Can We Stay Positive in a Negative Environment?

Have you ever known a person who is so negative, you can barely stand to be around him or her? Nothing uplifting ever comes from this person's mouth. He reads the newspaper and takes antacids. He's worried about the killer bee invasion and spouts gloom and doom about the economy and our nation. All the politicians are criminals and our young people have gone to hell in a handbasket.

Truthfully now, how often do you invite this person over for dinner?

We don't have to entertain negative people, so why entertain negative thoughts?

It can be a challenge to stay positive in a negative society, but those who speak positively and look for the best in others and seek ways for improvement know the power in positive speech and thought. We must speak positively about ourselves too.

Where does self-talk originate? Our minds tell our tongues what to say, and our ears listen to what we speak. What you say can definitely be what you get, if you're buying into a load of junk. Emotion can win out over your will only if you let it. Your mind, your will and your emotions can be brought under control.

Our minds were created  to be sharp and clear and with the ability to expand. What we see and hear is programmed into our minds like computer  data: 
Input=output.

Don't nurture thoughts you don't want to see grow and produce results. Criticism, backbiting, jealousy, anger, dissension, regret, envy, worry, fear and self-doubt are self destructive. If someone says something negative about a person, you have a choice. You can agree. You can join in. Or you can come back with a positive remark. Strife, gossip and discord is a snare of negativity and doesn't deserve your time or energy.

Sometimes we can get a lot of mileage out of something as simple as the way someone says something. We think on it. We entertain it. Pretty soon we're angry and tell another person, opening a can of negative worms. We can't control what people say, but we can control our reactions to their words.

Don't dredge up past failures or hurts. Deal with them and put them in their place. Imagine a runner at the starting line of a race: The pistol fires and he takes off. He's doing well, but a challenger is staying just behind him. The runner looks over his shoulder and sees the competition. He looks again and concern chips away at his focus. Pretty soon his speed dwindles, he loses momentum and falls behind, because he didn't stay focused on his own goal. He was worried about what others were doing.

Wipe the slate clean and live each new day as a fresh start. The thought of failure comes before actual failure. I'm going to have a great day! I'm going to figure out the answer to this dilemma and move forward. I sometimes tell myself, "I'm writing a best seller today."

Fear and worry are always about things that haven't happened yet. 

I once helped a writer with her manuscript, and as soon as it was sent off she said, "I just know it will be rejected." Then why did she send it? I'm not saying that you can write a piece of crap, then say it's great, and it will sell. Of course not. But if you truly believe what you're doing is unworthy of good feedback, then work on it until you can say, "It's the best I can do, and someone is going to like it." Don't buy into thinking that doesn't build you up or give you hope.

If you entertain doubt, you speak it. If you entertain failure, you speak it. Success is not a gamble. If you see yourself as successful, you speak like a successful person. You project success. Your brain has the power and capacity to either entertain negative thoughts or take them captive and get rid of them. Fill your mind with positive thoughts. What you think is how you behave and who you are. Be positive. Encourage yourself. And in the process, have less wrinkles than those who worry and fret.


"Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?" Matthew 6:24