Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Positing Positivity: A Whole Person Positive Lifestyle


“A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.”
-Mahatma Gandhi

When I advocate positivity it is from a whole person perspective. The collective and individual components of the mind, body, and spirit make up what I refer to as the Whole Person. I strongly advise all people to pursue knowledge, truth, and understanding. This requires a positive perspective, for through positivity you do still recognize the negatives, but through negativity you fail to see the positives. 

This call for positivity will manifest itself through three separate posts. In this piece I discuss what the Whole Person Positive Lifestyle looks like by breaking down each of the three aspects of the Whole Person, and how they work together as a whole. Next, I will address several issues including; why positive thinking is necessary, why so many find it difficult to embrace this thinking, and the difference between being naive and being positive. To wrap it all up, I will focus on the role of entertainment, particularly modern urban music, on what I see as an epidemic of overwhelmingly negative perspectives and mentalities among the artists.

'The Cycle’ of Embracing Positivity:

There is no switch to flip that could rid you of a pessimistic outlook. Instead by taking steps toward positivity in each aspect of your life you will develop a Whole Person Positive Lifestyle which will change your perspective. These steps make up what I call 'The Cycle' which is so named because a process is be something that can be completed, while a cycle is continuous. The Whole Person Positive Lifestyle is a way of living, and it requires maintenance and constant adjustments, therefore one could not complete it as you would a process.

Our mind develops the thoughts which bring positivity to the body, in turn this helps our mind function more strongly. Our spirit is then allowed to reverberate positivity as our mind solidifies our thoughts and makes them a part of our being.

Mind:

A positive life begins with positive thinking. I know it to be true that people who approach new situations with optimism are more likely to have a positive experience. Whether you are meeting new people, beginning a project, or taking on challenges this holds true. People can literally feel your presence, and when that presence is negative it increases the chances that you will have a negative outcome. Similarly, your brain begins to create your reality based on your thoughts, and if you start with a negative foundation it is much more likely that you will end with a negative outcome.

I am aware that some people would take exception to the argument that presence can't be physically felt, and they would not want to have any part of a discussion on auras, chakras, or a sixth sense. Part of the reason I am so emphatic about this idea of positivity is that it is true for anyone regardless of religion, spirituality, or other beliefs. Though I believe the above to be true, there quite simply undeniable realities that come about with negative thinking. 

Besides the negative energy that I believe one can bring to the equation, there are negative manifestations that are added to all situations when one has pessimistic expectations. When one thinks in their mind that a situation will go badly, their body automatically begins to manifest that reality through actions such as body posture, voice tone, eye contact, and facial expressions. It goes back to that old saying:

“Perception is reality” 

This is usually said from the perspective of an outside person making a judgment based on what they see externally. While this is true of the world that we live in, perception is an internal reality as much as it is a force that comes from the outside. If we perceive the world around us as a positive place full of opportunity, then we will make that our reality. Through ‘the cycle’ this positive thinking eventually manifests itself strongly into your spirit, but first I will discuss how positivity must overtake your body for a complete Whole Person Positive Lifestyle.

Body:

The body is an amazing machine. When you really take the time to think about what it does it truly is too much for the mind to comprehend. What is true and easy to understand about our body is that it is the only one we have. With that truth being stated, the following two things are imperative to a life of positivity; we must work to be happy with our appearance, and take care of our bodies.

Positive thinking leads us to a self assured attitude. Many of us feel negatively about certain aspects of our looks, but the world around us has a lot to do with that thinking. As we develop our positive minds we begin to love others for who they are, which in turn allows us to do the same for ourselves. We begin to break out of the mold of society that tells us that we must dress flashy, and be born with certain body features in order to be happy. This does not strip us of any style or rid us of all self consciousness, and it is certainly not an easy or fast step in the process. As we gradually remind ourselves of the positive we continue moving closer to the truth, which is that we are all magnificent and worthy of happiness. This allows us to forget about the frivolousness of our outward looks, and embrace the grandness of life.

That same body that we should develop positive ideas about must be nurtured, as it is really the only one we have. Once you are happy about who you are, you can not allow that to make you complacent with the maintenance of your body. Just like any machine, there are certain fuels that are necessary for our survival, we need to eat the correct nutrients that optimize our bodies ability to grow, recover, and repair. Additionally our bodies need to be flexed and pushed to maximize endurance, prevent stiffening, and enhance strength.

If we are positive about our future, and truly believe that we are on a path towards greatness then we must work for our bodies to feel that way, and prepare them to take us on that journey. As the cycle winds around to our bodies we begin to be more completely positive, and the essence of positivity bounces around in both our mind and body, eventually creating a positive shift in our spirit.

Spirit:

When I discuss the spirit it is not in a religious sense. I am referring to the essence of who you are, this is what I think of when I ponder the spirit or the soul. When something is within your spirit, it is your default setting. You don't get to think about what you will do spiritually, it just happens. That is why this is the last part of ‘the cycle.’ Your mind and body have to work together enough to develop positivity within your spirit. As you discover more truths, and you accept positivity over time your spirit begins to transform. It is then that you achieve the actualization of Whole Person Positivity. With this truth you understand that the process is never ending, for competing forces are always abound, and similar to the way your spirit adopted positivity, it can regain neutrality or negativity.   

Once the spirit is on board, maintenance is very important. The spirit is tied very closely to our mind. As we develop our positive lifestyle there are several dangers that consistently present themselves. First of all is the negativity that makes up the majority of entertainment This is what I consider the most dangerous threat because it is a living threat, which will be explained later. Pessimistic people are also dangerous, as they can intentionally or unintentionally introduce you to their negative lifestyle. Additionally, we all will undoubtedly encounter disappointment in life, and these situation present themselves as possible stumbling blocks. 

And then....'The Cycle' continues:
To maintain our Whole Person Positive Lifestyle we must recognize trials as we enter them, and learn from them in order to build on what we have rather than letting them erode our positive spirit. 

In the next post I will cover several ideas including; why a Whole Person Positive Lifestyle is necessary, why so many people find it difficult to embrace this thinking, and the difference between being naive and being positive.   Below you will find a song that I did about positivity, take a few minutes to listen, and always feel free to leave comments and feedback.   



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