Life's Nothing But A Walk In The Woods: Your Mindset Determines Your Journey

Ah, the human race. All different races, languages, and pasts. In every life of the beings that inhabit this planet, there are stressors present each day. You see the word stress in stressor, and you may think it is associated with negativity. This is not the case; stressors are the series of events that occur throughout the day that trigger reactions. Stressors can be positive leading to a flow of good energy and the happiest of vibes, but they can also be negative leading to a mind clogged with bad energy and intense emotion.

For example, someone fails a test. This is a negative stressor for obvious reasons. There's one of two ways this person can react. They'll react erratically, being in a state of anger and upset, no action will be taken to change the next test's outcome, and no lesson will be learned. The other reaction would be positive. Yes, of course, there will be sorrow, but they would say to themselves, "It's okay to fall, I'm just going to pick myself back up and improve, it's only up from this point on." They will actively seek ways to change the future outcome, and most importantly, they will take away a lesson from the mistake that was made and look to fix it.

No journey was ever easy, no journey is ever easy, and no journey will ever be easy. You are the one who determines the difficulty and efficiency at which you move. Life is not a freshly paved highway. The road that you're on from the start of your journey to the end is a wooded mountain path. You will encounter landslides, grizzly bears, boulders, and forks in the path. Landslides will set you back a bit, but you should conquer and continue. Do not let them discourage you, and surely do not stop progressing on your path.

Grizzly bears are known to kill fully grown men. Approach situations with a calm mind and positivity. Would you get angry and lash out at a grizzly bear? If you answered no, then you shouldn't be dealing with real-life situations that way either, because although you won't be mauled, the degree of negativity in which you reacted to the situation could come back and haunt you. You approach a boulder that's blocking your path. It's too wide to just walk around and completely avoid. Do NOT lose hope. You may sit by the boulder to think, but do not make it the end of your journey. You remember the rope that you have in your backpack and come up with ideas to utilize it.

Find the tools and help that you need to solve an issue. Help is always available and you're definitely not alone. A fork in the road will provoke your thoughts. Whichever side of the path you choose to take, you will still encounter more obstacles in your journey. Do not think about the what ifs. You need to follow your heart and be confident in your decision at that moment. You are always one decision away from changing your life, whether it propels you or works against you making you trudge a bit.

The difference between optimists and pessimists is their outlook on life. Always aim to see the glass half full as opposed to the glass being half empty. Ask yourself, what good will you receive from seeing the glass half empty? You're dwelling on the fact that you've already lost half the water you began with, as opposed to admiring the fact that you still have a whole half glass left to put to use. Optimists take the half glass that they have and increase the water level with their happiness, growth, and love. Pessimists take the half glass and the water level gradually decreases with all the negativity that's crowding their space, preventing growth, happiness, and love.

Take a minute. Think to yourself, what good am I going to get from being negative? Will I achieve anything if I whine and cry? Would things be different if I approached the situation with a smile on my face and a positive attitude?

There is never validation for negativity, no matter what life tests you with. By being negative you prevent yourself from learning, you prevent yourself from growth and flourishing, and you block all possibilities of improvement not only to yourself as a human, but the skills that you carry within you. Everyone should aim to be the absolute best that they can be, but negativity is a roadblock for many.

Your mindset will create your experiences. You are in full control of if you want to be happy or not, and it's all dependent on your energy and attitude in daily life. Radiate your energy to those around you because it's contagious. Stay positive. Stay happy. Stay motivated. Wake up every morning with a smile on your face and seize the day.