The power of positive thinking

(Nimue)

I don’t subscribe to the idea that positive thinking will solve everything. Excessive belief in the power of positive thinking can be really harmful. Unfortunately one of the side-effects of popular but toxic ideas about positivity is that doesn’t allow much scope for nuanced discussion of what a positive mindset can and cannot do.

I’ve been thinking about this of late in relation to my partner’s cancer treatment. There are people who will try to convince you that you can cure cancer with the power of your thoughts. This can put an enormous burden of shame and misery onto people who do not appear to manage it. On top of that, too much faith in your own positive thinking may get in the way of doing things that are necessary – I’ve heard stories to this effect about other people.

One of the things depression does is fills you with apathy. When you are depressed, you see only the bad outcomes and it can be hard to persuade yourself that there’s any point trying. Depression saps energy, steals confidence and undermines hope, and is also often a consequence of those things having happened via external pressures. Basic self care is a lot harder in face of this. Having to really work at self care might be impossible.

I’ve commented before that there’s been a startling amount of work created by Keith’s cancer treatment. There’s a huge amount to do every day to offset the side-effects of radiotherapy. I read up on the side-effects and the interventions early on, and it was clear to me that if you do what you’re told to do, you are going to have a better time of it than if you don’t. We were told at the beginning to expect this would be so bad that Keith would need morphine by the end of it. He’s got into the final week of treatment without using any painkillers.

When you think you can make a difference to the outcomes you are more likely to take positive action. If you don’t believe you can make a difference, you won’t act. If you give up with something the odds are very much against being able to win. I’m a big fan of picking your fights and knowing when to quit, because that’s also essential for success. Some fights you don’t get much choice about,

Positive thinking on it’s own won’t necessarily do anything. If you can hold enough of a positive mindset in order to take meaningful action when you get the opportunity, that might well get things done. If you make the best of things, then regardless of the ultimate outcome, you still get to have had the best you could along the way and that’s worth a lot.

I now from personal experience that being positive is hard as a solo project. It is depressing to struggle alone against issues of any sort. In community and mutual support we can find far more strength and courage. We can lift each other, and help each other stay focused on whatever is most important. Like so many things, positivity needs to be a shared effort for best effect.