I am willing to release old, negative beliefs. They are only thoughts that stand in my way. My new thoughts are positive and fulfilling.
I am so sad today, and for no clear reason. I could come up with reasons, but that would just be trying to find a shape for the sadness I feel.
Acknowledging the water level in a glass is important. It’s frustrating that our culture considers it pessimistic to view the glass as half empty. Or maybe I find it frustrating that our culture insinuates that pessimism is a bad thing; the wrong way to be. It’s similar to our struggle with introversion, often treating it as a problem to be solved, rather than a valid way to interact with the world. I am both a pessimist and an introvert (I’m lots of fun!), and I think it’s ok to see the glass as half-empty. In fact, why aren’t we celebrating pessimists as essential to the survival of our species? The half-empty state of the glass means that the resources are being depleted! The glass will need filling sooner than if it were full. Perhaps it’s time to start paying closer attention to the rate at which the glass is emptying, so we have a better idea of when we will need to refill. If we were to only acknowledge what is left in the glass, would we be inspired to take the necessary steps to make sure our needs will be met when eventually that glass is truly empty? Would we be as likely to note when, where, and how we can get that glass refilled if we are just feeling pleased with how much we have left inside? What happens if others are also depending on the water level of the glass? Isn’t it a good thing that someone is looking out for the group so they notice the next refill station and we don’t all die of dehydration caused by excessive optimism?
So now let’s change the metaphor from water in the glass to emotional energy in ourselves. Suddenly, acknowledging our depleted resources becomes a form of self-care, and is encouraged. Or is it? Does society recognize the need to consider the state of our emotional and psychological health, and encourage us to draw boundaries in order to not be further depleted? Or are we still too often encouraging the self-destructive optimism that leaves people broken and entirely empty? I see examples of both, and I’m hoping we are moving in the right direction.
So, I’m willing to release the old, negative belief that pessimism is a personality flaw. Anxiety isn’t a problem to fix, but rather a survival instinct to be trained. I’m releasing the negative belief that emotional limitations and mental health struggles are burdensome or shameful; something to be quietly overcome. The more we acknowledge mental health struggles, and celebrate self-care, the closer we get to the kind and fulfilling society I want to live in.