‘Positive Thinking’: Just a Cliché?

‘In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.’ The Dalai Lama

‘The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being.’ Lee Lacocca

We take the way we think for granted, assuming that our view of the world is the ‘reality’ we encounter every day. We perceive the world through our five senses and, on the face of it, this adds up to a perception of the world as solid, concrete and real.

So why would we want to question this? Most, sadly, do not.

If our personalities are fixed, than what is the use of positive thinking? What if, on the other hand, reality changes according to the way we think? This idea isn’t ground-breaking and I have seen the likes of Norman Vincent Peale, Anthony Robbins and Wayne Dyer discuss these things for decades. ‘With our thoughts we make the world’, the Buddha said and by gradually working with our thoughts we can change the direction of our lives.

Basically, we inherit our thought patterns through the process of primary and secondary socialisation; from our parents and then from our peers at school. Our attitudes and beliefs are also fashioned by the media and religion. Even humanists have underlying narratives about themselves and the world. But these beliefs are not as hardwired as we think they are, when we look at neuroscience and neuroplasticity. New thoughts create new neural pathways and positive thinking changes the structure of the brain. Repetition and patience are they key, which is why affirmations, visualisation and gratitude can change perceptions if repeated and/or written often enough.

It concerns me that people want to use positive thinking to reinforce their ego-centricity or vanity so that they can have more of ‘this’ or ‘that’. The wise tell us that true and lasting happiness comes from the wish to benefit others, which will, in turn, benefit us – cause and effect. The wish originates with the cultivation of positive thinking and practice of ‘Metta’ (universal loving kindness), which help us to look beyond ourselves. If enough people started to train their minds in positive thinking, meditation and mindfulness, think of the new world that would begin to emerge! The battlefront is not ‘out there’, it’s within. We cannot crush our negativity to be rid of it, we have to learn to work through it and with it, with compassion for ourselves.

I wonder if people are afraid to challenge their beliefs. In so doing, they might have to make life-affirming decisions that threaten their security? Perhaps the reward of changing our thoughts is simply this: greater peace, fulfillment and happiness?

Copyright ? 2017 by Richard K Potter BA Hons PGCE MA www.creativity4wellbeing.com and www.richardkpotter.wix.com/richard