The Tide Always Comes Back

 

Is your boat stranded ashore because of low tide?  No worries, THE TIDE ALWAYS COMES BACK!  Awhile back, I came across this Quora.com post by Mona B [posting EN TOTO].  A young girl (college age) was behind me with a Mason jar 1/3 filled with coins. I commented to her that she was supposed to wait until it was completely filled before cashing it in. She said that she didn't have any money in her account and that she had to cash it in now (it probably totaled $5.00). I remembered being a poor college student myself 30 years ago at BYU. So, when I got to the teller, I told her to withdraw $50 from my account and when the girl came up for her transaction, to see to it that my $50 was deposited into her account with her coins.  The teller asked me, "Why? Do you know her?". I replied that I did not but that it seemed to me she needed the money more than I did and I was just "Paying It Forward"📗📙📘

The teller told me that was one of the nicest things she had ever seen. I left feeling good. And, I secretly asked my Heavenly Father to bless both the young lady and myself because I have bills too.  Tonight, at the end of my work week, my last customer was the answer to my silent prayer. Their dinner check was only $49 but they tipped me $50...the same amount that I had given to the young lady earlier this week! They tipped me not the usual 18% - 20% but a full 100%! Someone "paid it forward" back to me! Karma! I felt blessed! Remember, "Paying it forward" will eventually come back to you! Everyone have an awesome week ahead"!!!

Indeed, sharings like this are very real-life stories.  While I am neither pious nor philanthrophist as per definitions, I humbly admit that through the years, WHEN someone needed something and giving it out will NOT negatively impact me, I DIDN'T think for a second more to extend that needed helping hand.  Two years ago WHEN I spent like 3 weeks for minor home renovations with around 5-8 workers, even as I was working-from-home then, I was stretching myself to ensure that I served their AM and PM snacks everyday [that's besides stocking myself with enough provisions that lasted 3 weeks]💧💧💧

If sometimes we will venture just along the shores, we might get to see a boat that could appear stuck in the sand BUT besides being glued to that boat, I remember once WHEN I watched the tides lunge onto the beach, I was quite spellbound by the ocean's unrelenting struggle, a timeless reminder that life requires mighty endeavor.  THAT we were NOT meant to be beached and just be useless because WHEN the tire turns [as it will surely will], even that tiny boat will be lifted to dance upon the waves as it was intended.  WHILE the loss of a job, a home OR a loved one can give us reason to fear the future, there are ageless certainties that give us far more reason to believe and remain hopeful based on the assurance which I always believe that one day, there will be that returning tide that will definitely buoy our disheartended spirit💚💛💜

Our takeaway:  It's worth listening to heartwarming sharing like that Quora.com post by Mona B.  Thing is, almost everything in our life would go through their respective cycles.   Even at one's lowest point, eventually the tides will rush back ashore, the water levels go up and your small boat probably stuck for some time, can resume its life journey.  NOT to sound aggressive or agitated, if we imagine a reversal of roles WHEREIN everything is ME ME ME and FOR ME, I really commiserate with that mindset because that will haunt you back over and over again, your very own shadows that seem to be constantly lurking behind you.  Even if we are in the deepest tunnels down below, trust me, one day, that faint light will gradually shape up because THE TIDE ALWAYS COMES BACK to lift us, to extricate us, if at all😌😌😌

Just Stop Chasing!

 

Often, we hear from motivational coaches, KEEP CHASING KEEP CHASING and KEEP CHASING  Whether it's our dreams, our goals, our dream girl, our dream job, OH YES, our dream car, we are reminded to KEEP CHASING because that's WHERE happiness revolves around.  Seriously?  Me thinks, happiness in this world comes incidentally.  Tried making it the object of your pursuit???

