PsychCentral - Is Being Positive Hardwired?

For some, staying positive is an impossible task as negative thoughts continue to creep back into their consciousness. Conversely, some people are perpetually optimistic with never a day of despair.

New research may provide an explanation of this paradoxical behavior as researchers discover both the ability to stay positive when times get tough — and, conversely, of being negative — may have genetic roots.

A study led by Michigan State University psychologist Dr. Jason Moser is the first to provide biological evidence suggesting there are positive and negative thinkers.

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I know my sis has optimism hard wired in. She IS an unshakable optimist.

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I try my hardest to be positive. Sometimes, it comes easy. Sometimes it’s a fight. But I try to always have the mindset that everything works out for the best.

Blessings,

Anthony

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Anthony,I been trying my best to be positive of late,I think it’s been going ok,I am always been a negative person,I now try my very best to be positive

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Impossible to be positive.

I’m a positive/negative mix. I have some belief systems that are very negative because I feel that is the most accurate view of reality. About my personal situation I lean towards the positive. I’m grateful for what I have.

I’m all over the place but tending toward the negative.

I see value in remaining positive though. A lot of the time I am just playing positive for the sake of others. But then this tends to lead to genuine positivity though.

I have to say though that being an optimist doesn’t necessarily make you a pleasant person to have known in life. It can mean that you simply look on the bright side rather than “dwell on negatives” such as “who I might be hurting”…sorry words of an always optimistic but cruelly self centered ex girlfriend there.

Standing back and watching my family in a more detached manner… I see that on the whole… they are all a rather positive bunch.

My Mom is highly logical, but she is an optimist. My Dad is very positive, just very subtle about it.

Even my brother who had been fighting off depression… he tries to lean towards the positive when he’s not bit by his black dog.

There is a tarot card of the fool with his binderstiff(?) and a smile on his face, looking dreamily up. .He doesn’t see that he dog at his side looks worried. He’s about to walk off a cliff.

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