A Realistic Approach to Positive Thinking


Do a quick Twitter search for “positive thinking” and you’ll find new tweets being shared every minute about people trying to stay more positive in their lives. It’s a buzzy catchphrase that a lot of people use very often, but without really answering the question, “What does it really mean?”

Everyone has their own definition, and I find some better than others. But instead of attacking a bunch of potential strawmen, I’ll just share my own thoughts about what “positive thinking” means to me and how it fits into my worldview.

I define positive thinking as any type of thinking that inspires us to accomplish something constructive with our lives. It’s a type of thinking meant not merely to make us feel good about ourselves, but to motivate us to take action and make a physical change.

When Too Much Optimism Blinds Us From Reality

optimism


Optimists are said to be those who see the glass as half full, while pessimists see the glass as half empty.

An optimist often tries to find the good in everything. And often this perspective can cause less stress, less anxiety, and a more empowering and motivating attitude.

Positive psychologist Martin Seligman coined the term learned optimism to explain that people can cultivate more optimism by challenging their negative self-talk. Today many people strive to be more optimistic in their daily lives.

However, despite the many benefits of optimism on both our physical and mental health, some research is showing that too much optimism in certain situations can actually be harmful.