For some time now, I have been following what may be called a Positive Psychology Cycle for my life. I may be rather late in coming to realize how lives can flourish with the simple Positive Mind notion if only each one of us began to apply and practice its simple truth in our daily lives. Starting now, what could the future hold!
Back in 1998, Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman is said to have introduced positive psychology to the American Psychological Association in his APA Presidential Address. However, overwhelming evidence suggests that the principal components of positive psychology date back at least to William James. Somewhat later, Abraham Maslow spoke of a psychology in which attention should be paid not only to that which is, but also to that which could be. Maslow even used the words »positive psychology« for a chapter title in the 1950s.
Digging deeper into the troves of knowledge and further into the study of psychology, I was astonished to find the number of aspects, theories, approaches, thoughts and more in this context that have been studied for centuries, very much before the era of modern technology. The foundations of most religions rely in some way on the sanctity of being positive, appealing to hope and faith.
This gave me food for thought upon beginning to grasp the notion of positive mind. This powerful notion overwhelmed me with a sense of my future knowledge of true happiness in life and a wish to share this mindset as a person, as a mother, as a friend, as someone who can make a small contribution to the planet by being positive.
Countless organizations, networks and groups of practitioners have addressed Positive Mind and how it can add value to our lives, in the combination of work and life itself. There are workshops and seminars on the topic. But the interesting question is how many of those are really able to provide a simple answer to finding sustainable happiness. Is there even a simple path?
A human determined to achieve something must find the answer alone: »The only truth to be found and believed is that found by our own mind.« Therefore, I began to look for more resources on positivepsychology: books, articles, speeches, demonstrations and many more. I did not need to convince myself that being positive would be good for my mind but I did want to ensure that I found the right starting point for my very own journey. Positive Mind can help us not only in finding true, authentic happiness about who we are, but also in accepting our weaknesses and living with them in peace. I hoped that I might meet fellow travelers on my journey with the same desire, to walk together and slowly find a path to follow to its destination.
No-one would deny that positive thinking can only provide and raise energy, never the opposite. The question remains how it is possible to sustain a positive mind while surrounded by negative forces.
I began by asking myself why I wanted to relax and have fun all the time, to think less and spend more time working on what is really meaningful to achieve in a lifetime. The answer is: life is too short to waste on negative energy. I will choose to live a reasonable and happy life.
Looking at the world of today, its tragedies, sadness, hates and more can drive us crazy. How can we stay positive, how can we stop our minds from negative thoughts? It has never been easy, but there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Positive Mind may be a good starting point for everyone: to tackle issues of a conscious mind, to do good to others without expecting anything in return, just for the sake of giving, to forgive and forget a past that cannot be undone and to move on with the present towards a future. Knowing that while not everything will be perfect, there will always be ways to make it better tomorrow or the next day.
Imagine a happy organization, a place where people work together with positive thinking, believe in possibilities instead of blame. Imagine how much time we can save by not arguing about who is right or wrong. If we as individuals learn how to be naturally positive, start to love ourselves positively and gradually distribute the inner power of goodwill to others, we could prevent so many problems before they even need to be solved!
Anoma Paksutti