Posts Tagged ‘defensive pessimism’
Test your positive thinking: make yourself the main character and feel pain
Posted November 22, 2009
on:How deep is your positive thinking?
So you’ve resolved to live happily ever after? And your friends and colleagues are mocking your for your new found happy ways?
The big test
Here is the big test for your commitment to happiness.
Imagine yourself in the most horrible circumstances
Write a short novel with you as the main character. And write the worst things that can happen to you. Not the most horrible things in other people’s minds but the most horrible in yours.
Think of things that are so bad that your heart races and you feel as if you could pass out.
Now write yourself out of those situations.
When you can describe the worst and write a story that takes you out of those places, then you understand your hopes and values. Then you are truly thinking positively.
My first try
I am going to try this over a cup of coffee. And you know what? I know the first hurdle. I know I don’t want to write myself out of a bad situation because then it is obvious I could get out of it! And when I define the situation as bad, I don’t want it to suddenly be quite manageable (if disgusting and terrifying). I wonder if I will ever manage this!
Tell me about your first try?
Related articles by Zemanta
- Happiness, positive thinking, nonsense? (flowingmotion.wordpress.com)
If you came here saying “Yes!”, you probably also sat up straighter, jutted out your jaw just a little, and felt more determined.
We need one defensive pessimist on every team
You are probably what psychologists call a ‘defensive pessimist’. You are essential to business and family life. You think ahead and make sure things get done!
But do you really dare not to be happy?
What if I told you that happiness lights up different parts of your brain? And in your steely resolve, you are shutting down processing power that you need, badly?
In short, you are running, well limping, like a computer that needs to be cleaned out sooner rather than later.
An organized person finds time to be happy
If you really are as organized and determined as you say, then you WILL find 5 minutes at night for some quiet time to reflect on the day. You will have time to tick off everything that went well and you will have time to ask yourself a simple question: Why did I do so well?
So often, you’ve done well because you think ahead, because you are reliable and because you are persistent. Carry on doing that!
Be organized. We need you. And be happy too.
Ask “Why did I do so well?” and marvel at how much better you sleep, how much you begin to enjoy hearing the birds sing, how much your appetite levels off (not too big or too small), how much you don’t have to push so hard but you get things done anyway.
You don’t believe me?
I thought you were the thoughtful one! You can’t tell me I am wrong until you have tried.
Recent Comments