WHAT happens next?  It leads to that common scenes of a 'wild-goose chase' and is never attained.  BUT hold on, can we take a moment and ponder this question:  HOW important is happiness to you?  Would we say that we value happiness above all else?  IF NOT, WHAT is more important than being happy?  And you are akin to a majority OR at least plurality, that possibility of happiness likely influences most aspects your life💚💛💜

BTW, it's NOT just you.  Happiness is highly valued across all our societies.  A recent survey of Americans showed that 81% would rather be happy that achieve greater things in life.  Let's ponder and think about that for a moment.  Happiness indeed is so important in our society that it can rank over achievement.  If you skim through advertisements, it WON'T take long for you to see that many companies cater to this emphasis on happiness.  They present their product as a means to an end❎❎❎

True, being happy feels really good, so of course you place a high value on feeling that way.  Happiness has been shown to be good for our health as it makes us feel less stressed and according to medical experts, it can even boost our immune system as it even helps us with our decision-making and creativity.  Indeed, one too many benefits to happiness.  So, the $64 question is:  Should we place a high value on happiness to make people happier😃😃😃

Our takeaway:  One troubling question for me till now is as to WHY DOESN'T chasing happiness work?  WHAT's the problem with chasing happiness anyways?  Experts tell us that we usually overestimate the happiness we think we'll experience through an event OR getting WHAT we want.  Thing is, the way we value happiness can be counterproductive because as it turns out, one aspect is avoiding pain and WHEN we are hyper-focused on happiness, pressure builds up.  Can we JUST STOP CHASING dude😡😡😡

Not All The Time Trying The Hardest Is The Way To Go

 

All along, we keep harping that we need to DO OUR BEST.  Do I take back those words now with our blog today that WHEN WE DON'T TRY SO HARD, THE BEST THINGS COME WHEN YOU LEAST EXPECT THEM TO?  NO sirrrrrs, WHILE I agree to this poster, both propositions do hold water.  NO sirrrrs, I'm NOT turning back from my spiel that we should give our best in every endeavor we do undertake.  Having said that, one narrative that has happened many times is that sometimes, the least expected things do happen📘📙📗

 

At this point, I believe we can piggy-back on Science WHICH explains that WHEN we get injured, our body knows WHAT to do and mends itself automatically.  In short, we DON'T need to try by 'maxing out' ourselves.  To quote an UNKNOWN one-liner, TO HEAL A WOUND, YOU NEED TO STOP TOUCHING IT.  Many times in the past, I'd been trying harder and many times pushing myself [sometimes way beyond WHAT I can handle sometimes].  BUT many times I also realized that as I redoubled OR even tripled my efforts and worked harder, the more I pushed harder to be within grasp of WHAT I wanted to achieve, that thing just became farther and farther💚💛💜

And if I had a late realization then, it was the fact that by forcing myself and desperately trying to make things work, I observed that somehow I unconsciously did cut off my inspiration and even energy [maybe at that point, from a battery perspective, I'm experiencing a 'LOW BATT' and from an energy viewpoint, I'm simply drained no less].  And then, frustraion seeps in and WHEN that happens, I realized that my struggle, my internal fight just became much harder.  Then the domino effect comes into play WHEN frustration kicks-in, your motivation takes a hit, and your previous inspiration must have gone out of the window!!!

Of course, WHAT's the reality in life?  People around you keep egging you to TRY HARDER, TRY HARDER and I have to admit, WHENEVER I heard those unsolicited words before, I would cringe everytime it gets into my eardrums.  For some reason, it sends the message that you just AREN'T doing enough to make it [WHATEVER it seems to be at the moment] happen.  It does also suggest that you are giving it all BUT then, it's NOT JUST GOOD ENOUGH.  At tha point, WHO else will get more motivated and inspired???

