“Nothing is either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” ~William Shakespeare
Research indicates lottery winners are no happier than people who didn’t win, and in many cases, become depressed in the years following their win.
Scientists have surmised that we all have a baseline level of happiness—a range of joy we’ll stay within regardless of our external circumstances. The greatest factor in determining this joy is our mental attitude.
If you’d like to alter your baseline, instead of trying to change your circumstances, change the way you interpret them.
It sounds much easier said than done because it is. If you’ve always seen the glass as half-empty, you likely won’t transform into a positive thinker overnight. But you can take one simple step toward more positive thinking.
Pay special attention today to the way you react to things that happen to you. Acknowledge negative situations, and then realize you don’t have to respond negatively. You may even be able to see it as a blessing in disguise.
If you daughter gets into a minor accident in your car, you have an opportunity to teach her how to rebound from errors. If your coworker gets the promotion you wanted, you have an extra incentive to show your boss what you can do, which may help you more in the long run.
We can’t always control what happens to us. We can control how we respond, which ultimately dictates how we feel.
About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others do the same. She recently created the Breaking Barriers to Self-Care eCourse to help people overcome internal blocks to meeting their needs—so they can feel their best, be their best, and live their best possible life. If you’re ready to start thriving instead of merely surviving, you can learn more and get instant access here.
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Though I run this site, it is not mine. It's ours. It's not about me. It's about us. Your stories and your wisdom are just as meaningful as mine. 