Truly Positive Thinking

Positive thinking is not about trying to “force” an outcome—how we would like something to turn out. Genuine positive thinking requires that we open up to doing our best. It asks us to believe in ourselves, to promise ourselves that we will do our best. If things do not turn out as we had planned, or hoped and wished for, we will not blame or abandon our efforts or ourselves. Meditation teacher Pema Chodron describes truly positive thinking as “unconditional confidence.” Yet that confidence does include constructive criticism along with praise. Truly positive thinking includes being truthful about what worked, what did not. That way, we can learn and grow toward our best selves.