Calling Bull Sh*t On Positive Thinking

Sorry, someone has to. This is what I think of most “positive thinkers” out there. And this is surely going to be controversial and piss a lot of people off. (I don't really give a damn either.)

Before we get started, lets both go ahead and inject some "magic" and "happiness" into our lives. (Yes I'm being sarcastic...)

We all have those people that have read "The Secret" or another book about positive thinking, and now all of a sudden their lives are great! Now, you start seeing their Facebook updates about how you really ought to "focus on the positive in life", yeah, you know, that person you're thinking about right now... Let's call that person Sarah.

Woop woop, go you Sarah! But wait, Sarah still has the same problems that she had before in their life, a job she hates, friendships and relationships crumbling apart, have no fear though! She's happy, right?

What BS. Look, the way I see it is that if you have a problem, if something isn't right, you're going to have to get up off of your "positive thinking" frecking arse, get your head out of the clouds, pull up your sleeves, and do something about it.

Look, if you're just thinking "positively", you have your vision board up, you sit down for 15 minutes everyday just staring at it, VISUALIZING (WTF is that about) it, guess whats going to happen?

*drum roll, there's a shocker coming...*

In-fact, that's not entirely true, if you're sat on your sofa all day "visualizing" that lovely Africa tour, or that beautiful new car you want or that cheque that you want, there will be one thing that comes along in the post. A god damn eviction letter!

Ok then Michael J Ringer, smart ass, why do so many people say "positive thinking has changed my life, only good thinks happen to me now!"

Because, there's a psychological disorder that each and every one of us has, cognitive bias. Read up on it.

See, if you're going through a hard time right now, if you're in an abusive relationship, a job you hate, unfit, depression, I'm going to tell you what all of these "Life Coaches" (another rant for another time) wont. What I'm about to say, I want you to re read 3 times.

It's not going to be easy, it's not going to be something that you can just change overnight, it's not going to be just a simple change of a change in your thinking.

Looking at things as they are, accepting that they're not where you want is the start. Be honest with yourself, you're not a god damn millionaire, you're not mentally in the place you want to be, THAT'S OK!

It's Ok, Not To Be Ok. - Michael J Ringer

Stop looking through rose tinted glasses (a.k.a positive thinking). Look at the reality of things, become self aware. The only way you can do that, is in asking questions, looking at your life as it truly is.

So, then what? Well now comes the time which may take weeks, months or even years to do. You need to take daily, actionable steps to changing your situation.

The important thing to do, is with every step that you take, make sure to take the rose tinted glasses (positive thinking) off, take a step back, and ask yourself how do you feel about where you are, ask if is this actually what you want, are you going to be a better person tomorrow because of what you're doing now?

It's a more than a grind, trust me, coming from someone who (not particularly proudly) has faced depression several times, PTSD, anxiety, BPD, attempted suicide several times and was abused as a child, it really isn't easy.

Anyone who dare says that it will be, or that it is, is frankly talking sh*t.

To close, always remember these two things.

1) Positive thinking will not change your life, positive thinking will blind you to reality. Seeing reality as it truly is, self awareness, and action, is what will.

2) It's ok, not to be ok.

Share this with the first person you feel this will help.