by Linda-Ann Stewart

Some people belittle positive thinking, claiming that it means you look through rose-colored glasses and ignore any potential potholes. That’s not the case. Just because a positive thinker focuses on the best possible outcome doesn’t mean they’re not aware of the challenges that might face them. They just don’t concentrate on them.

If a positive thinker walked around with blinders on, they’d only be able to view what was right in front of them. In that case, they could be blindsided by something coming at them from another direction. It would seem to come out of the blue, when it’s simply appeared from their blind spot.

It’s like driving a car. When you focus down the road, where you’re going, you tend to steer in that direction. You’re aware of the traffic around you, the traffic light, parking lot exits, the box rolling towards your lane. With each of these, you make decisions and act to avoid the dangers. But you don’t focus on any one of them. They’re just part of your travel and issues to deal with in a casual way.

Unless they significantly impact you, you don’t give them much thought. If you weren’t aware of them (as the belittlers assert), you could run a light, not avoid the car that suddenly pulls into your lane, or ram the box. When you’re driving, you know they’re there, and take actions to avoid or address them so they don’t become a problem. The same is true with positive thinking.

With this type of attitude, you don’t have to give possible negatives any power. You can notice they’re there, and take the necessary precautions to handle them. And just keep your attention focused on your goal.

Copyright 2010 Linda Ann Stewart
All Rights Reserved

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