by Christy Cunningham

Created on: March 03, 2009

How to Stay Positive in a Negative World

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling" Cried Chicken Licken to Henny Penny,

"We must go tell the king!"

If one was to judge the state of the world by the things we see on the news or read in the papers, we would say that Chicken Licken was right; the sky really is falling.

However, although we are living in perilous times, we don't need to be consumed with negativity, panic or fear. There is much we can do to not only become more positive but flourish in today's negative world.

Here are just a few ideas that will help give you a happy outlook on life.

1. Take Control

Feeling powerless can be debilitating. To counteract that, the first thing we can do is take control of our thoughts. When we make a choice to be in control of how we handle any given situation, we immediately feel better.

Viktor Frankl, an Austrian Psychiatrist survived the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz. In his book, "Man's Search for Meaning" he teaches this truth:

"Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way... And there were always choices to make. Every day, every hour, offered the opportunity to make a decision, a decision which determined whether you would or would not submit to those powers which threatened to rob you of your very self, your inner freedom."

Over the years I have come to realize that positive people don't have perfect lives.

On my step-dad's answering machine you will hear a cheerful voice that says, "Hello isn't it a beautiful day!" His cheerfulness and positivity have made him one of the most loved men I know. Is his life perfect? No, he lost his vision a few years ago. It was a horrible disease that changed his life, but it never changed his attitude. He still has his love of people and of life. He is still happy.

2. Banish the Negative

For the next twenty-four hours, banish any negative comments and replace them with positive. This little exercise will help you see just where you rate on a positive/negative scale. The results may surprise you.

3. Chose to do Right

We can't control the world, but if everyone made moral choices, this world would simply be a better place.

The other day I purchased some new clothes. I felt a bit nervous waiting to hear the final price. When the clerk said "That will be $27.50." I knew that she had made a mistake. For a brief moment I thought, "Well, if she says so, I should just let it go." I

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