Daily Cascade

On Negativity

Prompt:
Use these phrases in your entry today: cry over spilt milk, short end of the stick, a home bird, and quality of time.

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I have always feared negativity because it is a powerful force. Then, I don't know anyone who wouldn't be uncomfortable in the presence of a negative person.

Also, I believe negativity may be a learned behavior, but it sure can be tamed. While it is normal for most of us to face difficult situations, allowing negativity dominate our thinking can hinder our personal growth and make others feel uneasy. Now, how is being negative a good choice?

A most common negative behavior has to do with dwelling on past mistakes or "crying over spilt milk." Yes, you might have gotten "the short end of the stick" all right, but why insist on creating a lasting resentment? Isn't it a better idea to focus on what we can control, while taking note of the injustices and trying to make things better?

I can certainly understand those who are "home birds" by nature. To them, dealing with the unknown can be unsettling. Although their perceived stability or their desire for it can sound normal, that very stability can prevent people from new and useful experiences. When a "home bird" breaks out of his comfort zone, he (or she) often finds that he has not only gotten over his fears but also he has enriched his very own life.

Then, negativity also prevents people from appreciating others and spending meaningful experiences with them. Where family and friends are concerned, "quality of time" also pops up into view. Such time spent is essential for building strong bonds, instead of being wasted on resentment, fights, pessimism or complaints by any kind.

Overcoming any negative behavior requires a conscious shift in perspective that contains acceptance, resilience, and openness to change. It is a job. all right, and it isn't very easy, at least not always.

Still, isn't it worth our wellness and goodness of character to tackle it? And why not turn any negativity, if and when we detect it, into a more positive behavior, for it to allow into our lives growth, serenity, and with one another, a lasting sincerity?