Political Warfare Bureau,M.N.D.PostDate: 2017/05/01
Positive Thinking; Your Way To Conquer Hardship
(Zhuang, Yu-Ling, psychological counselor, Central Mental Health Center, Ministry of National Defense)
There are always different ways to look at things. A glass of water filled to half, for example, in the eyes of an optimistic person may be good news because there is still half a glass of water to quench one’s thirst. However, the same thing in the eyes of a pessimistic person may be a gloomy sign that half a glass of water is far from enough. The same object can inspire extremely different ideas, and that goes for life, too. Different ideas from different people about the same thing or similar stressful subjects lead to extremely different developments. It is not about right or wrong, but when a person allows himself or herself to remain thinking negatively extensively, helplessness takes control and drives away hopefulness. If unstopped, a person may lose his or her ability to adjust and adapt even their daily routine. It is quite frequent in field cases that patients with depression are caught up in a ferocious cycle of negative thinking; they develop negative views about themselves, the world, and their future, and that particular cycle in the end spirals down to thoughts of suicide.
According to Dr. Aaron Beck, a master in cognitive therapy, the core of depression is , negative awareness adopted in the context and pattern of thinking, such as strong negative self esteem, pessimistic prospects, and the perception that life is a scenario of frustration without reward. He assumes that people
’s emotions and behaviors are subject to their own viewpoints, and it is not the scenario itself that determines people’s feelings. If you look at the world through colored eye glasses, the world in your eyes is not what it really is. Take off the eye glasses, or realize that you are looking through colored eye glasses, and you will be closer to freedom from the bondage of negative thinking
One may apply some cognitive therapy principles to see things from a different angle. 1. Recognizing one
A different seat on a bus gives you a different view. If something in your life that bothers you appears to beunsolvable, try looking at it again from another aspect and it is very likely that it is not that untouchable. With a little more support and partnership, if you will, life is easier and brighter than you
’d ever thought.
’s own emotions: recognizing emotions and accepting the existence of negative emotions are essential to the understanding of one’s own thinking. Actually negative emotion is energy that can cause depression and produce negative impact physically and psychologically if its existence is repeatedly denied. This is best described with Jung’s words: I would rather be a whole person than a good person. The priority is taking the initiative in finding and accepting one’s own emotions. 2. Keeping an idea record: When you find yourself responding more significantly to a certain issue, record the relevant scenario and emotion immediately. Write down the ideas that come to your mind during the momentum, further write down the degree to which you believe in these ideas, and discuss it with friends. Objective recording allows you to better understand the connection between ideas and emotional responses. 3. Using a response card: When situations like “I can’t do this” emerge try to write down the appropriate response for that situation, including experiences of success in the past, the worst scenario imaginable and practical strategies available. Carry this card with you and use it to remind yourself of positive thinking patterns when you are caught up in negative thinking. If you give yourself a chance to see things from a different angle, you will enjoy a more successful outcome.
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