A New State of Mind

Positivity is a state of mind. Happiness is an emotion you feel temporarily due to external occurrence. Both of them are dependent on each other but extremely different. 

Generally, there are only two main mindsets, the victim and the empowered. You are either a victim of your temporary emotions or you’re in charge of your response to these emotions. Whichever mindset you have, you consciously or subconsciously chose it. I like to perceive positivity as empowerment over your emotions and being, whereas negativity is when you give in to them and become a victim of these thoughts and feelings or even your surrounding.

When I asked one of my friends about positivity, she said the first thing that popped up in her head was being “fake”. Positivity to her was external, it was displaying her good traits and hiding her negative ones, instead only feeling like things piled up inside of her making her feel really negative on the inside. Then after a few days, she needed to take some time off to reset and begin “acting positively” all over again. To be honest, I’m only sharing this because I realized that many people think this way too. With all these Instagram posts about the positive life and those youtube videos showing you how people are just positive all the time, I don’t blame her for thinking this way.

Positivity became a trend that most people don’t even understand. 

It’s not just about saying inspirational quotes or spreading joy, it’s not about jumping up and down and dancing around either, that’s a different matter. To be realistic, life isn’t rainbows and flowers all the time, we pass through some difficult moments, big or small they drain us. Your whole mind becomes distracted from everything else that’s important to you and it’s so easy to let negative thoughts in. Sometimes you’re not even upset about anything but you’re just not in the mood to be all jolly and upbeat either. That’s where positivity plays its role.

Positivity is a state that you train your mind to belong to. It’s a state of solace and serenity that you build inside your head so that no matter where you are in life, it’s easy to access that mindset at any given time. It’s not a guide to being happy because you can be positive yet unhappy at the moment. It’s just believing that no matter what you’re going through, you will feel okay again. It’s knowing that even in the most unfair situations, you’ll still find a way to say that you’re grateful and that this is only a temporary feeling. Positivity is shifting your focus from the negative thoughts, making your mind feel safe and at peace despite the events going on.

The truth about positivity is that it’s gained. You need to work on it, just like any other diet or lifestyle. It shouldn’t feel fake or forced but just like any other change you apply to your life, it’s not going to be easy at first. You practice being positive until it feels comfortable enough to go back to every single time whether you feel like it or not. It’s always easier to be positive when you’re happy, although what makes a positive person different from other people is that they can remain positive during the tough times.

What helps me stay positive during any dreadful situation is that I’d remember all other difficult times I’ve been through and how they all passed, despite feeling like it was the end of the world at the time of the situation, I can always look back at these situations with acceptance and peace. Remembering other difficult times helps me remember how they’re all emotions triggered by a stressful moment and hence, all temporary.

Positivity is a state of mind that you train yourself to achieve. It leads to a happier mood and a more grateful attitude although it is not just about being happy/content. It’s a mindset that independent of the situation you’re in.