opportunities while you can.
When all is said and done, those who live the happiest and most positive lives are the ones who are enjoying themselves or at least attempting to enjoy themselves, no matter the occasion.
These are the people who really do turn lemons into lemonade.
These are the people that make life more fun when they are around. Positivity is infectious. People gravitate toward those who love to have a good time. This is such an important message because although positivity is infectious, so is negativity. Be a positive force in your life as well as the lives of others. Being a positive person doesn’t mean being happy all the time; it’s simply taking your life for what it is and putting a good spin on it. Even on the worst day it only takes a few seconds to turn it around. Life is about remembering that we can’t control the outcome, but we can control our attitudes and our actions. Life is about knowing that because you are living this day, it’s going to be a good one.
