Recommended for you

Start writing a post

Health and Wellness

Being Positive Never Works For You

It's not that being positive doesn't work, you just aren't being positive in a proactive way.

Emma Piccinini

Feb 11, 2019

West Chester University

243

Unsplash

Often times, I have heard complaints from those who try to be positive, but end up feeling hopeless when it never works out. I have been guilty of doing this in the past, but I looked deeper into how I was presenting being positive. I have also talked to my therapist about why I feel like being positive hasn't been effective for me. Here are the top three lessons and tools that I have learned and utilized.

1. Being positive doesn't mean ridding of all negative emotion.

This was something I struggled the most with. I thought being positive meant that I wouldn't feel sadness, jealousy, anger, emotional tiredness, frustration, or any other negative emotion. It is actually quite the opposite. Positivity means letting yourself feel these negative emotions, but instead of letting them debilitate you, you understand that they are a cathartic release in order for you to reach the positive emotions that you seek. It's not about what you're feeling, it's about how you deal with what you are feeling. If you don't allow yourself to feel negative emotions when they arise, then you will bottle them up over time and eventually erupt into an emotional breakdown.

2. Practicing what you preach is essential.

If you are giving others advice on how to stay positive, but you aren't following the same rules that you are preaching then you are being inauthentic. This means that your positivity is fraudulent and transparent. People will see right through your "words of wisdom" and will not take you seriously if you are not taking yourself seriously. There have been times where I wanted everyone else around me to be happy even when I wasn't, so I put up a positive facade. At first, my friends valued my advice, but over time they did not believe I was credible because they saw, firsthand, that I was not practicing what I was preaching to them.

3. You can post on social media all you want, but you must also be positive in real life.

I am constantly posting positive tweets, quotes, and poems on my Instagram stories in hopes that they will resonate with my followers. Before I add them to my story, though, I ask myself, "Is this something that I follow?" or "Do I relate to this?" If the answer to either of these questions were to be no, I would refrain from posting them.

Far too many times, I have seen a close friend of mine post a quote that she does not live by. It is hypocritical and adds to the inauthentic nature of social media. When you spread positivity through Instagram, make sure that you are promoting messages that you actually believe in, not just messages that you think people want to hear.

Report this Content

This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.

Entertainment

25 Beatles Lyrics: Your Go-To Guide for Every Situation

The Best Lines from the Fab Four

SUNY Binghamton

94112

Wikipedia Commons

For as long as I can remember, I have been listening to The Beatles. Every year, my mom would appropriately blast “Birthday” on anyone’s birthday. I knew all of the words to “Back In The U.S.S.R” by the time I was 5 (Even though I had no idea what or where the U.S.S.R was). I grew up with John, Paul, George, and Ringo instead Justin, JC, Joey, Chris and Lance (I had to google N*SYNC to remember their names). The highlight of my short life was Paul McCartney in concert twice. I’m not someone to “fangirl” but those days I fangirled hard. The music of The Beatles has gotten me through everything. Their songs have brought me more joy, peace, and comfort. I can listen to them in any situation and find what I need. Here are the best lyrics from The Beatles for every and any occasion.

Keep Reading...Show less

best beatles lyrics

Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Smith College

132362

college students waiting in a long line in the hallway

StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less

waitlisted

Recommended for you

Being Positive Never Works For You

It's not that being positive doesn't work, you just aren't being positive in a proactive way.

1. Being positive doesn't mean ridding of all negative emotion.

2. Practicing what you preach is essential.

3. You can post on social media all you want, but you must also be positive in real life.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

The Best Lines from the Fab Four

And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make

The sun is up, the sky is blue, it's beautiful and so are you

Love is old, love is new, love is all, love is you

There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be

Life is very short, and there's no time for fussing and fighting, my friend

He say, "I know you, you know me", One thing I can tell you is you got to be free

Oh please, say to me, You'll let me be your man. And please say to me, You'll let me hold your hand

It was twenty years ago today, Sgt. Pepper taught the band to play. They've been going in and out of style, but they're guaranteed to raise a smile

Living is easy with eyes closed, misunderstanding all you see

Can you hear me? When it rains and shine, it's just a state of mind

Little darling, it's been long cold lonely winter. Little darling, it feels like years since it' s been here. Here comes the sun, Here comes the sun, and I say it's alright

We danced through the night and we held each other tight, and before too long I fell in love with her. Now, I'll never dance with another when I saw her standing there

I love you, I love you, I love you, that's all I want to say

You say you want a revolution. Well you know, we all want to change the world

All the lonely people, where do they all come from. All the lonely people, where do they all belong

Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends

Hey Jude, don't make it bad. Take a sad song and make it better

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they're here to stay. Oh, I believe in yesterday

And when the brokenhearted people, living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be.

And anytime you feel the pain, Hey Jude, refrain. Don't carry the world upon your shoulders

I'll give you all I got to give if you say you'll love me too. I may not have a lot to give but what I got I'll give to you. I don't care too much for money. Money can't buy me love

All you need is love, love is all you need

Whisper words of wisdom, let it be

Blackbird singing in the dead of night, Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, You were only waiting for this moment to arise

Though I know I'll never lose affection, for people and things that went before. I know I'll often stop and think about them. In my life, I love you more

Obviously the best superpower.

There have been many lessons learned.

1. The importance of traditions.

2. How to be thankful for family and friends.

3. How to give back.

4. What the word "community" really means.

5. That it isn't about the destination, but the journey.

6. The consequences of making bad choices.

7. To trust people, until you have a reason not to.

8. To be welcoming and accepting of everyone.

9. How to be my own, individual person.

10. How to work for what I want.

11. How to be great at giving directions.

12. How to be humble.

13. To be well-rounded.

14. How to be great at conflict resolution.

15. The beauty of getting outside and exploring.

16. To be prepared for anything.

17. That you don't always have to do it alone.

18. How to be creative.

19. To brush off gossip.

I have never been so thankful to know you.

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

Don't freak out

Email the professor

Attend the first class

Keep attending class

Have a backup plan

Remember that everything works out at the end

Trending Topics

Top Creators

Trending Stories

Best of Health and Wellness

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments

Subscribe to our
Newsletter