Should I be positive?

1. 72

   yecallposted 7 years ago

   Should I be positive?
   
   Or is a consistently positive attitude really just fake and burying your true feelings?

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2. 94

   lions44posted 7 years ago

   Being positive all the time is a bit bizarre and just not natural. There's a reason for emotions: survival.
   
   You can't constantly be "up."  Whether you believe it or it's just fake, it has to be exhausting.  Getting down sometime is part of life and allows you to rest.  You have to plan ahead as well as think negatively sometimes (what might happen?).  Lots of motivational speakers make bank off this whole "let's be positive about everything" mantra. It's nuts and kind of annoying.
   
   Where I come from (NYC), overly positive attitudes don't come naturally.  But I've always felt more sane than most because I understand life can be tough.  Enjoy yourself...but be negative sometimes.       Great question.

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3. 88

   nochanceposted 7 years ago

   If you force yourself to smile regardless of mood you will end up feeling happier than if you had frowned or remained neutral. There are several studies on it. So being positive will make you feel more positive.
   
   https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/is … le-therapy

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4. 89

   MizBejabbersposted 7 years ago

   You should be positive when you feel like it and only sometimes when you don't. The "when you don't" might include when you are looking for a job and feeling down because you haven't found one or found the right one. This would be the Law of Attraction at work. Years ago, I was having career problems and feeling very down. My job was low-paying, my kids and I were living in a basement apartment in a not-so-good area, and I was driving an old brown car. I despise old brown cars. I dressed like somebody with a crap job and an old brown car.
   
   One day I thought to myself, enough of this, I am Somebody! I pulled my better clothes and shoes out of the closet, fixed up my hair and held my head up. Within six months, I had a better job in the career I loved so much. Coincidence, I don't think so.
   
   But on the other hand, I had a friend whose psychiatrist told him to "let his feelings out." He did, he truly bitched and ranted over the smallest things that never made a hill of beans. I had to break up with him, and so did his other friends. He is one lonely man. So I think there should be a balance here.
   
   If you are aware of life, life will tell you when it's ok to have a down time. A real person can't be "up" all the time.

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