PERSPECTIVE

“What we must understand about the attitude is not only how it colors our perceptions but also how it actively determines what happens to us in life—our health, our relations with people, and our success. Our attitude has a self-fulfilling dynamic.” -Robert Greene

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A shift in attitude is not to be confused with the all too common forms of toxic positivity. The idea of only thinking good thoughts & being surrounded by “positivity” leads to denial and repression of thoughts & emotions that are in fact highly insightful. Sometimes “negativity” shines light on things within yourself that could change or be disposed of, or potentially even a part of yourself that needs to be expressed due to the simple fact that it exists.

For example, take a powerful emotion such as anger. The minor irritation that you feel at someone’s slight remark toward you is likely to be relatively insignificant if expressed in that moment. If instead you choose to repress it & falsely claim to be unbothered by it, that anger will likely lurk beneath the surface & begin to boil, & before you know it it explodes at some even more minuscule issue or unrelated event. Not to mention the actual physical damage that comes from suppressing intense emotions.

The thing about all thoughts, feelings, & impulses that exist within us is that they are all an expression of the self… but it is you who determines whether they’re “good” or “bad”. The problem with this denial of so-called bad emotions is that it cuts the self in half, as these inner guides are cut at the knees before even having a chance to be heard. In truth, the most valuable lessons come from negative emotions & experiences, but only if your attitude permits those lessons to rise to the surface amidst the muck.