Our takeaway:  If I have to admit something that gets me conflicted, it's the fact that I am NEVER the type of person that believes in NOT trying harder or NOT pushing through the pain [even WHEN the cards are stacked against me] BUT admittedly, there were points WHEN my energy-level was near NIL and my INSPIRATION [which drives my motivation] just dissipated in thin air.  I then realized that NOT ALL THE TIME TRYING THE HARDEST IS THE WAY TO GO [even if that's NOT your conscious thought]😡😡😡

What Comes After NEXT Is NEXT

 

WHAT comes after NEXT is NEXT.  Sounds right?  Many years back WHEN I was experiencing a major corporate burnout, I kept asking myself WHEN will all the tough times end?  Unfortunately, our life cycle CAN'T be mapped with the sequence of biological changes in a typical life cycle.  On the other hand, the life cycles of many species are synchronized with the life cycles of other species.  It's true technology has brought us many benefits BUT it has disconnected us from nature and even country life.  The law of cycles teaches us that death is inevitable and that it is necessary to remove the dry leaves for the plants to develop stronger.  WHILE life cycles are defined by big and traditional moments, both joyful and sad, it is the moments and memories in between those times that define the ebbs and tides of life's current.  So, WHAT COMES AFTER NEXT IS NEXT, right???

English poet T.S. Eliot was widely quoted:  WHAT WE CALL THE BEGINNING IS OFTEN THE END.  AND TO MAKE AN END IS TO MAKE A BEGINNING.  THE END IS WHERE TO START.  The proof of a true cycle is shown as in nature itself, there is a cycle that endlessly returns to its beginning.  As the seasons of the year is, spring is the time for new beginnings, summer is the time for growth and action, autumn as the time of harvest and reckoning and winter is our time for rest and renewal.    YES, we can find the same cycle, zoomed out OR zoomed in, in the shifting energies of a 24-hour day, in the lunar cycle , the seasons of our lives cycling over again💧💧💧

YES, the archetypal energies of birth and emergence, growth, full bloom, harvest, decay and even death and dormancy and rebirth are ever-present regardless of WHERE we live.  YES, that's the universal cycle of life.  Sometimes it is indeed literal and obvious, things are born OR germinate from planet earth, new ideas and endeavors are begun all over again.  YES, things are born OR germinate , thiings grow and peak  until things will slow down.  YES, NEXT COMES AFTER NEXT💥💥💥

IF we pay attention to these cycles and align ourselves with it, the cycles of life brings us into balance between light and darkness, between beginning and endings, and between taking action and harvesting and eventually resting and renewal.  It is those relationships that endlessly keep on renewing and harmonizing between the masculine, sunlit forces of growth and doing, and those moonlit forces of undoing, resting and preparation for redoing things all over again, nothing less than a linear trajectory of endless youth and endless growth💚💛💜

Our takeaway:  Frankly, the dominant culture on our planet earth today does NOT align itself with the cycle of life either.  We seek to be always in the light and action of the 'spring and summer' seasons, always 'ON', always busy.  So, we tend to be deeply uncomfortable with that inner reckoning of 'autumn' and the stillness of 'winter'.  Maybe some other time, we can explore how the seasons of life keep cycling because what is expected is for us to be constantly preparing as to WHAT NEXT COMES AFTER NEXT😡😡😡

Where Are You With Your INNER COMPASS?

Where Are You With Your INNER COMPASS?

The ancient adage 'KNOW THYSELF' holds a profound significance that transcends generations and the truth is, it has become a cornerstone of effective communications.  BUT the real stark truth in life is that once we reach that peak in our life and in our careers, cultivating our self-knowledge through a heightened self-awareness is NOT merely a reflective exercise BUT our best way moving forward when navigating through life.  So, Where Are You With Your INNER COMPASS?  You might [reasonably] ask, WHY do we need to know our very own capabilities?  Through a combination of introspective practices and self-assessment, it behooves that we uncover our INNER COMPASS because studies show that almost everyone claims to know that INNER COMPASS, in the most real sense, only 10 to 15% really know their INNER COMPASS💚💛💜

