Journey: a noun and a verb. A process and an activity.
There are plenty of events in the world that cause heartfelt, even essential, sadnesses. Events of the cycle of life. Events of the world. We would not be fully human if we thought or acted as if these negative emotions were bad or inappropriate.
But the gratuitous and time-wasting negativity that saps energy and creativity from many writers can be changed, harnessed into a more optimistic and positive attitude that opens the brain, and broadens and builds problem-solving capacities, creativity, even vocabulary.
Yesterday a new study revealed that the presence of a wide variety of positive emotions seems to be heart-health protective.
The research confirmed that it’s not enough to not feel depressed. Apparently we must experience positive emotions in order to get the benefits. And because they are fleeting, if you want to keep positive emotions in your life, you must search them out or create them.
One of my favorite ways of doing that is by disputing negative self-talk. You’ll see that in my list below, but do recall that learning how to dispute may not come easily. Each step, in fact, may take you time and a fair amount of energy.
So take the time you need. And ask for help if you feel stuck.
I leave you for a month’s blog vacation (although I’ll be happy to answer questions and comments) with an index of posts to serve as reminders and review. I wish you a rest-of-summer time that helps you on your journey towards positivity. And if you are having a hard time right now, that doesn’t exclude you – because being gentle with yourself during hard times is always the very first step on that journey.
These posts will take you back over the essential steps of creating and maintaining a more positive attitude in the face of adversities of your writer’s life:
2. Your Very First Step – No, Even Before That One
4. How to Dispute Negative Self-Talk
5. Tips for Catching Your Negativity Spiral
Here’s to journeying!
Have a great vacation!!