When’s the last time you’ve danced? Or when’s the last time you’ve looked around a setting and appreciated its minor details? In a society so daunted by negativity, whether it be from the news, complaints or people with cynical outlooks, it is easy to be bogged down by the challenges you face; however, there are things we can all do to nurture an uplifting culture. Both positivity and negativity are contagious, and we as a society have the choice of which one we want to encourage. We at The Tower urge you to focus on the potential joy every day can bring, and what you can do to contribute to the happiness of those around you.
Whether it’s constant schoolwork or 40-hour workweeks, it is difficult to break yourself out of your cycle. Even though structure can be beneficial, according to PhD psychologist Lisa Firestone, following rigid patterns often closes us off to positive emotions. As a result, people are often left unenthused about repeating the same schedule day after day. Following this idea, we at the Tower urge you to add variety to your life; adding even small changes to each day, like new hobbies or new friends, allows for new opportunities to look forward to. By giving yourself a chance to do something new, each day can be approached with excitement and curiosity.
Focusing on the “big picture” is responsible and can keep you on track towards your greater goals, but being fixated on it all the time traps you in a mindset that only recognizes the challenges you face. As important as being disciplined is, finding little things that bring you joy is what will make the journey to your goals enjoyable. Whether it’s going to your favorite coffee shop, listening to music or even lighting a scented candle while you work, appreciating your subtle joys will help keep you positive in a culture that’s consumed e we’d dby the negative. Furthermore, Harvard Health finds that gratitude can improve health, promote positive emotions and help deal with adversity. We at The Tower believe that if we all find the time to give thanks to those and things around us, we will create an environment that more people will find happiness in.
With plentiful ways to promote happy lifestyles, removing restrictive labels is an effective method. In a world where we are constantly putting ourselves into different titled boxes, each one separates us from other people, and other versions of ourselves. As stated by the University of Nevada, Reno, labeling people, especially children and teens, limits them from reaching their full potential. Seeing yourself in only one way gives you tunnel vision for what you can be, and prevents you from true self-expression. Especially with labels that are normally considered harmful, like depressed or anxious, they force you to categorize yourself in a way that blocks you from new possibilities. We at The Tower believe removing these labels can allow anyone to pursue the happiness they deserve.
We at The Tower understand that diagnosed mental health issues may prevent some from reaching the overall positive mindset that we are promoting. However, our goal is to promote measures that prevent individuals from thinking they have mental blocks that are self-imposed. By waking up each day and looking at it as an opportunity rather than a burden, one can find peace despite the external factors around them that have potential for discouragement. We all can spread positivity and make everyone’s life around us a little better and if we all start to do that, society can begin to separate itself from the defeatism that dictates it.
