Cynicism is Easy

"What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing." - Oscar Wilde

I've got quite a bit of experience with this one. Unfortunately it's a whole lot easier to see the negatives than the positives in life.

I'm sure most of you have experienced this to some degree.

Is it easier to see the problem or to solve it? To turn plans down, or to come up with something to do? The negative path is always easier but the easy path is rarely the right one.

Let's see if I can cover some tips on keeping a positive outlook on everything, it's not all that hard.

Wanting It


First you have to want to be positive, which probably won't be so hard for most, but can be for some.

When it came to me, I considered my cynicism to be "realism". I just though I was just being honest about the world around me and didn't see any reason to think otherwise. Needless to say this wasn't much of a way to think and didn't get me very far.

Eventually I realized that a big reason life wasn't going exactly as I wanted it was because of this attitude.

When you're negative about everything you miss out on a lot more than you realize until you change your point of view on the world.

The Small Things


Looking at the small things, no matter how little their impact on the world and being able to appreciate them can give you a great new perspective on the world.

Nature is a great way to try this out, whether you're in the deep wilderness or your back yard you can put this mindset to practice.

Look at the small stuff, grass, rocks, dirt, sand, leaves, flowers, weeds, animal tracks, mushrooms, anything within arms reach is good enough. Don't take these things at face value, in society these are generally worthless on a monetary level.

Focus on the little details that make all of this so magnificent. The grass which is so perfectly designed, each blade having it's own minute details that makes it unique. The small rocks around you, dull lifeless stone, or something ancient from thousands of miles away?

The tree in the distance may be older than your home and home to countless organisms, from birds and bugs down to bacteria.

The world is alive around you, you just have to open your eyes to see it.

Take Your Time


We rush through life, time is on our mind more than our loved ones, at least sometimes, maybe most of the time.

Slowing down can help you appreciate everything a little more. The modern world isn't concerned with taking a break to watch the sun set or to take a minute to just look at the sky and admire the world for a minute.

I don't just mean at the end of the day to try to stop worrying for 30 seconds about the next day, make it part of your day as much as you can. Why do you drive 75, 80, 85 on the highway every day, what's the rush? Take in the ride, never mind the destination, when you get there you get there, and that's when you can worry about it.

Next time you have too much to do on your day off or after work, don't try to find out how to squeeze it all in, find something that can wait, and let it wait.

Will it Matter in 5 Years


This seems to be a fairly popular method that does work pretty well.

People love to stress over the smallest things, from getting cut off while driving to spilled milk. When you feel yourself getting angry or upset, take a deep breath and think, "In 5 years, will this matter? Will I even remember it happened?"

A majority of the time, the answer is no, many of life's problems are small and nothing to worry about. Sure it might feel like a big deal right now, but don't let something that won't change your life worry you too much.

Comments?

Have any other ways to keep a positive outlook on things? Have any stories to share? Leave a comment or shoot me and email I'd love to hear about it!


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