Understanding our skills will play a crucial role in our own development and progression.  I DON'T need to look elsewhere.  WHEN I decided to explore my chances for a career in Singapore [that was WHEN there were no popular budget carriers plying international routes yet], I made a thorough assessment of myself, my capabilities and even my limitations and handicaps.  HOW did that help me?  My goal setting became more realistic💧💧💧

Thing is, most of us think too much about WHAT we should do and NOT enough about WHAT we should be.  And if we pay more attention to WHAT we should be, our work would shine forth brightly.  WHAT IF instead f simply creating a TO-DO List for ourselves, we also create TO-BE Lists of WHAT we aspire to in our working lives and beyond.  BTW, being in your work does NOT require any extraordinary effort NOR does it necessitate finding your 'dream job'.  Instead, we simply need to be present and allow ourselves to experience WHAT is most alive for you, WHAT decisions you make relative to it and HOW we take action💥💥💥

HOW about we throw these basic questions to us

• WHAT brings me joy?
• WHAT makes me feel balanced?
• HOW would I like each day to unfold?
• WHAT state of mind would I like to have?
• WHAT makes me feel balanced each day?
• WHERE do I want to focus my attention to?

Our takeaway:  Through the years, I realized 2 things.  Firstly, you need to follow your very own inspiration.  The answers that emerge from the previous questions illuminate HOW we can thrive by following your life's energy instead of opposing, fighting OR suppressing it.  And yes, we got to BE THERE.  No matter WHAT meaning we acribe to your work, WHETHER it is at work OR in our career, by focusing on being fully present to it you can better connect to your own vitality.  Oh yes, SHINE ON in life, WHICH means, being in your work or any endeavor, you need to be PRESENT and allow yourself to experience WHAT is most 'alive' for you because you need to know WHERE ARE YOU WITH YOUR INNER COMPASS, that's at any point in time dude😡😡😡

Mobile Apps Galore!

 

YES YES yowwww, let's make things light today.  HOW many mobile apps do you have in your smart device?  Probably a hundred?  Or 150?  Or 200+?  Possibly.  Now for the NOT so tough question.  HOW many apps do you actively use AS IN actively?  Probably a baker's dozen give OR take away another 3 to 5 dynamic needs.  YET, with that huge number of apps, can we explain that with all the task/deadline reminders, we're still missing out📗📙📘

Missing out a scheduled Zoom/Google Meet call.  Missing to pay bills by deadline.  Missing out to buy the MUST-HAVEs at the supermarket.  Let me share something trivial here.  At one point, before I knew it, my iPhone was hosting roughly 150+ mobile apps, whew When I said ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, would you believe I managed to prune it down to more OR less 15 mobile apps now?  WHAT a relief indeed💚💛💜

HOLY HELL!  Let me share you the outcome of that massive cleanup.    My productivity rate ramped up.  My misses were down by 90%.  BTW, I DIDN'T even measure the turnaround and elapsed time as I DIDN'T do a 'time and motion' benchmarking.  Before we become guilty, the brutal truth about productivity is that we are NOT unproductive OR disorganized.  Instead, we are simply 'apps-hoarding'.  Remember that meditation app you downloaded yet you overslept till past 8am?  And your SCREEN TIME😈😈😈

SO HOW?  Will you scour the AppsStore for another TO-DO app?  OR another app luring you to ADD to BASKET and CHECKOUT?  Hell no.  Looking back NOT too far back WHEN we DIDN'T had these monstrous number of mobile apps, WHEN we were all contented with Candy Crush OR even from the olden days, Tetris, ISN'T it that life was simple, more straightforward and yet we were as productive and as efficient as we should be during those days💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  SO HOW can we live life with LESS?  LESS screen time?  LESS apps?              bandwidth?  I remember before WHEN I was staying at a plush Mumbai hotel [WHICH I called 'home' for 11 months], I was connecting to the internet via a 64kb modem connection?  And yet, even as a road warrior then, I was like [virtually] everywhere across the 14 countries I was managing then.  Without being intrusive, please do take time to assess percentage of usefulness [and frequency of use] even BEFORE you download a mobile apps [before you end up decluttering all over again😡😡😡

