Negative Thinking

 Negative:  Pessimistic; not tending to see the bright side of things (often used pejoratively).

The question often comes up about how to get rid of negative thinking.  I often wonder what the question means.  There are, apparently, other types of thinking although I can't imagine what they are.  Positive thinking sounds like a theme for a Tom Hanks rom-com or a Deepak Chopra podcast.  You can stuff your positive thinking in a sack, mister.  Honestly, this is another one of those concepts that alcoholics believe only applies to alcoholics when I bet a grade deal of the world tends to take a negative or pessimistic view of things.  It's how we survive, how we get by.   And then there's the  endless discussion of whether we are born with this tendency or whether it's beaten into us by our parents.  We do favor the latter, preferring to blame our poor parents for everything.  I have a sister who is decidedly not negative so I'm assuming she must have been raised by the wolves living in our back yard and not by our parents who screwed me up so badly.

I believe this is one of those areas where the Fake It 'Till You Make It theory comes into play.  I know I make a run through a personal Gratitude List every morning in my Quiet Time even when I'm not feeling particularly grateful.  I believe that just saying the words has an effect on my overall mood.  I also like to add the request that I be shown how I can be of service to someone else during the course of the day.  I'm not even sure what this means but it has more wiggle room than asking for ways to help someone else.  What I perceive as help is usually not help at all because I'm trying to give someone what I think they should get.

I believe this aura of gratitude and positive thinking requires some time.  I believe an Attitude of Gratitude has to be cultivated over the years.  I don't believe it happens quickly or comes easily.  I spent 28 years wallowing in my pessimism.  That bus doesn't get turned around on a dime.