I would never tell anyone who is suffering to “just think positive”. When I advocate positive thinking that kind of toxic positivity isn’t what I mean. Positive thinking, in the way I use it, isn’t about thinking happy thoughts that deny reality. It is about accepting reality as it is then choosing to focus my thoughts on possible solutions and positive aspects rather than dwell for long on troubling issues.

For instance, I believe that a person cannot attract abundance into their lives while focusing on lack. This doesn’t mean I want anyone to deny their current situation and live outside of their means. If one is living in poverty, that is where they are and trying to think rich thoughts isn’t going to magically fill their bank account. However, it is impossible to attract money by focusing on not having any. The focus must be on what you already have and what you want to achieve.

Even with an empty bank account, abundance can still show up in one’s life. There are ways to build authentic positivity around the subject of abundance to attract more to us without denying reality. Where is it already showing up for us, even if only in small ways? Where can gratitude be focused right now? Where can hope for more abundance found? How would it feel to have it? What action steps can be taken to invite more abundance?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary has definitions for authentic as being worthy of acceptance and belief as conforming to or based on fact, and for positivity as indicating, relating to, or characterized by affirmation, addition, inclusion, or presence rather than negation, withholding, or absence. I think it would be fair to define authentic positivity as an affirmative consciousness of the truth of potential for good limited only by our ability to accept and believe in it.