The Power of Positivity

Positivity is an interesting tool in mental health care. There are a lot of benefits, however, it is often misunderstood. A common thing for people with depressive or anxious thoughts to hear (from others and themselves) is “be more positive.” The intention behind that advice is good, but often results in the thoughts actually intensifying. Shame can commonly follow as well since the advice sounds solid so we feel we must be doing it wrong. In order for positivity to be helpful we need to frame it properly.

The first step in this framing is knowing that the distressing thoughts someone is having are not bad. It’s normal for us to feel so called “negative emotions.” In fact, if we didn’t have our fears and worries there’s no way humanity could have made it to the point we’re at today. When we tell ourselves to shut this off, the brain tends to push back and focus on it more.

With the understanding that these thoughts are normal, it is still possible for them to not be helpful. We all have something called a negativity bias. Essentially, the tough things stick out more and stick with us longer. It’s more important to survival to identify potential problems, so that’s what we innately do. This is where positivity comes in. Our brain is already finding the negative, so we no longer have to focus on it (unless we identified an immediate threat, of course). By intentionally focusing on the positive and letting our brain keep automatically finding the negative, we can get a more well rounded view of the world. It also makes our brain more willing to accept the positive if we don’t try and throw out the negative.

So now the big question, how do we find the positive if our brain is trained to find the negative? There are many different methods, but at the core of them all is intentionally finding the positive routinely. This can take the form of keeping a gratitude journal, or positive affirmations, a daily challenge to find or do one nice thing, or a number of other skills.

As you start your journey of positivity, know that it’s far easier said than done and takes time and practice. Accepting negative thoughts and rewriting the brain towards positives can both take time and practice. It is often helpful to have someone guide you in this as well. Therapists can be an excellent resource for this and Utah residents can sign up for a free consultation today with Burnout Prevention Therapy to get one on one guidance.