I can remember the days before personal computers, the internet, smartphones and social media. The world wasn’t always civil back then, either, and there were certainly civil divides, especially during the Vietnam era. The civil divide today has become even greater due to social media.

I like to point out that being a “negative” or a “positive” person isn’t something that just happens to us. We are not born “negative” or “positive” although our surroundings and life circumstances can certainly influence our outlook. The most important thing to remember is this: thinking positive is a decision, and an important one. When you choose to engage the world through positive thinking, you’re deciding to take control of your thoughts and your life. That is always a good thing.

We have all met the doomsayers; the challenge, though, is not to get trapped in their mindset. You need resilience to be positive and it is not always easy to stand up against the norm and remain optimistic in a world of people that love feeding off negativity.

Every day, people talk about things that cannot be achieved. Those naysayers can certainly place us in a negative state of mind, but how we respond to their negativity is a conscious choice we make. It takes courage to be different from mainstream thinking and focusing on the possibilities will provide us with a greater purpose. The dreamers, innovators and world-changers are those who are steadfast in reaching their positive goals. They are the positive thinkers that focus on the possible. When you think positive thoughts, you attract positive people in your life.

Keep in mind that it is impossible to stay positive when you blame others for every little thing that happens to you. Positive thinkers don’t do this, and it is a key reason why they are so powerful in their thoughts and actions. Those who are positive are not afraid to take responsibility for their lives and the choices they make. Doing this gives you immense control over your ultimate destiny.

Positive people are not dwelling on what went wrong in their lives. They do not spend endless hours feeling bad that something didn’t go the way they wanted it to. When you are positive, you are drawn to outcome-based thinking. You’re interested in results; therefore, positive thinkers are very solution-focused. The second they understand something needs to be fixed, they go out and find ways to fix it.

Unhappy, negative people, dwell on their failures, mull over them and give up. But happy, successful people face failures head-on, learn from what went wrong and adapt so that they can avoid making the same mistake in the future.

It is not a coincidence that some of the world’s most successful people share these character and mindset traits. Positive thinking is not for the weak-willed, and thinking positive is not just about “seeing the glass half-full.” It is about achieving your goals, living your dreams and maybe even changing the world.

Thomas F O’Neill

Suzhou, China

Shenandoah Native

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