RE: I am STRUGGLING Lately. A LOT. I Feel Like I'm Underwater
I feel the same way about the positive thinking. I definitely agree that it can help and has a place, but sometimes the very fact that I can't wrap my brain around positive thoughts stresses me out even more! Having been raised in an evangelical church and gotten all the "you wouldn't be depressed if you just had more faith" and all that... it sometimes just makes me cringe to even hear anything related to it. However, I do believe that our thoughts can have an effect, it's just not always the way my brain wants to function.
I'm afraid I'm still not conveying my thoughts well, but hey, at least I'm writing something. Even if it is just semi-coherent replies to supportive comments!?
Thank you for the reality check nonetheless. I appreciate it.
I am not sure I was trying to give you a reality check!
There is a terrific book by Derren Brown called "Happy":
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30142270-happy
He rallies against blinkered positive thinking, and encourages the reader to really consider the concept of happiness. It's a good read, and I would really recommend that anyone gives it a go. I think you might really like it.
Thank you! I'll check it out! (and, btw, I didn't mean 'reality check' in any kind of bad way... but I had been feeling like I shouldn't be feeling so negative and kind of continuing the cycle by beating myself up about the whole 'positive thinking' thing, so your words helped take me out of that cycle for a moment. I really needed that!
Ah, okay, I get you. I was a bit concerned that it looked like I was suggesting a certain course. It seems to me that both negative and positive thinking have their respective places - it's just about finding the balance. Which kind of sums up life!