Move Like Everything's Gonna Work Out

 

In the stock market, the normal stock watcher cum player would keep a consistent tracker when it's a BEAR market as against a BULL market WHERE the latter is characterized by optimism among investors thereby pushing up the prices.  This is NO rocket science BUT simply another manifestation of the LAW OF SUPPLY & DEMAND.  BUT wait WHEN the stock prices NOT only take a dip BUT manifest nosediving because that's WHEN investors would jump into the fray.  BUT hold on, our thread today is NOT STOCKS 101 [because I am no trader] BUT let's draw the parallelism in life WHEN sometimes we are egged to MOVE LIKE EVERYTHING's GONNA WORK OUT [that's regardless if it's a BEAR or BULL market]📗📙📘

WHILE I am NO gym buff, I guess once you walk into a Fitness Gym, your adviser will counsel you to START it and STICK to it.  Of course, making exercise as an enjoyable part of our  everyday life may seem easier than we think.  BUT up front, WHATEVER endeavor you will dive into [YES even in areas you are passionate enough], starting things off will offer you challenges up front.  That's WHEN we'll hear MOVE LIKE EVERYTHING'S GONNA WORK OUT💚💛💜

If you're having trouble to begin a new activity OR endeavor you're following through, you're NOT alone though.  Let's admit it, many of us [and that includes me sometime in the past], we do struggle in getting out of that sedentary rut despite our best intentions.  BUT if there's one huge miss most of us are guilty, it is figuring out as to WHY we're faced with those mounting challenges right at the start of a new endeavor we want to pursue.  My 2-cents?  I strongly feel that our biggest barrier up front is our mental piece, our mindset.  Maybe it's a lack of self-confidence that keeps us from taking positive steps OR our motivation quickly flames out OR we simply easily feel discouraged and ending up to give up so soon even before you start off on a new endeavor.  Sounds familar?  Seriously, I've witnessed that kind of mindset zillions of times till now.  And I commiserate with folks WHO are in that 'deep shit' [pardon my words]💧💧💧

SO HOW?  That's the thing, WHEN we look up at things, if we continue to embrace that "ALL OR NOTHING' attitude, then, sadly, forever, we will be like the swinging pendulum, ending up either on the far left OR far right.  Much as we are imperfect, we hate to fumble at the firing line, at the start.  BUT hey, everyone of us WHO went through from pre-school up the academic ladder, many of us fumbled down up front.  I remember WHEN I was out of job in Singapore after my previous company was bought lock, stock and barrel by U.S. giant Broadcom, I only had to 2 options, namely, to continue motivated OR simply give up.  BUT I told myself, giving up was and will NEVER be an option.  Fast-forward, I was the last man standing [even WHEN my chips went down]💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  Go by your gut dude.  IF it tells you 'GO', then 'GO'.  If tons of things are causing you to chicken out up front, listen and follow your gut dude.  BTW, this is NO fool-proof formula.  You can still follow your GUT feel and still go wrong BUT if the stakes are right there, WON'T you bet on yourself rather than bet on your shadow lurking behind you?  Yes, let's MOVE LIKE EVERYTHING'S GONNA WORK OUT dude😡😡😡

That Pygmalion Effect

 

That psychological phenomenon called PYGMALION EFFECT has been in place for more than 3 decades BUT I still find it interesting enough [if NOT mysterious] because this is NOT much cascaded across at least for awareness.  For alignment, as described Rosenthal and Jacobson in 1968, PYGMALION EFFECT refers to those circumstances WHERE higher expectations will LIKELY result in better performance OR results.  We could hear those narratives of folks WHO ended up with superior academic results through the years and WHILE credit goes to them [primarily], their mentors [and normally its their parents OR guardians] should be shared a fraction of those credits if they expected much from their mentees📙📘

Essentially, WHEN our teachers expect more from us as students, we should thank them because there is a good likely that we will end up with better results.  NOT to badmouth OR discriminate government schools [especially in the Third World WHERE the governments are giving out the best possible services BUT obviously those government schools can NOT just approximate the quality of education offered by private educational institutions], it should NOT be surprising if more often, we would hear the products from private schools with outstanding results!!!

