The Brighter Side
Updated: Apr 29
By Meena Ropp
Everyone knows the phrase “the glass is half full”. But through teenage eyes, the glass is often half empty.
Teenagers typically think they need to look better, act better, and overall feel better, but what they really need is to start thinking positive thoughts.
By using a few simple tips, we can begin to look on the brighter side of things, then the glass will suddenly begin to appear half full.
First, you need to understand that no one is perfect in any circumstance. Many people often think that the goal in life is to be 100% happy without a care in the world, but this just isn’t the case.
No one can perfect their happiness since our brains are wired to consider the negative side of things, but this doesn’t mean we have to exclude positive thoughts.
Second, treating others positively is a key factor in viewing the good side of a scenario.
People tend to bounce ideas and moods off of each other, so if you act positively, then others will act in happiness as well.
Third, consider the saying “if life gives you lemons, then make lemonade”. This means that life won’t always have a clear, carefree path, but the key is to make the most out of the situation.
What counts is that you grew from a bad situation through thinking rationally and choosing to look at the positive side of things.
Fourth, one of the most important things about thinking positively is practicing gratitude.
Being thankful for what you have will allow you to focus on the good aspects of your life instead of all of life's problems.
Also, being thankful for the things others do for you will help you to remind yourself that you are loved and accepted, which will ultimately influence you to do good deeds for the people you care about.
Fifth, looking at situations in a different way can help to calm your nerves to allow you to work through difficult times.
For instance, as Travis Bradberry, a leadership and emotional writer, explains, “You can bet the statements aren’t true any time you see words like never, always, worst, ever, etc.”
Let’s say that you lose your keys, but if you really think about the situation, you actually misplaced them, which means that you will eventually find them.
Thinking in this manner by separating fact from fiction can help to decrease the mind's natural exaggeration to think clearly and positively.
It’s time to make a change in the way we view the world and our lives through the power of positive thinking because, remember, high school only happens once, so make it a good time.