I am not going to lie, for this article I had no idea what I was going to write about because I am experiencing that nice writer's block no one ever wants. BUT, I was watching a documentary in my literature class the other day and became inspired. I usually get into that kind of stuff, but this documentary was about a man (who will not be named) that could not find one positive thing about life. He just kept going on and on about how awful his life was and how awful the country was. This man was also wining and dining at five-star restaurants in Paris, keep that in mind. It made me so frustrated because he could not be happy about literally one thing.
I then realized there are so many people out there that are pessimistic like that. I can sit here and think of quite a few off the top of my head. And here is what I want to say to them, quit ruining my day and my vibe. The easiest and best way to ensure that you ruin someone's day is to be negative about everything. I understand sometimes we need to vent and get out what is boiling up inside, but some people do it to the extreme. I am even negative at times, but then I catch myself and realize what I am doing. When you choose to be negative, you automatically choose to look for the worst in life.
You do not allow yourself to live a life of optimism, but instead, you choose a life of pessimism. And with that, you start to lose the people around you. Like your mom said in elementary and middle school, no one wants to be friends with a negative Nelly. As I have gotten older I have found that phrase to be more and truer. And I have found it to be more and more true that someone who is negative is trying much harder than someone who lives a positive life. To live a negative life, you have to be in a constant state of being unhappy. Who wants to live like that? Better yet, who wants to be around that? The easy answer is no one. Think about how you are living right now. If you are that person who is constantly dreading doing anything and continues to complain about every little thing that is so easy to do, I am probably talking to you. Stop being so negative.
Especially about the little things. Like for example, going to a chapter for your sorority or fraternity. YES, no one wants to go to that, but they go anyways. Stop complaining about it and dragging down the attitudes of the people around you. You are only creating a worse attitude that did not exist before. Think of going to chapter positively. You GET to be a member of this organization. And, you GET to know what is going on in the organization.
Without chapter, there would be chaos, so stop thinking it is the worst thing ever. Trust me, I can think of about 100 other things that are way worse than going to chapter. Get perspective on your life. If you find yourself constantly unable to find the positive in life, that is my best advice to you. Think about how life could be; moreover, how it could be much worse. Think about the opportunities you may not have. Then, and only then, I promise will you find a bit of optimism in your life.
Gaining perspective is everything and the key to a positive life. In a very famous movie, Soul Surfer, that is what Bethany Hamilton was told to do when she could not come to grasp the new reality of living with one less arm. Once she gained some perspective on life, then she realized that the repercussions of her accident could have been much much worse. It was then when she gained a new perspective that she started living a life in positivity. And, let me tell you if you are reading this, I highly doubt (you might, there is a really small possibility, though) that you just got attacked by a shark and have one less arm.
So, basically what I am saying is that if she can gain perspective, you can gain perspective. And, most importantly, if she could live a life of positivity and optimism, you can too.
