We all know people that view the world through different lenses. Some see the positive side in everything, others see the negative. While some of that is due to circumstance (you lost a job, lost a spouse, etc), most of it is just a choice.
Kevin Kelly suggests in his latest book that you should “choose not to be outraged today“. It sounds simple, but we all know people that make a specific choice to find reasons to be outraged and there is a difference between fighting for what you believe in versus constantly searching for some reason to be outraged.
In a recent interview on Tim Ferriss’ podcast, Seth Godin expanded on this idea a bit:
“The world is going to be whatever the world is. Approaching it with a positive, energetic attitude probably will make your experience of the world better than girding yourself by being a pessimist and maybe getting what you’re hoping for.”
It’s easy to slip into despair if you watch the news too much, even if the world is safer than it’s ever been. As Hans Roling shared in “Factfulness“:
“here’s the paradox: the image of a dangerous world has never been broadcast more effectively than it is now, while the world has never been less violent and more safe.”
It’s your choice. Do you really want to be outraged today? You can, but that’s a decision for you to make and I encourage you to seek the good instead.
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