A month ago, I had an epiphany. I suddenly realized that negativity = not forgetting + not forgiving + not loving (yourself). My blog title is the opposite, for obvious reasons. Positivity = forget + forgive + love (yourself).
Quite quickly, it struck me that there is – again – an overlap with my concept of Love, Knowledge & Power, as well as the (ancient) concept of Body, Mind & Soul. Please see my diagram to the left.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I’m suffering from a burden of empathy. It was difficult staying positive. Hence, my Time Out blog.
I’m not entirely sure about this but negativity seems to be a choice in our life.
I was able to turn my (negative) emotions into positive writing. My empathy is still running high but its overload is mostly gone.
The Serenity Prayer (see my 2019 blog) by Reinhold Niebuhr did help me: accept the things you cannot change, and have the courage to change the things you can.
I know people who appear always positive despite loads of negativity. I also know people who appear eternally negative. Hence, I think, feel and believe that both positivity and negativity are our choice in life.
My words “choice in life” may suggest that it’s easy making such a choice. Far from it. The dark side in our life is strong and fighting it is a daily struggle.
“Psychology has identified this pull towards the dark side as a “negativity bias” (see here too) that we are all predisposed to. From an evolutionary perspective, human beings have learned that paying attention to the negative is more important than dwelling on the positive. Those whose gene pools encouraged them to ignore predators in favor of stopping to smell the roses have been killed off in favor of a more pragmatic genetic profile. There is value (sometimes critical value) in addressing the negative.”
The Psychology of Wellbeing
Positivity (2019) by Steffen Morrison
artist, facebook, lyrics, video, the Voice of Holland SE04
Positivity
Is All Within Your Reach
It’s matter over mind
Find the strength inside
Of me
Let’s turn it all around with
Positivity
Note: all markings (bold, italic, underlining) by LO unless in quotes or stated otherwise.
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