The Benefits of Negative Thinking (Yes, you read that right)

Last week I delivered a talk at Birch Community to a group of wonderful women. The topic was Mindful Optimism.

We discussed several definitions of optimism but one we stuck with was “approaching unpleasant or unwanted situations in a more positive and productive way.”

A positive mindset is desirable in many ways; when we feel optimistic, we feel better; we handle stressful situations with greater ease, and we are better able to see possibilities for solutions. But we can’t be positive all the time, and we certainly can’t force it. Besides, negative thinking and difficult (often unwanted) emotions serve a valuable purpose in protecting us, and helping us to see our true values.

Your negative thoughts of worry or fear aim to protect you for situations where you might experience hurt or disappointment.

Think about it. Your negative thoughts of worry or fear aim to protect you for situations where you might experience hurt or disappointment. And those difficult emotions are always an indication that something you truly value is under threat. If we never experienced these unpleasant thoughts and feelings, we would be worse off. But as we’ve all experienced, when those difficult thoughts and feelings become overwhelming, and all-consuming, they lose their productivity and prevent you from moving through the challenge at hand.

For the aspiring optimist, the end game isn’t to feel happy and shiny all of the time, but to allow all emotions to be valid and to mindfully deconstruct negative spirals and overload when they show up. An optimist can hold difficult, “negative” emotions, but at the same time choose to embrace the bigger picture, and a belief that there are good things that await us in the future.

How? I’d like to do more with this topic and I’d love to gauge your interest. Would you be interested in exploring this topic through a workshop? Send me a message if this topic resonates with you.