How to Live Positively Through Mental Strength

Patrick Moran Living PositivelyLiving positively is a cornerstone of holistic fitness. While at work, the gym, or at home; having a positive mentality allows oneself to be happy and make an impact on the people they surround themselves by and themselves.

First, let’s look at the objectives when asking the question, “How do I live positively?”

  1. You have to learn how to live positively.
  2. Understand yourself and your ego, and how the ego has the potential to negatively impact your life.
  3. Through generosity as a way to evoke positivity and foster an environment of community building.
  4. Always be growing and don’t look at failure as a bad thing.
  5. Be gracious towards others to set the tone for living positively.

When someone is living positively, they simply feel better. That’s the definition of having a positive mentality. They feel more energized and optimistic about the future while being grateful for their past.  Various people search for happiness through a momentary high or a quick fix that typically does not last. True happiness comes within finding peace within you. This peace allows you to turn anxiety into excitement, regret into gratitude, and feat into curiosity. This is the life we yearn for, and this will lead to a much more fulfilling life.

While a major aspect of living positively is positive thinking, the majority relies on turning positive thoughts into positive action. To accomplish this, understanding one’s ego is the first step.

The ego is defined as jealously, entitlement, and resentment. Ego is the feeling of invincibility that an athlete feels after a win, which is essentially a short-term fix that will turn towards depression in the light of a loss (failure). The ego is responsible for making excuses and blaming other people for your failures, whereas someone who has identified this ego has given them the opportunity to move towards independence.

How do we fight ego? Let’s go with the three G’s: Generosity, Growth, and Gratitude.

  • Generosity is the act of selfless giving. The cornerstone of community development thrives off of selfless acts, which eventually brings people together.  Philanthropic activities are vital for a healthy community, and getting involved is vital in today’s society.  Whether it is through time, money, or food; helping others will establish a norm in the community that will foster community growth.
  • Growth is the value gained from meaningful experiences. These can be good experiences or bad experiences. Some of our most vital growth experiences come from our failures and emotional tragedies. With each meaningful experience, you will add to your personal fortitude and self-understanding.
  • Gratitude is an affirmation of goodness. This means that someone exemplifying gratitude is acknowledging that there are good things in their world.  There is a second part to gratitude; however, and that is recognizing where that goodness is coming from. In this sense, someone exemplifying gratitude is thinking outside of himself or herself. True gratitude is a humble dependence on others. It is the people around you that lead you to a happy, positive life.

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