The hardest time to keep a positive attitude is when you’re suffering, whether it be mentally, emotionally, or physically.
It’s hard to think happy thoughts when all you want to do is cry.
It’s tough to believe, have hope, when there’s nothing to there to anchor.
It’s difficult to smile when you’re in pain.
When you’re down, distressed, discouraged by life, it doesn’t seem like a good time to go on and help others when you can’t even help yourself.
But I found out that one way to keep a positive mindset is through the act of helping others.
Some years ago, when I was in my early teens, my family was going through some internal problems. As the eldest child, it was up to me to keep everything together, to serve as mediator and messenger for everyone.
I know that my family members had their own pain and problems, and while I had to stay as the positive, smiling one amidst all the anger and blame, it wasn’t an easy job.
There were times that I wanted to scream, cry, have someone listen to me, but I had to keep it all in. It wasn’t long before my smiling face became just a mask, all negative thoughts hidden from others. When I was alone I’d cry myself to sleep, or stay up until morning thinking about everything that had been going wrong.
While people thought I was doing well, praising me for being mature and responsible, inside I was angry and in emotional pain. Nobody had an idea of the torment I was going through. The only escape I had was through reading, but that only warded off reality for just a little while.
Then, this huge storm swept across my country. It devastated several places and put them in a state of calamity.
Everyone was in shock, thousands died, some people disappeared without bodies to be found. People in the disaster areas were without shelter and had very little in terms of food.
As a way to assist the victims, it was decided that relief goods were to be sent to the place where the storm struck the hardest. So everyone chipped in, donating money to buy food to be sent, clothes, much needed items for sanitation, these were being packed to be sent.
Of course, we also went to volunteer in packing the items to be transported. The clothes needed to be separated, the food needed to be distributed into individual plastic bags, some toys were set aside for kids that were survived the disaster.
As we were nearing the end of our work, something dawned on me.
For the past few months, I rarely gave a sincere smile, rarely felt happy and energetic in accomplishing tasks, but at that moment I was happily doing my best in helping.
My mind wasn’t concentrated on the problems that I was going through but was set on doing my best so that I can be of assistance to others. It was then that I realized that the act of helping others, of thinking of someone other than yourself, changes the way you think and gives you a feeling of joy.
So I smiled, and decided I would do my best to be someone who could lighten the burden others.
It helped me heal, and taught me to look upon my problems in a different manners, to change my perspective, to not indulge or wallow in my pain but to reach out and give help where it’s needed.
When you’re having a hard time dealing with something and your positivity goes down the drain, take a break.
Step back from your problems, and breathe.
Look around. Look for people who need help, who are going through their own difficulties, and think of ways to lessen their burdens.
You can do anything, big or small.
A sincere smile, some words of comfort, a hug or two, a shoulder to cry on, a cart full of groceries, anything that you do, do it.
You’ll be surprised, a year or a couple down the road, you’ll meet people you’ve helped and you’ll realize that what you did for them meant a lot.
Maybe doing things for others won’t solve your problems, but it will transform the way you think, give you a sense of accomplishment and happiness that you can get through helping others.
Your positivity will take rise, because you yourself know, through your own actions that the world isn’t as dreary or hopeless as you thought it was. And in this way, you also leave others in the same positive mindset because they know that there are people out there who care and are willing to give a hand to those who need it.
Before I finish, I’d like to share one of my favorite poems, one that helps me when I lose my way at times. It’s by Eva Rose York entitled, "I Shall Not Pass this Way Again".
I shall not pass this way again—
Although it bordered be with flowers,
Although I rest in fragrant bowers,
And hear the singing
Of song-birds winging
To highest heaven their gladsome flight;
Though moons are full and stars are bright,
And winds and waves are softly sighing,
While leafy trees make low replying;
Though voices clear in joyous strain
Repeat a jubilant refrain;
Though rising suns their radiance throw
On summer’s green and winter’s snow,
In such rare splendor that my heart
Would ache from scenes like these to part;
Though beauties heighten,
And life-lights brighten,
And joys proceed from every pain,—
I shall not pass this way again.
Then let me pluck the flowers that blow,
And let me listen as I go
To music rare
That fills the air;
And let hereafter
Songs and laughter
Fill every pause along the way;
And to my spirit let me say:
“O soul, be happy; soon ’tis trod,
The path made thus for thee by God.
Be happy, thou, and bless His name
By whom such marvellous beauty came.”
And let no chance by me be lost
To kindness show at any cost.
I shall not pass this way again.
Then let me now relieve some pain,
Remove some barrier from the road,
Or brighten someone’s heavy load;
A helping hand to this one lend,
Then turn some other to befriend.
O God, forgive
That I now live
As if I might, sometime, return
To bless the weary ones that yearn
For help and comfort every day,—
For there be such along the way.
O God, forgive that I have seen
The beauty only, have not been
Awake to sorrow such as this;
That I have drunk the cup of bliss
Remembering not that those there be
Who drink the dregs of misery.
I love the beauty of the scene,
Would roam again o’er fields so green;
But since I may not, let me spend
My strength for others to the end,—
For those who tread on rock and stone,
And bear their burdens all alone,
Who loiter not in leafy bowers,
Nor hear the birds nor pluck the flowers.
A larger kindness give to me,
A deeper love and sympathy;
Then, O, one day
May someone say—
Remembering a lessened pain—
“Would she could pass this way again.”
In our journey through life, let's help others not only because it will help ourselves, but also so that we can leave trails of light through the path that we walk.
Photo Credits : Pixabay
First entry to Power of Positivity Contest, done! Thanks to 
MatchaGirl