Originally written in 2011, minor edits in 2023

  

Positive thinking makes life easier and happier. Norman Vincent Peale has devoted an entire book (The Power of Positive Thinking) to discuss the power of positive thinking. I just want to highlight a few points.

An optimistic attitude or thinking positively in every possible circumstance brings out the best in us and also helps us find the best in others. Positive thinking saves us a lot of trouble and misery. Positive thinking is the source of happiness. Positive thinking is the source of courage and confidence. Positive thinking brings out the brave in us.

There are two ways of looking at the same thing: the optimistic and the pessimistic way. Many examples are popular in this regard. To see the hole or the bread part of doughnut; to call a half full water glass as half-full or half-empty. Either is true and depends on our perception. Shakespeare said “there is nothing good or bad in this world, but thinking makes it so.” Of course, thinking can make a mountain out of a molehill and thinking can find reasons to accept even a hideous crime as a trifle. This simple fact has powerful influences in people’s lives. Look at politics. We interpret even hideous crimes by leaders of our own political party as not-a-big-deal but exaggerate even small mistakes by leaders of opposite political party.