Let's put the kind back in Mankind

Everyone knows that being positive, has a good influence on people around us. But being positive and a good person isn't a quality that everyone of us has. This can be due to bad things happening in a person's life, trauma's or continual being influenced in a negative way. And this is exactly what the World seems to be doing in these times of uncertainty. Crises seem to be pounding on the world constantly and obviously have a negative effect on the mental state of people. "Positivity is the practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude" and this positivity needs to be practiced in order to become optimistic again. How can positivity help people in becoming a good person and how can one's emotional control with actions help us and others surrounding us? 

Table of contents

Having a positive vibe

How can equanimity help?

How do you react to an angry person?

Being in control of yourself

Mankind doesn't seem to be nice anymore and has lost the kind part. Being positive and kind to others is the main ingredients for humans to be able to live in peace together. It is necessary for all humans on Earth to be able to live together. How can  you personally change for a better future and how can you do it better for yourself and your surrounding by being nice, thinking good, talking good and doing good?

Having a positive vibe

Positiveness works like a dimple caused by a stone thrown in water. If you are positive, kind and fair, then this vibe has a positive influence on the people surrounding you. Then these people also get more positive resulting in a spreading of kindness. Obviously this is easier said than done as the World seems to be in a continual state of negativeness. And that is exactly what we need to change. Being kind is the essential being of humans, but many seem to have forgotten this part of the word mankind. Without the kind part there only remains man and that is something that we must prevent at all cost, by being gentle, kind and having friendliness with everyone around us in every situation.

"You can actually see or feel your emotional state come and go, as your mind and body tries to react on a specific situation".

Being a good person

If you want to be a good person, then you need to be consistent with how you react and what you do. The basic with this would be: thinking good, talking good and doing good. 

Thinking good

The best way to react on a situation is by thinking before reacting. If you have thought about a situation then in most cases you don't do anything which you shouldn't. Just thinking for five or more seconds can give you the wisdom to do the correct thing. Impulse reactions on situations can result in doing the wrong thing and thus it is better to think before doing (this also goes for split-second decisions such as in dangerous situations, but most often our instinct jumps into action). 

Talking good

"Words are more powerful than a sword".  Anything that you say, can have a positive or a negative effect on others. With this it is especially wise to remember that you do not know, what others are going through. What you say can actually make or break someone for that day, but what you say can also change how others think as well. So you can change someone's thinking by what you are saying. As words can be a very powerful tool in specific circumstances, then you must know how to use your words and understand completely the message that you try say. Talking good can make someone's day, but talking bad can brake it which potentially can have devastating consequences. For this reason you should speak clearly and positively with all that you encounter or meet everyday.

Doing good

Thinking good and talking good will lead to doing good as well. What we say and do reflects on who we are as a person. But in many cases just words aren't enough. Like politicians who say or promise something but do the opposite instead. This means that words need to be followed with actions. If something is said or promised but you don't do anything about it, then those words have been in vain. So doing good means acting good, but it also means learning from your mistakes. You are just human and can make mistakes, but if a wrong mistake is repeated constantly then that would mean a concrete decision to do so. You must and can make mistakes, so that you learn from it and thus don't repeat the mistake again. That is the only way to become a good person. When you understand how to do good, then you see opportunities in every daily life to do so.

"As your positiveness comes in a natural way, then this will reflect automatically in your actions as well".

How can equanimity help?

The way people react to others mainly depends on the person's emotional state. People have many kinds of emotions such as trust, joy, anticipation, anger, disgust, sadness, surprise or fear. From these emotional states a person can react on a person accordingly. But if you have control over these emotional states or are aware that you are influenced by these states, then you can do something about it. A useful method to cope with your emotional state is controlling it with equanimity. This is "a mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation". It means that you try to stay focused during any of your emotional states. You can actually see or feel your emotional state come and go, as your mind and body tries to react on a specific situation. If you have this control then you can remain positive as emotions can come and go, without interfering with your state of mind.

How do you react to an angry person?

Most common reaction is being angry or having an emotional state resulting in anger. As someone is angry, it means that they do not have control over their own emotions. A thing that you should remember is that you shouldn't try to convince or argue with someone who is in this emotional state as they will not listen to reason. So the focus when you are confronted with an angry person (such as an angry customer) should be on listening and showing understanding in order for them to drain their anger. If you show in that state that you are trying to help them, then their anger will go away or get less. While listening you can try to think of a solution for their current problem. If you are in a relationship and your partner is angry, then the most effective way is to just be quiet without being judgemental. Things said during an angry state in most cases weren't meant like that, and thus shouldn't be taken seriously. Just let it be and it will pass quickly for sure. Do not get into their emotional state, which obviously will worsen the situation. Remaining neutral is essential in order for others to drain their anger, whilst you shouldn't take it personally. You can compare this with water and fire. If one has a temper like fire but the other remains like water, then the fire will be drained away aka will be put out. When this situation re-occurs regularly, then the intensity of it will reduce and gradually the frequency of their emotional state will reduce as well.

Being in control of yourself

The best way to be positive is to have control of your emotions and emotional state. If you can distance yourself from the emotions, then you can see them come and go. It gives you freedom to make decisions and take actions without being interfered or lead by emotions. This also gives you the opportunity to take action as a good person. Thinking, talking and doing good are a simple consequence of your positive mental state. With this comes the responsibility in acting good as well, but as your positiveness comes in a natural way, then this will reflect automatically in your actions as well. As you are positive and act like it, then this will have a positive effect on others around you and so being a positive person can have a dimpling effect resulting in others surrounding you getting positive as well. Let's make the World positive again by being a good person!