“Let’s all join together in one loud 'om.'” I used to roll my eyes when yoga teachers would lead the class in a “spiritual journey” to bring in the positive energy and let out the negative, because I was just there to stretch and tone my muscles. Before getting hooked on yoga I hated the whole idea of it. Why would people engage in exercise where there is no competition? Now, I welcome the 75-minute, stress and comparison-free spiritual cleanse. In an environment riddled with negativity, we take for granted those few moments where we can be unapologetically positive.
I spent most of last semester upset. My feelings were not a result of adversities to which I was subjected, but rather they came from a lack of resiliency and a presence of sensitivity that let negativity inch its way into my everyday routine. Instead of rejecting negativity I succumbed to its pressures. They say it takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile, but I think it takes more willpower to be positive than to be negative.
When I can’t control things I get anxious, which leads to frustration, anger, sadness, and ultimately negativity. One thing I can’t control is how people treat me, and that scares me. I can be a good person and hope that they reciprocate, but the decision is ultimately up to them. Last semester, when I felt as though my friends were ignoring or excluding me, rather than trying to speak my mind and work towards a positive conclusion, I would sulk and let negative thoughts creep into my mind about how no one cares. It’s a slippery slope that I’ve gone down too many times.
People try to impart their negativity onto other people because it’s a force that temporarily brings them together, but eventually tears them apart. Instead of perpetuating the negativity we should foster an environment of positivity. An environment in which people don’t walk around Swem Library talking about how much school sucks or sit in their dorm thinking about how nothing is fair. We have every right to our emotions, but it’s all in the approach: If you need help, ask for help, and if someone asks you for help, then help them.
I’m working on letting the positive parts of my life seep into the rest of it. If we compartmentalize happiness and suffering, then our emotions will be constantly out of whack. My positivity has the power to affect both myself and other people, more so than my negative attitude. I need to be there for my friends, but rather than letting them bring me into their negativity I should strive to make them feel positively. If I’m not taking steps toward positivity, then I’m taking steps back. The practices of positivity don’t have to be confined to 75 minutes of your day in yoga studios, so we should approach life like “yogis” do.
