Positivity is a choice.
Many students will confess that summer is their favorite season. Between the sunshine and time spent with friends, it is fairly easy to find something to be happy about. Even when working, people seem to have a generally positive attitude. There is just something about summer that tends to lighten people’s moods.
Why, then, do we sometimes let this stop once school starts?
With school just around the corner, it can be easy to fall into the trap of negativity: our grades aren’t where we want them to be, we have conflict with friends, endless to-do lists start piling up — the list goes on and on and on. A lot of us deal with this stress by simply complaining, making no attempt to look for a light in the negative situations surrounding us. Whether we mean to or not, this lifestyle can easily become second nature. While a little venting may be necessary to avoid bottling up our emotions, we can’t let this turn into a non ending cycle of negativity.
Focusing on the positive side can make our lives so much more enjoyable. To do this, we need to make a conscious decision and commit to having a positive mindset.
Positivity is a choice.
One of the best examples I have seen of this came from my friends Kirsten and Marshelle. Though they were more athletically inclined than me, I had the joy of playing sports with these two most of my life. Both of my teammates possessed a passion for sports that was nothing short of amazing to watch unfold. Unfortunately, they both endured severe knee injuries during their careers. I watched these determined athletes become crushed at the possibility of their dreams being shattered. Though they did not want to let anyone see how badly their injuries hurt them, it became evident as they tried to play sports again.
Never once would you hear either complain.
They refused to focus on their pain or what they could be losing. Rather than choosing to focus on what they couldn’t do, they held on to what they could. Marshelle even went on to suffer a tear in her other knee, as well as repeated injuries to bother her ankles. Walking on the courts with all their braces on was quite the sight, but both girls kept their heads held high. There were some days that were not as easy as others. The important thing is that they never lost sight of what they could be positive about even on their darkest days: their love for sports. Holding onto that joy was part of what eventually landed them both a spot on collegiate sports teams.
As FFA members, we should challenge ourselves to find that type of positive attitude. There will be days where we struggle to see the positive side of things. No matter what, we need to remember that if we search hard enough, we can always find joy or something to be thankful for. Every day may not be good, but we can always find something good in every day.
When we choose to focus on and find the positive side, our lives will be so much more fulfilling. Start today — strive to always find the bright side. Choose positivity.
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Elizabeth Meyer