Simply put, the PYGMALION EFFECT is like a self-fulfilling prophecy WHEREIN the objects [meaning, the targetted individuals] of projections internalize the optimistic labels they receive and succeed to conform to those labels.  This implies that saguine expectations on the part of either the mentor OR leader could lead to improved performance by either the mentees OR the leader's followers💚💛💜

There was this 1968 experiment by Rosenthal WHO tested the IQ of school student WHO were identified as respondents in the experiment.  After the IQ tests, the teachers were given the names of those 'intellectual bloomers' BUT their scores were NOT shared.  At the end of the school year, all the students retook the IQ test and while the overall scores did rise, those 'intellectual bloomers' produced the highest results😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  BUT WHAT perflexes me is, should we be tough taskmasters and mentors to our mentees & students?  A key tenet in the PYGMALION EFFECT is that the expectations of others on us can eventually influence our behavior in a significant way.  Without discriminating other cultures, let's single out cultures WHO are highly disciplined like the Japanese.  Despite all the debacles they suffered from World War II, 50 years later, they are on Tier-1 in terms of competitiveness in the First World.  Indeed, I'll buy hook, line and sinker that PYGMALION EFFECT✅✅✅

Those HARD Days? Bring It On Today [If We Want An EASIER Tomorrow]!

 

LAST CALL:  Any wishful thinking?  Oh yea, I want an EASY life, in fact, the EASIEST way possible.  Kinda DIY.  Kinda plug and play.  Kinda instant.  And all of that with the LEAST effort, LEAST cost, LEAST turnaround time. Whoahhhhh.  That's asking for the moon, the stars and the solar system!@#$%?  Please DON'T get me wrong.  I'm NOT haranguing anyone of us.  And seriously, by default, that does NOT seem to be our fault because as the experts tell us that by nature, the human brain REALLY likes to avoid those HARD things, HARD tasks, HARD goals.  I came across that 'COGNITIVE MISER' theory WHICH explains that from the beginning of the homo sapiens evolution, our brains have been trained to take that PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE💥💥💥

I got curious with that fact WHICH I doubted at first BUT the explanation was that we preferred that PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE because it was necessary for survival.  LIKE WHEN our ancestors lived in the wild, conserving energy was crucial.  They had to hunt and search for food, even fight rivals and escape predators.  One false move and the result could be as tragic as death.  Fast forward to our life today WHERE our world is a thousand times much safer [compared to those ancestral times].  BUT alas, our brain HASN'T changed much since those hunter-gatherer days.  Alas, we're still stuck in that Stone Age!@#$%? Does that theory hold water?  Me thinks that's air-tight💧💧💧

Does that explain as to WHY we humans often prefer that PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE, that with the LEAST efforts etc?  So, should we then blame that theory of evolution if we find it hard to get off the couch and go on with your next priority task?  OR during those times WHEN we procrastinate on those difficult tasks, putting it OFF for the next day, next week until it gets buried under the bushel of oblivion?  OR WHEN we find ourselves doing things we most like, sleeping, eating junk, scrolling Instagram, browsing through the online shopping portals to make those impulse purchases, or binge-watching in Netflix!@#$%?

