Is Life Black and White?
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Life is not just black and white.
Our lives are not lived in the extremes of either/or. Life is lived in the greys and colors between the black and white of the extremes.
Society wants us to use these extremes because they appear easy to relate to. Black and white, fat and thin, short and tall, rich and poor, and so forth. These absolutes feel as if they are simpler than that which falls between them.
Yet the vast majority of our world falls between extremes. People are far more complex than the polar opposite absolutes that we often employ to define the world we live in.
So why do we think the extremes are so important? I suspect that this is because it is far easier to understand them. The black and white of good versus evil, chaos versus order, love versus hate, and fear versus courage are easier to comprehend than the ambiguous spaces between them.
Because we live in a fear-based society, where those in power frequently strive to disempower us, it is super-important that we recognize what we can control.
Simply, we can control what we think, how we feel, and how we act. That’s the entire list.
It may not seem like much, but those three things can consciously create reality. When we take control of our thoughts, recognize and work on how we are feeling, and intentionally act based on that, we empower ourselves. When we are empowered, we can better ignore the black and white extremes presented to us, and live between them.
Recognizing that the extremes are drastic, we can better work on ourselves to simply be. Working on our own lives is not selfish, because it provides us with more to give.
The absolutes of black and white are exaggerated
When we recognize this for the fact that it is, we can more easily embrace the colors and greys between the absolutes. All too frequently these polar opposites are used to divide us further; but we can choose to ignore them. We can choose to empower ourselves to be the best selves we can be.
When we are mindful and aware of ourselves, we do not become selfish. In fact, we become stronger, better able to see bias and the extremes. From there we can work to be more for ourselves, which then opens us up to be able to give more of ourselves. This opens us to more sympathy, kindness, empathy, and doing better things for ourselves and those around us.
But this is a choice. We need to choose to reject the black and white extremes, and embrace the ambiguities between them. It is up to each of us to recognize the fallacies of these polar opposites, reject them, and embrace the differences between us, rather than further the divides that they create. In this way, you and I can better not only ourselves, but the world in which we live.
New Year, new choices, new opportunities. What amazing options do you want to experience in this time of rejuvenation and renewal?
Finding positivity is not hard, but it does require action.
Knowing that the black and white opposites are excessive, unrealistic ideas for how people live, we can choose to disregard them and embrace the mysterious and unexpected that most of us truly live. When we stop trying to live by these extremes, and embrace the broader possibilities between them, we become open to more kindness, empathy, joy; as such, ultimately we empower ourselves. When we feel empowered, we become more aware and mindful, and tend to spread that feeling to others around us. As such, we can build more positive feelings.
We can use the positive feelings this generates to dissolve negative feelings. When we eradicate negative feelings, we open up space to let in more positive feelings, and that is something we can be grateful for.
Gratitude leads to happiness. Happiness is the ultimate positive attitude. An attitude of gratitude is a positive attitude that begets even more good energies, and that is always worthwhile.
This is the two-hundred and fifty-sixth entry of my Positivity series. It is my hope these weekly messages might help spread positive energies for everyone. Feel free to share, re-blog and spread the positivity.
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