The ever more annoying trend on social media of people posting and complaining about negativity is worrying.
What goes on social media originates in someones head, it's representative of what that person actually believes.
Many of the folk being negative about negativity fall into the "Positive Thinking" category
A mindset that is built on the most fragile and rockiest of foundations.
[is "rockiest" a real word? Rock, Rocky, Rockier, Rockiest.....]
Positive Thinking is like going up the mountains without a Map & Compass, or telling anyone before hand where you'll be.
Positive Thinking is like never warming up before lifting
Positive Thinking is hoping for the best.
But that's only half the story.
While we do hope for the best, we must also prepare for the worst.
So before hitting the mountains, we check the weather, we carry food, we ensure our phone is charged.
Before lifting, we do joint mobility, we get the blood flowing
We think positively but not naively .
We hope for the best but prepare for the worst.
This isn't merely positive thinking, this is Positive Mental Attitude.
So when you do get caught by a sudden storm in the mountains, or you wreck an ankle, you have thought about it, you know how to find shelter, you have food and water to see you though a potential extended stay, your people know that you're there and can call for help if you are gone too long. This means you can genuinely enjoy your hike, safe in the knowledge that you are prepped for the worst.
You approach a kettlebell or barbell ready to lift with the knowledge that you're not likely to be caught out by the load because you've primed the nervous system, that it not going to slip out your hands because you dried them on a towel or used chalk, that you're less likely to pull a muscle because you're well warmed and have dialled in technique.
It means that when Murphy's Law raises it's inevitable head, you're as ready as possible and won't be caught by surprise with complaining as your only option
screenshot from Wikipedia
Accepting and analyzing negativity is a useful tool. Not only can it help you out when things go wrong,
It holds a mirror to your world view and challenges your way of thinking. The more you challenge your way of thinking, the more confident you can be that you are right.
Just like we challenge our legs and lungs with Swings and Squats so we k now they'll carry us up a mountain or across the goal line, sidestepping opposition. We challenge our mindset, our attitudes, our opinions so that they are robust enough to sidestep that opposition.
Let's not complain about negativity, lets use it as a tool for strength and conditioning of our own mindset.
Regards
Dave Hedges
Dave
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