Episode 113: Presumptions of Positivity

Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.
— Willie Nelson
If you have a positive attitude and constantly strive to give your best effort, eventually you will overcome your immediate problems and find you are ready for greater challenges.
— Pat Riley
A strong, positive self-image is the best possible preparation for success.
— Joyce Brothers

Especially in times like these, when media and general news seem to be filled with purely negative updates and stories, remaining positive is especially challenging. Science has shown that we have a predisposition to remember negative events more clearly and as the saying goes "misery loves company". Given the ephemeral and rare nature of true positivity, what do we presume of those around us who bear the trait? This week, Leland Holcomb returns to the show to discuss his perspectives on how we judge or analyze positivity in others. Do we allow it to influence or bolster our own? Do we resent those who can manage happiness when we struggle to? How can we correct a "grass is always greener" mentality to understand that happiness and positivity take work and are not a perpetual state for others?