There's this very debatable argument that we should put off doing the HARD things towards the later part because early on, the engine is cold and we need to gain that momentum.  Whewwww, tell that to the marines dude!@#$%?  Guess WHO OR WHAT is our biggest stumbling block here?  YES, it is our own self.  Deep inside, our favorite one-liners are:

• OH I'M JUST AFRAID TO START IT
• OH LET ME THINK ABOUT IT FIRST
• OH THAT TAKES UP TOO MUCH TIME
• OH I'M AFRAID I'M NOT BE ABLE TO DO IT NOW
• OH I'VE GOT TO GAIN STEAM & MOMENTUM FIRST

Our takeaway:  As that old cliche goes, IT'S TIME TO FACE THE MUSIC.  If that music may NOT be your favorite one OR it's NOT in your playlist BUT if your audio player CAN'T fast-forward from the 1st song to the 4th song [WHICH is your favorite], then, so be it, play up every song until you got to play your favorite 4th song.  SO HOW?  Would you rather do things the EASY way now and simply face the problem come next day?  C'mon dude, that train of thought seems skewed and slanted if NOT outright outrageous.  Think about it.  Here you are.  Just like a fully recharged smartphone battery, your strength is at 100%.  Would you want to tackle the HARD DAYS tomorrow instead of today?  THOSE HARD DAYS?  BRING IT ON TODAY [IF WE WANT AN EASIER TOMORROW]✅✅✅

Is Positivity Contagious Enough?

 

Is POSITIVITY CONTAGIOUS ENOUGH?  Absolutely yes it is!  YET, sometimes I do hear from some quarters as they seem to frown on POSITIVITY as they will claim someone looks and seems POSITIVE because he's driving a new car, because he recently got promoted at work, because they moved in to their new home, because he's awash with $$$$$$$.  From their perspective, I would tend to agree with them but I'll qualify my concurrence.  That POSITIVITY will be very fleeting and dependent only on the very moments those 'POSITIVE' elements come into your life.  Trust me, your promotion makes you feel WALK ON CLOUD 9 but only maybe the first few days and weeks, NOT 12 months down the road.  That new spanking car, 12 or more months after, that feeling of 'newness'  would have dissipated in thin air.  Your new home, oh yes that 'honeymoon' feeling will be over, count Year 2 onwards.  So, if you will cling to those, IS POSITIVITY CONTAGIOUS ENOUGH???

True, there is that SCIENCE of HAPPINESS BUT it should NOT be rocket science for us to figure out the genuine and longer-lasting factors that can farther stretch our HAPPINESS to an extent that it becomes genuine enough.  BTW, please be cautious WHEN it comes to POSITIVITY.  Not every shade of brightness can be deemed as genuinely POSITIVE.  I've known first hand people WHO were so extremely optimistic to bag the top prize of a BMW car if they can maximize entries in a contest sponsored by a Telco to encourage its customers to TOP-UP and TOP-UP over and over again!@#$%?

That is WHAT psychologists have coined as the FALSE POSITIVES.  It's true a POSITIVE mindset is essential for handling the problems and hurdles on our paths.  WHETHER at home, school OR work, it's true we are encouraged to be POSITIVE at all times.  You may even be telling others to stay POSITIVE and see the glass as half-full.  True, encouraging POSITIVITY is generally a nice gesture BUT at times it can cause more harm than good❌❌❌

Point is, POSITIVITY is an attitude that depends on the context.  Therefore, its misapplication may lead to FALSE POSITIVITY.  WHEN the situation warrants, there is simply nothing wrong with a positive outlook WHEN a situation warrants.  YET, there are times of genuine sadness OR distress that are simply NOT compatible with an overly optimistic attitude, especially, WHEN that attitude seems forced.  In short, that's misplaced optimism❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  WHAT's essential is for us to be able to distinguish genuine POSITIVITY from false POSITIVITY.  Some people are naturally optimistic and can see the POSITIVE aspects of any situation OR be inclined to use their NEGATIVE experiences as learning opportunities.  And the truth is, regardless if WHETHER we are more optimistic than others OR NOT, a genuine POSITIVE attitude can help us deal with difficulties.  WHETHER POSITIVITY is contagious enough, let us be sharp and incisive that such POSITIVITY is NOT misplaced😡😡😡