Having a positive outlook on life is essential for our physical and spiritual wellbeing. Not only does it lower our chances of developing depression and other mental health issues, but it also brings benefits to our physical forms, including reducing the risk of heart disease-related deaths. ¹
Your outlook on life has a huge impact on how you experience the world. Let’s explore deeper why having a positive outlook on life is beneficial to us as we move through our lives.
A Positive Outlook On Life Can Shape Our View Of The World
When we see the violence, hate and suffering in the world, it can be easy to succumb to feelings of sadness, uneasiness, and fearfulness. When we turn our gaze inwards to our own inner circles of family members, friends and work colleagues, we may find ourselves thinking that life would be better if an individual altered their behavior. This outlook on life can leave us feeling depressed and exhausted.
If we want to see change around us, we must first change our outlook on life and how we look at the world. As the novelist and playwright Frances Hodgson Burnett once said: “If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ²
Invested Emotions Can Skew Your Outlook On Life
If we take a moment to look at situations that have left us feeling upset, we will find that we have invested our emotions into them. We feel upset because we perceive an element of judgment about ourselves, feeling that we are partially responsible for what is happening, or feel that the situation reflects our own worth.
Our worldly environment is, and always will be, a chaotic place, and we cannot always control external situations or how other people behave. If we try to exert power over situations, we quickly become exhausted, and quite often argumentative, defensive and manipulative. When we push people, they will probably push back.
Power Over Force
In his book, Power vs. Force, philosopher David Hawkins surmised: “Force is limited, whereas power is unlimited. Force is divisive and weakens, whereas power unifies. Power serves others, whereas force is self-serving.” ³
We might be looking for peace and tranquility in our lives, but we will never achieve it if we must use force to get it. People often resort to battle when they feel at their weakest, and those who remain secure in their seat of power do not need to take power.
Positive Energy
If we think about everything we do as an energy investment, we need to be mindful of where and how we invest our energy. When we respond to a situation with negativity, that is the energy we release into the world. Therefore, if we desire peace, love and harmony in a situation, we must offer positive energy to that situation.
However, when we look deep inside ourselves, we realize that it’s not just about desiring peace. We want to be right; we want others to suffer as we have, or pay for what we perceive they have done. We strive for power, and we use force. We continue an endless cycle of attack and defense, which will never offer a peaceful resolution.
On a our spiritual journey, our greatest challenge is becoming aware and honest of our behavior and intentions. When we go deeper in our practice, we learn to look at ourselves as the source of happiness in our lives. If we hit an obstacle, we must ask whether we’re offering positive energy to the obstacle.
Love Is The Strongest Force
Carl R. Rogers, the founder of humanistic psychology, once said: “The strongest force in our Universe is not overriding power, but love.” ⁴ As difficult as it may be sometimes, if we desire to experience love and appreciation, we must offer love, respect and positive energy in our outlook on life.
Our love may not always be reciprocated, but when we offer love, and become the source of love, we experience love. Every energy deposit we make represents a brick in the foundation of our relationships, so build strong foundations with positive energy.
Schedule Your Free Discovery Call
Coaching is a really personal, awesome experience where you get to know your coach deeply, and they share their insights with you. It’s not just about the content, but it’s also about the connection that you build. And in this free coaching call, you can try it out and see if we could be a good match for each other.
References:
