How Positive Attitude Is Achievable In Time Of Adversity
Introduction
The catalyst to advancing towards a better ecological strata by any specie on the food chain has always been discomfort. Discomfort as it were can be faced by all, no matter the specie, in humans however when faced with discomfort or challenges we can choose between having positive thoughts about the situation which is positive thinking or having negative thoughts which is negative thinking. If positive thoughts are chosen the benefits are innumerable but most of all is knowing that a person overcame that obstacle and can be called a victor.
According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, adversity is a state or instance of serious or continued difficulty or misfortune1. Adversity can also be defined as been confronted by a challenge that seems difficult if not difficult to change. Adversity can occur to any and everybody, could be a financial challenge, loss of loved one, relationship difficulty, a health challenge, a bad investment or a loss of job.
On the other hand, positive thinking is a mental attitude in which a person expects good and favorable results. In other words, positive thinking is the process of creating positive thoughts towards a situation that becomes a person’s reality. Positive thinking is far above the thought process it also entails actions that create lasting value for the future that outlives smiles and immediate happiness.
How to think positively in adversity
The act of having positive thoughts during adversity is achievable if a person being faced with this adversity is willing to see the light at the end of the tunnel in this case the tunnel is the challenge and/or discomfort. There are steps to be taken and if undertaken, there is sure to be insight and better understanding of adversity a person is going through and a hope that the situation would soon pass. They are;
1. Be honest and accountable: In times of adversity every human would feel sad, angry and disappointed. These feelings must first be addressed, no one who is going through a difficult time would be seen happy and joyful, that would be an anomaly. In that moment it is okay to feel bad and get clarity of purpose that is what differentiates optimists from pessimists.
Martin Seligman at University of Pennyslvania found the difference between optimists and pessimists. Pessimists often attribute their failures to their own personal short comings, which they feel they no longer have ability to fix. Optimists on the other hand, regard the failure as an experience from which they can learn a way to grow as people3.
It not only being honest with your feelings, being accountable to the acts or defining moments prior to adversity, identify the role you played and the role others played. Nobody can change others and how they act, but a person can change their actions and inactions. Realizing the mistakes and work towards change to avoid future occurrences.
Mike Robbins said in one of his blog post writings,” like all emotions, when we acknowledge them, own them and express them- they have a way of dissipating and in the process we can free ourselves from their negative impact”4.
2. Be conscious: In dark times, people tend to seek comfort from things which may endanger their lives in the long run. These things could include old habits or newly formed ones such as drug abuse, binge eating, over thinking or over drinking.
Although it is advised to be honest with the feelings that come with adversity, an individual going through adversity must always keep an open mind and a healthy life despite the adversity they may be facing. The more conscious a person is about their feelings, thoughts, words and actions the more likely they are to stay positive and move through adversity in a way where they can learn from, not just survive.
3. Embrace the challenge and take action: Do not despair, the discomfort should be accepted as it is after being honest about the role an individual played in the misfortune.
Going forward the next step is strategizing and taking action towards going out of the adverse situation that a person is experiencing.
At this point however, the individual may not be able to have clarity of purpose, and find it on their own by themselves. It is advised to seek help either professionally or from those who may have gone through similar adversities and conquered them as the case may be. In seeking out help the individual should be honest with those help is being sought from, being willing to accept help rendered and utilizing this help for the greater good of self and the world at large.
4. Feel and express gratitude: This may seem unlikely, seeing that the situation does not call for a feeling of gratitude towards an adversity, however, it is necessary and productive of good will and progress.
In expressing gratitude and taking inventory for the good times that occurred in one’s life the feeling of hope and faith become evident and not farfetched, an individual can then get insight and see the good that could come out of adversity.
The singular act of feeling grateful for a situation brings peace and calms the storm of sadness, anger and disappointment in the mind. This uplifts the spirit, soul and body reducing the feeling of anxiety5.
Studies have also shown that the ability to bounce back after adversity, to rely on yourself and to use your own mental resources to survive, has been shown to lead to greater staying power and success.
Benefits of positive thinking
The benefit of positive thoughts are innumerable and cuts across all works of life. When positive thinking is utilized in any difficult situation, the benefit usually outweigh the risk, that is if there are any risks attached at all.
Positive thinking puts an individual in a better mental space in other to achieve things that were once thought to be impossible and heights that seemed difficult to attain. Knowing that life is a steady process of regular and constant change, brought about by surmounting life’s challenges in the form of adversity.
In business and work, positive thinking mindset determines who gets difficult jobs done and is deserving of a promotion or not. When employees are given difficult task to achieve, it is almost always known that if that task is successfully executed that a promotion awaits such an employee.
The same goes for business targets and investments portfolios, a positive thinking mindset sets one up for the lookout for opportunities and the ability to get those investments that would multiply income and bring landslide profits.
In health and wellness, positive thinking is always advised no matter the health status of an individual or the treatment procedure a person may be undergoing. The health of the heart and mind at any time depends on the thoughts of a person and it can go a long way in defining what route or turn a person’s health may take at any given time.
In relationship and family life, a positive thinking attitude puts a relationship at a different pedestal from others. In having positive thoughts about a relationship, be it platonic or romantic, trust, hope, love and eminent growth of such relationships are assured. A positive thinker is willing and ready to get the best out of all relationships they undertake.
In educational sphere, a positive thinking attitude is what every student should cultivate at the start of an academic pursuit because if it were easy everyone would be doing it. An attitude filled with positive feelings and thoughts is necessary every step of the way despite the challenges, because in the end there is a crown which in the educational sphere is graduation from that academic pursuit, of course in flying colors.
It is then however highly advised that every human sees challenges, struggles, difficulties or discomforts through the lens of positive thinking. In doing this everyone sees those difficult situations as opportunities to grow and move up the ecological scale of survival.
Conclusion
At the time of writing this, there is a pandemic ravaging the world and it is an adversity to the human race. It has been challenging for me and many others like myself to think and stay positive. The death toll, negativity of the disease, fear of the unknown and being stuck in the doom and gloom of the world.
In all of this however, we need to stay positive for ourselves, family & relationships. In staying positive we are at peace with what is happening around us, knowing this too shall pass.
References
- What is positive thinking; https://leadingpersonality.wordpress.com
- How to remain positive through even the worst adversity; https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/how-to-remain-positive-through-even-the-worst-adversity.html
- Stay positive in the midst of Adversity; https://mike-robbins.com/stay-positive-in-the-midst-of-adversity
- The power of positive thinking; https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-power-of-positive-thinking
