The Glass is Half Full

“Don’t speak negatively about yourself, even as a joke. Your body doesn’t know the difference. Words are energy and they cast spells, that’s why it’s called spelling. Change the way you speak about yourself, and you can change your life.”

-Bruce Lee

My Glass is Half Empty

From my adolescence into my mid-twenties, I developed a poor mindset. I had negative thoughts. I had very low self-esteem. I felt I wasn’t good enough and felt like a burden to everyone. I didn’t love myself, and as a result, I became cynical, pessimistic, depressed, and even questioned my existence and purpose in life. 

Two years ago, I reached a turning point in my life when I got sick. During that period, I really panicked. My stress, anxiety, and depression grew, and I wondered if I was ever going to get any better. When I saw a doctor, it was confirmed that I was suffering from a stress-related issue that was treatable. Although I was skeptical of what they said and the medication(s) they prescribed me, I agreed to try them. 

While doing what the doctor ordered, my mother also made some homemade remedies (that had turmeric and ginger) with hopes of healing me. Even though those suggestions provided some relief, I wasn’t satisfied. But the other thing that she insisted was that I needed to start believing that I will get better. At first, this was not something I was willing to do. I didn’t believe in that idea, but I was desperate. As I practiced this method, I started feeling the progress that I longed for. When I fully recovered, I agreed with my mom that having a positive mindset is essential for one’s life (especially with their health), and I began applying this to my lifestyle.

The Mind is Pretty Powerful

I learned that having positive thoughts is just as powerful as possessing negative ones. The only difference is that one produces peace, while the other emits pain. This helps me understand that looking at everything as a glass half full is a lot better and less stressful than seeing life as a glass half empty. When one sees the glass half empty, they often feel pretty angry with the world. They’re ungrateful and fail to appreciate everything around them, when the things that they’re longing for (like happiness) are right in front of them. They look to the future, when their future starts with their present. I know this from experience, and one way to solve this problem is to think positive. 

For instance, since that health scare, I’m doing what I can to stay healthy. I take slow, baby steps to be optimistic, but of course, it isn’t easy all the time. Whenever a problem occurs, I slide back to the poor habit of feeling hopeless (once in a while), but I remember that I am doing this for my health and to not let the doom and gloom get the best of me. I try to focus on the silver lining of the issue, figure out the solution(s), and tell myself that like all things, this problem will pass. Once I confront the problem, the solution slowly emerges and the case is closed.

To add to the opening quote, it is crucial to talk good about yourself as these thoughts manifest in you. If you want to say that you’re cool and/or that you're enough, keep saying that, because your mind and body will be programmed to believe that. Plus, you’re adding confidence to yourself. I find it important to incorporate a positive mindset shortly after waking up (or before leaving the house), because it makes a big difference in how one goes about their whole day. If I have happy thoughts before I start my day, I will more than likely have a good day. If I feel hopeless when I wake up, it could be a bad day.

When I read The Power by Rhonda Byrne, I learned that the mind is a very strong tool in how one shapes their life. For example, if one is happy and has positive thoughts, their mind will attract all the good from the universe to them. The same goes for one who is unhappy and has a negative thinking pattern. It makes sense to me, because even before I read the book, I noticed that my mind can attract things that are related to what I’m dealing with at the time. And when I grew aware of how mighty my mind is, I adjusted my thinking patterns, which in turn changed my life for the best. Additionally, I learned that the power to positivity and living a better life is love. I really like that message, because it’s absolutely true. The feeling of love is a lot healthier and blissful than the feeling of hate (The Power).

After letting positivity into my life, I felt like a changed person, and with an auspicious mind, I learned that practicing gratitude maintains a person’s positive thinking. So, I started becoming grateful too. 

