When something we perceive as negative occurs, we notice it. We notice it more than when something positive happens. Many studies show that we will look at something negative for longer than something positive. You just have to drive past an accident to realise this. We notice all the red lights and bad driving out on the road more than we notice the green lights and polite driving. Negative and extreme content goes viral more than positive content. I think there’s a connection between this and our deteriorating mental health.

When we perceive the events of theworld as mostly positive and occasionally negative, we are actually blunting the positive and exaggerating the negative

For a long time now, we humans have become obsessed with a ‘positive attitude.’ We want the world to run smoothly, we want to believe that theworld is a positive place to be. We want to believe that our lives have been mostly happy rather than mostly miserable. We have convinced ourselves of this so that we can make living more bearable, but what if this mindset is having the opposite effect? What if by convincing ourselves that the world is mostly pleasant we are actually making the suffering worse? When we perceive the events of the world as mostly positive and occasionally negative, we are actually blunting the positive and exaggerating the negative. If theworld is mostly positive then the negative will always surprise and aggravate us. If the world is mostly negative, the positive will surprise and excite us. If we expect red lights, the green ones will be so much sweeter. We have come to expect pleasure at every turn. So much so that even a minute level of suffering stops us in our tracks.

We must therefore come to accept that the world is mostly a sufferable place to be. People will anger and upset you. The world will not revolve around you. An optimal life does not involve pleasure at every turn. It is thevoluntary bearing of suffering. When pleasure arises out of suffering, it will be all the more meaningful.

Keep On Struggling

Gregor

Podcast Episode I Enjoyed - James Clear on The Tim Ferriss Show

James Clear is the author of the mega-best selling book Atomic Habits, which I’ve recommended in this newsletter. By using various strategies and techniques such as showing up, curating your environment to make positive habits inevitable and curating your environment to make negative habits unlikely Clear has written the definitive guide to mastering the art of habit-forming. This conversation with best-selling author, entrepreneur and productivity guru Tim Ferriss is a great addition to the book and worthy of a listen.

Greens Supplement I’m Enjoying - Thrive Multi-Nutrient Greens by Vivo Live

This is “a nutrient dense greens drink to support energy, brain and immune functions” (2). This is packed full of vitamins, nutrients and live cultures. I add a scoop to my morning protein shakes. It mixes well and tastes great.

Quote to Ponder

Knowledge is the beginning of practice; doing is the completion of knowing - Wang Yangming

References

1) Image Credit - Rawpixel

2) Image Credit & Quote - Vivo Life