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Wellness

Positivity: Why We Need It, How to Implement It

Valerie Castaneda
FIU Contributor
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at FIU chapter.

In this new age of Instagram models and millionaire Youtuber’s, girls are left feeling insecure. We constantly see the things we’re not and we silently think to ourselves: “Am I enough?” We could see the girl with the perfect everything and start questioning what we have. We are tormented by the fact that someone may in fact be doing the most, while we might simply not be.

It is in this moment we must remember that we are enough. Webster dictionary defines ‘positivity’ as the practice of being positive or optimistic in attitude and frankly it is the answer to our prayers. From academic insecurity to body insecurity, positive thinking is a free way to get yourself back on track whenever you need it.

Here are some ways you can practice positivity in your daily life:

  1. Visualize: Visualize who you want to be and where you want to go. This will make it easier to get past the rough patch you may be currently dealing with. The future is bright and a momentary problem will not change your goals. If you’re feeling insecure about your grades, visualize yourself in the future. Will that one “B” on a test matter when you’re 40? Probably not.
  2. Slow Down: It is well known that to properly digest food, one should eat slowly and enjoy their food. Well, the same thing applies to life. Live in the moment, slow down and appreciate all you’ve been through. You only live once and no day should be spent feeling any sort of insecurity.
  3. Practice Classical Conditioning: In Pavlovs’ Dog Experiment, Pavlov conditioned his dogs to salivate to a bell ringing just because they associated the bell with food. We can practice positivity by associating many positive feelings and thoughts to new things. Pretty soon, these new, possibly challenging things will always generate positive feelings.
  4. Surround yourself with positive people: Your friends are a statement of who you are, plain and simple. Surround yourself with people who push you to be better and help fulfill your potential. You won’t hear anything but positive words and affirmations from them as they strive to be better and do better right next to you         

These things may not come easy, and do not expect to become an optimist overnight, but do not let negativity consume you. Do what you can to eliminate it completely from your life. Make it your mission to improve your positivity and the positivity of others. Practice it daily, it’s easy and free. One step in the right direction can change your whole outlook on life.  Believe in yourself and remember everything is temporary.

 

 

Valerie Castaneda is currently a Sophomore at Florida International University pursuing a degree in Marketing. She was born and raised in Miami, FL. and places her city on a high pedestal, She believes in the great importance of the written word and loves to write about things that inspire her. She loves traveling, studying, and listening to music while at the same time being updated on Pop Culture around her. Her dream is to eventually work at a record label in Artist Relations and manage artists. For the moment, Valerie works in Promotional Marketing and enjoys working with different brands and companies. Most recently, she worked Swim Week 2018 where she was exposed to the fashion industry and learned a great deal about the world-renowned week.
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