Are you positive or negative?

In my current, and seemingly perpetual, quest for self improvement I came across a book called Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions for Transforming fatigue, Stress & Fear Into Vibrance, Strength & Love (Judith Orloff, MD).

I've only glanced through it but I did find this one passage where she defines positive people.

positive People(Persons) Are:
  • Committed to developing compassion toward themselves and others, and having an open heart
  • Courageous about following their dreams
  • Authentic; they believe in themselves, even when the world is crumbling around them
  • Aware of their dark side and are trying to heal it
  • Willing to learn from their mistakes
Positive People(Persons) Aren't:
  • Obsessed with seeming perfect or positive all the time
  • Beating themselves to a pulp over their shortcomings or floundering in a black hole of pessimism
  • Constantly mired in fear or tolerant of letting their hearts harden
  • Squeaky-clean do-gooders who neglect their own well-being
  • Saccharine pleasers who ignore their dark side and unconsciously act it out at the expense of others
Now I'm sure most of us are a mixture, or, at the least, not all points apply all the time. I know I am trying very hard to be aware of my dark side which can sometimes include, "beating themselves(myself) to a pulp over their shortcomings or floundering in a black hole of pessimism," and heal it.

She speaks about "Energy Vampires" a lot, which seem to be people, places and situations that zap your energy, replacing your positive with negative.

I am still learning.

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