Every Day is Thanksgiving

Prior to volunteering with the Love Yourself Foundation (LYF), I did not express gratitude. However, when I joined the organization, LYF challenged my mindset. Their mission stresses the importance of practicing self-love, positivity, appreciation for oneself, others, and their surroundings, and spreading harmony everywhere. From having team meetings where members shared their highs, lows, and something that they’re grateful for, to posting blogs/messages encouraging followers to love themselves and share happiness with the world, I found their statement inspiring and utilized this in my life, and it’s helped me ever since. LYF changed me in ways that I did not expect, and I really appreciate their efforts in saving me too.

While I started to count my blessings, I came across another book that’s also written by Rhonda Byrne called The Magic. The book mainly focused on the need to practice gratitude and elaborated on why being thankful will make a person’s life better by showing how exercising thankfulness in all aspects of a person’s life (i.e., health, relationships, finance, etc.) will make a difference. The more a person focuses on what they’re grateful for, the more the abundance will grow and come to them. For instance, when one is grateful for having money, more money will arrive at their doorstep! At the end of each chapter, the reader was asked to do a few activities that would help them appreciate their lives more. One of those activities was listing ten things that the reader was grateful for for that day. Since I finished reading the book, I continue practicing this activity everyday (though I changed some things up), and this keeps me content. (The Magic)

As I write this paragraph, I realize that this health scare is really a blessing in disguise. During that period, I had the chance to evaluate my life and focus on paying attention to the things that truly matter to me. As a result, the feeling is liberating. When I quit worrying about the things that don’t really matter to me, my stress evaporates, and all I’m left with is peace. It did take a while to become a positive person, but it’s worth it. If I hadn't dealt with this incident, I don't think I would have changed at all. I think I'd still be the same cynical, pessimistic, and ungrateful person right now, so I’m glad that this incident happened. 

As I prioritize my health, I do a lot of self-care. Whether it’s finishing my assigned reading for the day, writing a journal entry, meditating, and/or looking at fun, entertaining content, it gives me happiness in knowing that I am doing things that benefit my overall health. Before I go to sleep, I express gratitude for the important things to me such as my faith (God), having a family, great health, having a roof above my head, the necessities (such as food and drinks), etc. I even give thanks for the little things that happened during the day (like finishing a book) because it helps me become more appreciative of my surroundings. Being grateful for the things I got and having a rosy outlook in life helps me live serenely.

The Rainbow Awaits You!

If you or someone you know is struggling with negativity and wants to make life easier, please seek the necessary resources provided to you by your community. Seeing a licensed counselor/therapist and/or joining a program offered at your local library or clinic that’s aimed at helping individuals recover from their troubles are examples of ways one can get help. You may also utilize the aforementioned methods that I did, but I totally understand the hesitancy of trying these things out. But if you give them a chance, you might be surprised with the results. Just remember to start slow and practice these methods everyday, but don’t expect fast results overnight when it comes to being an optimist. Sometimes you may grapple with negativity, but remind yourself why you are changing for the good in the first place. You will get there eventually, so please don’t give up. 

When you think positive, you start to feel happy and immerse yourself in the good things in life. When you think about all of your blessings (instead of the burdens and/or the things that you’re missing), you feel euphoric while having the time of your life. Don’t stop being grateful. When people see you in a bright and bubbly mood, they gravitate towards you because your aura makes them feel safe. Be the beacon that people can turn to and learn from you. It may help them out as well. 

Life is too short to look at as a glass half empty. You have the opportunity to withdraw yourself from those negative vibes and go somewhere that gives you tranquility. You deserve to be happy, but this is also your choice. No one is going to do that for you. You have the power to make your own decisions, so how about choosing love and looking at the glass half full? This could free you from more harm than you think.

About the Author

Ashley Lee is an alumna at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in film with a minor in journalism and media studies. She is an independent artist who enjoys traveling, nature, audio production, volunteering at local nonprofits, writing, knitting, baking, photography, food, and spending time with her family. Lee is also a co-host of a local Las Vegas podcast. You may follow her on Instagram @ambivertashleyproductions.