When someone mutters rude words or a bad grade is handed out, the negativity plants itself and leaves no room for the positive aspects of a day. When someone holds the door open in the morning or lends someone else a pencil, the kindness is forgotten.
Not only days, but lives are made full when positivity is abundant both externally and internally. Optimism is a skill that impacts more than just the person practicing it. The school atmosphere could be changed if the choice to be positive were made.
“I got a 95 on my history test,” sophomore Ezra Vann said when sharing a good thing that happened in his week.
Others described more happy moments from their own lives.
“I fixed my keyboard,” senior Willy Deaton said.
All were small instances, but they brought joy to their days.
“Someone gave me a cookie, and it was really good,” sophomore Joshua Justiss said.
Each person hadn’t thought about these instances as happy parts of their weeks, and some even said they don’t think positively much at all. However, that isn’t the case for everyone. Librarian Erin Marshall greets everyone with joy in her smile and often makes librarygoers’ days better.
“I think I’m a positive person because I was born with a soul naturally oriented toward positive things, and because I’ve chosen to turn toward that instead of away from it throughout my life,” Marshall said.
The big question, though, is how to get to that sunny place. For most people, positivity doesn’t come naturally; it is a skill and a habit they have to choose to practice.
“Most days, it comes very easily to me,” Marshall said. “Other times, if I’m not feeling very cheerful or energetic, it’s just a choice. I try to move throughout my life, not just in the library, assuming the best and giving everybody grace.”
Compassion can be hard to find, even though school days can be rough for both students and teachers. Optimism is sometimes a fantasy because of the stress and busyness of the classrooms and hallways.
“It would make the school better if everyone were a bit happier,” sophomore Eva Shelby Vasquez said. “I feel like one of the main reasons people are rude is because they are having a bad day and they take it out on other people. If we were more encouraging and optimistic, then people would be kinder.”
The notion that all it takes is a positive interaction to turn someone’s day around is why Marshall gives Guyer a lesson in positivity every day.
“It’s one of the small things in life that can make a big difference,” Marshall said. “In the library, I believe it’s extra important to make sure everyone who enters feels welcome.”
When focused on good experiences, the brain is more likely to use it to shape its perception of the world. As a result of a rose-colored viewpoint, the brain leans toward the positive and away from the negative. The stress is lighter, sleep becomes better, and optimism comes naturally as positivity in life is expected. Positivity is a cycle that starts with one person gifting someone their cheerfulness.
“If I’m having a super negative or down day, focusing on the good things always improves my mood and the ways in which I’m interacting with others,” Marshall said.
Once again, positivity is a skill that can be learned. Reframe the negative by finding something positive within it. Focus on a good incident that happened to you recently. Make yourself happy so that you can make others happy as well. And most importantly:
“Choose to! When someone is positive, it can cause a ripple effect,” Marshall said. “When you find it hard to be positive, look for the little joys in life, or find something you’re thankful for.”
Negativity reaches everyone, and it shields the mind from noticing the positive in a situation. A choice to change the cycle and choose a more positive one is the first step in creating a more positive life and world.
“If we want a better world, we have to make the world better,” Marshall said. “There are so many things that are out of our control, or upon which we can have a limited impact, but the little everyday interactions are fully within our control.”
References:
https://www.acha.org/news/why-optimism-could-be-your-campus-secret-advantage/
https://www.waldenu.edu/programs/resource/five-tips-to-train-yourself-to-think-positively
