The mind is a powerful tool, incredibly powerful.
We can think positive thoughts, we can think realistic thoughts and we can think negative thoughts.
Some thoughts are fleeting and forgotten whereas others stay rooted and it's the ones that stay rooted are the ones that essentially define us.
A glass half full or half empty...
For example, upon noticing it's pouring down with rain: a Positive person will say, "I'm sure it will clear up"; a Realistic person will comment, "It was actually forecast to rain"; whilst a Negative person will enquire, "Are we insured for flood damage?"

How we phrase and deliver certain words can also have a different impact.
"You might try the Penne Pasta?" or alternatively, "You might get your feet off the sofa?".
It's all in the delivery.
The power of speech.

Brands like to have powerful positive slogans.
Nike - Just do it
Sky - Believe in Better

The power of suggestion.

Anyway, I digress, back to Positive thinking as it's been around for years and some people have made "big bucks" off the back of it, Tony Robbins being an obvious example. Financially and spiritually broke plus overweight, Tony was fair to say, in a bad way but things turned out okay for him.
They must have.
I’ve seen his house.

The eternal optimists whose sunny outlook to life makes me both envious and frustrated in equal measure.
How do they do it?
What’s their secret?
Nobody can be genuinely that upbeat all the time?
Really?

Whilst some people find positivity attractive and infectious some find it a turnoff and a tad annoying.
Call me a gritty realist but I need to hear what I need to hear - therefore that way, I am in receipt of the facts and if there is a problem, then at least I know what I am dealing with.
Better for all.
In particular, me.
The realists call it an issue, the positives would call it a opportunity and the negatives would call it a crisis.

The “mood hoovers” of this life are the ones that I keep at a dignified distance as if your not careful, like a riptide, they will take you under.
And in a polar opposite to the eternal optimists, how do the negative people do it?
What’s their secret?
Nobody can be genuinely that pessimistic all the time?
Really?

I have tried the PMA approach, usually every night on the Ham & City line when there is a signal failure and for sure, it's tricky, but it's also achievable.
Even for someone like me and I can do it.....I can do it, I will do it.
Until the other week.
When I got to Liverpool St and EVERY train was cancelled?
EVERY train?
I almost went nuclear.
I didn’t (but at the expense of eating a full bag of M&S wine gums).
Have you tried them?
Buy a pack when your train is delayed.
Best £1.30 you will spend.
However, as I chomped on some good old fashioned E numbers and got the required sugar rush, all around me, fellow commuters were on different calls yet having the exact same conversation with the overwhelming theme of frustration hanging heavy in the air as indifferent Rail staff bore the full brunt of commuter discontent.
Meanwhile, I was amazingly (and surprisingly) relaxed about the whole thing.
I'd sit it out.
I'd do my emails.
I'd read a book.
I'd listen to a podcast.
I'd do some shopping.
I'd write this article.
The options were endless and I was now in the position that this way of thinking meant I did not have enough time to do what I had to do.
Madness.
Or another classic case of change the way you look at things the things you look at change.

In the end, the decision was made for me as a train was put on, and get this, it was my train. 
That was either pure coincidence or PMA and frankly, I'm still unsure but what I do know is, I got home only 15 minutes later than normal and not frustrated or angry about my devastating delay.
First world problems again.

I'm not saying I'm the Dali Lama but then again, I'm not exactly Liam Gallagher.
I don't know if the Dali Lama has a sweet tooth but maybe Liam should try the M&S wine gums...

Darren Grady

Open Age, W10