If you have been “on the path” since the ‘70’s, doing affirmations, taking self-help courses, visioning or positive thinking your way out of all negative situations life has to offer, and are the first on your block to buy the latest “New Age” bestseller, I ask, “So, how’s that been going for you?”
I say this as your fellow traveler on the path to enlightenment, my first millions, or both, by about 1984. However, though I am not a full-blown “positive thinker,” I am also not giving up completely on getting everything I want and having all my dreams manifest or or on creating a better world for my yet unborn grandchildren.
I have done some deep thinking about the “positive affirmations” issue. Simply stated, I’ve been on the wrong track, trying to welcome success into my life with full-blown positivity, passion, and optimism, ignoring my true nature as a non-enthusiast. Let me explain. When my well-meaning friends in valiant attempts to advise me, ask, Well, what are you excited about, where’s your passion, I freeze.
I mean, the things that excite me don’t normally bring about self-actualization or an inflated bank account. For example, I’m excited about brewing a perfect cup of tea, but don’t have the business chops to start a chain of tea salons or fancy brews to rival Starbuck’s. And I’m passionate about clean floors. Give me a mop and some lavendar-scented, environmentally-friendly cleaning product after a long day trying to find my Passion Muse, and I’m happy to mop about the apartment.
I have nothing against excessively positive people. In fact, I’ve been married to one for over 35 years. What I have come to realize is that, just as there are glass half-empty and glass half-full people, there are people who will do what they love and succeed at it and there are people who will do what they can stand to do and grow to love it, or at least, like it more than anything else.