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Can we stay positive in a negative world? It’s hard to do when you work or live with someone who is very negative all the time. Don’t you think negative people are more successful at making positive people negative than positive people are at making negative people positive? Well, it’s time we started to reverse that situation.
If you are forced to spend a lot of time with a negative person, learn to tune them out. You can do that, you know. Just think about something good; hum a good chorus inside your head as they prattle on about how terrible the job is or the boss or the weather. Don’t listen.
And another suggestion is to respond to their negatives with a positive. If they gripe about the job, you say, “Well, I guess there are some unemployed people out there who’d love to have our job.” Say it nicely, quietly, but don’t be afraid to be positive with those negative people. We allow them to intimidate us too easily. They may not like your positive response, but as long as you do it in a nice way, please don’t let that stop you. You must protect your mind from their negativism, or they’ll poison your thinking.
Let me ask you: Can we stay positive in a negative world? If it’s true that attitudes are a choice, the answer has to be yes. Next question: Is it easy? “No, it’s hard!” It IS important. No matter how difficult it may be to stay positive on a given day, it’s still easier than being negative. When you and I choose to be negative, we are choosing the hard way. Being positive is the easy way out.
You see, when we live by God’s principles, we always choose the easy way. It is the disciplined way; it takes commitment and a reliance on his power within us. But it is still the easy way. Our way is hard, our way brings problems and causes difficulties. So, don’t be fooled by the thought that being positive is too hard. No, the truth is being negative is too hard.
I want to encourage you to really get serious about developing and maintaining a positive attitude. We represent Jesus Christ, and we have every reason to be optimistic. And we should demonstrate that to our worlds by maintaining a positive attitude, regardless of our circumstances.
I hope you’ll be willing to start that process today and continue it for the rest of your life. And to help you, you’ll find an Attitude Check-up Form which you can copy and use to help you remember to put these biblical principles into practice.
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