You are currently viewing A Perspective that Works

By: April Ann Brillantes

Are you annoyed of having negative thoughts? Constantly thinking that something might go wrong? Scared that someone might see your flaws and imperfections?  

We usually tend to drown ourselves with overthinking and worries(not because we want it, but because of the things we feel and experiences that hurt us).  It’s not a bad thing to have these negativities in our lives, since it will mold us as mindful and truthful people.

 Students, particularly in AISAT, need to meet the goals and purposes of their lives. But what if we fail? Can we still get up and do something better? If a human being thinks negatively, it will drastically affect his goals, his physical health, and his emotional and mental state. These negative thoughts develop more since our mind will be fogged  with hopelessness. It’s more alarming if it will become a habit and worse, an attitude. 

Moreover, we’re also having these negative thoughts because of the people around us. This phenomenon is called the Pygmalion Effect which states that the expectation of people around us will affect our performance. This effect is not completely negative. However, if we associate such expectation to people negatively, it affects our day to day dealings and we eventually build emotional and mental walls against them or worse, against ourselves. John Maxwell thoroughly explained this in his book, “The Winning Attitude”  where he explained this through a cycle chart under the chapter he titled “The Choice Within You”. 

This chart shows that true enough, negativity begets negativity. It is solely our responsibility up to what level of negativity do we want our being to get affected.On the other hand, we also have the choice to be positive where we approach circumstances and hard situations with a an affirmative attitude. That even though there are tall mountains that hinder us from reaching our dreams,  we think of it as an opportunity instead and look for more possible good outcomes.With this mindset, our works will reflect and show the success we dream of. Having these kinds of thoughts does not happen in a snap of a finger. We need a support system that can help us be better, one day at a time. 

We are who we think we are —Charles Horton Cooley, an American Sociologist, popularised this concept in his theory on looking glass self. I believe this too that’s why I chose to become the kind of artist that I am right now. Nonetheless, there is so much  ahead of me that I am yet to unravel every day. Wherever you and  I will be, it will always be a combination of perspectives that give birth to choices that create our  being, yes, that persona whom we hopefully become.