Is there such a thing as too much positivity? If so, how would we know? Positivity is something that not all of us possess. It is a learned behavior just the same as negativity. Positive ways of thinking lead to better outcomes in life. But why do we frown upon it so much if it’s something we all wish to have in our lives. And if we all possessed an abundance of it, is that truly a bad thing?
The saying goes “Misery loves company. And that saying is not a myth but rather thousands of people’s everyday life. We feed off of one another’s misery causing a dark cloud of negativity. It’s a gravitational force that once one has it, it continues to pull in others. Negativity normally forms when something bad happens to us. The loss of a job, the break up of a relationship, the loss of a loved one, depression, or some form of abuse or trauma. They all factor into our mental state of mind which expresses a negative mood, negative behavior that soon becomes a form of comfort for most. And unfortunately, many of us become complacent in our ways. It continues the beaten pattern of if it can go wrong then it will go wrong.
It is a learned behavior that to most becomes a lot easier to deal with, a normal way of life. And with it comes a long list of bad thoughts, lack of motivation, and the constant feeling of disappointment and anger towards the world. Living in New York, your everyday encounters are met with negative energy on a regular basis just walking up and down the streets. Often times those encounters can turn into hostile situations and at times deadly ones.
But despite our society having all this pent up disappointment and rage, there are those who have seen the other side of the spectrum and live a positive lifestyle. They are the ones who take risks in a good way, say “Good Morning”, thank others, and often wear a smile on their faces 90% of the time. Yes. They do exist in this world more often than one thinks. They’re also the ones who are willing to help another human being at all costs. They have a positive outlook on life. And many of them are more than welcome to share their positive aura with others.
But how much positivity is too much? There are those who go above and beyond to try their best to have someone experience the same feeling they do. Their politeness is so much that it can be at times overwhelming to someone whose negative outlook on things could never possibly fathom the grass being greener on the other side. Their compliments and willingness to help in any way are often seen as too much or they’re labeled as a showoff. And their consistency of encouraging words can be seen as fake or overbearing to others.
I wasn’t always a person with a positive outlook on things and to some extent, I still am not. But as I learn to deal with situations in a different format, I’ve noticed that I have become that person a little more each year. I find myself spreading support beyond the lines of those in my personal life, sharing compliments as often as I can, checking in on others just to make sure they’re ok. And I do it because, after years of therapy, I’ve learned that it’s not always doom and gloom. It has been a key factor towards managing my depression in a big way.
But there are times where I wonder am I going overboard with the spreading of my positive thoughts? I have to remind myself that not everyone is on the same level as me. And more times than not, I’ve witnessed a disgust from others about my lack of anger towards something I deem to be pointless to get mad over or my continuous support and compliments to others. And there are those rare moments where I’ve been told personally it’s just too much for a person. It is those interactions that have made me question my actions more often than I should and at times made me pull back.
In a world full of hate and disappointment, the one thing that could satisfy the masses shouldn’t be the thing that becomes extinct in this world. It shouldn’t be frowned upon because one is over the top with such good emotions and wish to share them with the world. That form of energy should be embraced more than it is. It should show the world that it is possible but takes work and dedication like all other things in life. It takes a lot of energy to express negativity. But it takes very little to be positive. As humans, we go through an array of emotions which fuel our behaviors and that is expected. So why not channel those emotions in a way that will help you first and help others second.
So try saying “Have a nice day” to a stranger today, help someone who needs it, or even give a smile to someone having a bad day. And although it may not be received the way you expect it to be, just know that in some form it has a mental impact on you both. The objective of your day, of your life is not to eliminate the negative moments in your life completely. It’s to outweigh them as much as possible. So embrace the extra positivity from others. They must be doing something right, Right?
Until next time this is Tammy saying keep strong, keep positive and nothing’s impossible!!!
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