I’ve heard this saying somewhere many times, probably even encountered it on various products in stores (e.g., mugs). Every day, there seems to be the same negative attitude coming from somewhere: complaining in the news, griping on social media, people complaining in stores. Finns, in general, tend to be a negative bunch. Naturally, we don’t seem to excel at naturally rejoicing in small things. Or if we do, it’s almost as if we’re too embarrassed to show that things are going well! Negativity is Deep and Infectious!

I’ll just say it, negativity is deep… and infectious!

Negativity poisons those around it and spreads easily like a disease. Whether small or large, negativity only begets more negativity around it. Too Much Positivity is Not Good Either.

Excessive positivity is a bit of a downer.

It’s flooding from all sides right now in various forms like online courses, all saying essentially the same thing: think positively, positivity pays off, turn everything positive, and you’ll get whatever you want! But even in this, too much is too much. Not everything can possibly be positive and cheerful. If there’s sorrow, it only heals by mourning. If something annoys you, sometimes you just have to let it go. That’s how it passes! Right?

I pondered my own ‘positivity’ when I recently heard from an acquaintance, “When you’re so calm, do you ever get mad at anyone?” I realized that in my own ‘positive attitude’ toward everything, it’s primarily about behavior – how one acts, even if the mind is boiling, or if someone else is boiling (and they show it). For example, I try to avoid expressions like ‘why always… never… ever’ in my daily communication. It’s complaining that serves no one. And yes, I do get angry, and fiercely, for a valid reason 😆. Some say you shouldn’t bottle up things. At least, I don’t feel like I’m doing that; I just don’t complain about trivial matters. Many things are genuinely trivial and not worth addressing with a negative attitude.

Behaving with a Positive Attitude is the Key Thing!

Let’s behave positively, shall we? Let’s think for at least 2 seconds before letting toads leap out of our mouths. If you’re having a bad day, let it be, but do you really need to infect everyone around you with it? Still, it’s worth saying out loud that today is a bad day, so you’ll surely get help from those around you – instead of perpetuating a negative cycle.