Positivity is not an innate trait but a learned skill and a conscious choice, cultivated through small, consistent actions and a deliberate shift in perspective, even amidst difficulties.
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[Music]
Hi my friend. Wherever you are in the
world, whatever you're caring today, I
just want to say I'm glad you're here.
You know, people often think that being
positive means being cheerful all the
time. Like it's some kind of natural
personality. Either you're born that way
or you're not. But I don't think that's
true. Most of the positive people I
admire. They're not just naturally
upbeat. They've been through things.
They've had hard days, disappointments,
long nights of doubt. But what sets them
apart isn't what they feel. It's what
they choose. They choose to return to
hope. They choose to try again. And they
do it quietly without needing anyone to
notice. I used to think I wasn't a
positive person. If something went
wrong, I would immediately expect more
problems to follow. If someone was rude,
I'd carry that mood the whole day. And
the worst part was I thought I couldn't
change. That this was just who I was.
But I was wrong. Positivity isn't
something you either have or don't have.
It's a skill, a practice, a decision.
And like any skill, you can learn it,
strengthen it, and make it part of your
life gently, one small step at a time.
So, if you're learning English and also
trying to be more positive, I hope
today's episode helps you in both ways.
You'll get listening practice in slow,
clear English, but also something more.
The quiet reminder that you are not
stuck in the mood you woke up in. You're
allowed to change your direction at any
moment. Now, let's begin.
I think one of the biggest
misunderstandings about positive people
is that they never feel sad. But that's
not true. Even the most optimistic
person you know, I promise, has bad
days. They just don't stay there.
Maybe you've seen someone who always
smiles and wondered, "How do they stay
so happy?" But the truth might be they
don't. They simply practice coming back
to a more helpful perspective again and again.
again.
Positivity doesn't mean pretending
everything is fine. It means choosing to
believe that even if things aren't fine
now, they can get better. It's not about
forcing joy. It's about keeping a small
window open in your mind for light to
come in. And sometimes that light
doesn't come from outside. It comes from
you. From your small quiet efforts, from
the way you talk to yourself in the
mirror, from the way you keep showing up
even when no one claps for you, from
your patience.
Let me say something that might surprise
you. You don't have to feel positive to
practice positivity. You just need to do
one small thing. Maybe it's noticing one
good thing in your day. Maybe it's
sending a kind message to a friend.
Maybe it's simply saying to yourself,
"Okay, this moment is hard, but I'm
still here." Those things don't look
dramatic, but they're powerful. They
remind your brain that you're not stuck.
That this moment, like every other
moment, will pass. and something new,
maybe something better, can take its
place. Some days you'll feel more
negative. That's human. That's okay. But
even on those days, you can still ask
yourself, "What's one kind thought I can
give myself today? Not a big one, just
one. You'd be surprised how far one kind
thought can carry you." And here's
something gentle to remember. You don't
have to change your whole life to feel
better. Just change one habit or one
sentence you repeat to yourself or the
way you look out the window and notice
the clouds. That's all part of being
positive. And it's all something you can
practice, not perform. Just practice. So
no matter who you are, shy, serious,
sensitive, you can be a positive person.
Not because you force yourself to smile,
but because you quietly choose to return
to hope. You choose to focus more on
what can go right. Even when part of you
is afraid of what can go wrong, you
choose to treat yourself kindly. And
that alone can change everything. If no
one has told you this today, you don't
have to be cheerful to be a light. You
don't have to be loud to be strong. And
you don't have to be perfect to be
growing. you're already doing better
than you think. What's the first thing
you usually think when you wake up? For
many people, it's something like, "Oh
no, I didn't sleep enough." Or, "I don't
want to do this today." Or even just
nothing. A tired mind reaching for the
phone, letting notifications guide the
mood. But what if that first thought
really mattered? Not because it decides
your entire day, but because it sets the
tone like the first note in a piece of
music. You see, your brain is very open
and sensitive right after waking up.
It's still soft, still quiet, not fully
guarded yet. And in that small window,
the first message you give yourself
becomes the background music for
everything that comes next. If the first
message is negative, stress, dread, self-criticism,
self-criticism,
your whole day feels heavier. But if you
can plant even one gentle thought in
that early space, your mind can carry it
like a soft light through the hours
ahead. This doesn't have to be
complicated. You don't need to recite
long affirmations or write a gratitude
list before breakfast. Sometimes it's
enough to just think something like, "I
can handle today. Let's just take one
small step or even this moment is new.
I'm here." These thoughts aren't magic
spells. They're quiet anchors. I
remember a time when I used to wake up
with anxiety every morning. Even before
opening my eyes, I'd feel my heart
racing, already thinking of everything
that could go wrong. And because that
was my first thought, it shaped my whole
day. I would move through the hours
feeling rushed, tense, and slightly
behind. Then one day, I decided to try
something very small. I placed a sticky
note beside my bed that said, "Start
soft." That was it. And every morning
when I opened my eyes, I'd whisper it,
"Start soft." At first, it didn't do
much, but over time, it created space.
Instead of jumping straight into worry,
I learned to pause, to breathe, to greet
myself kindly like I would greet a
friend. That one shift, just one
sentence, changed how I carried the rest
of the day. Maybe you're in a season
where mornings are difficult. You wake
up tired or alone or overwhelmed.
You might not be able to change
everything right now, but you can change
how you meet the first moment. And
that's powerful.
Here's a question for you. What do you
want your first thought to be? Take a
second. Don't rush to answer. Just
notice what kind of feeling you want to
begin your day with. peace, strength,
gentleness, hope, whatever it is, try
writing a small sentence that gives you
that feeling. Put it by your bed, on
your phone screen, on your mirror,
anywhere you'll see it when you first
open your eyes.
Because the truth is, your first thought
doesn't need to be perfect. It just
needs to point you in a better
direction, like a compass that gently
says, "Let's go this way today. And
here's something even softer to
remember. You don't need to feel ready
to begin. You just need to begin gently.
That's what positivity is made of. Not
big shiny moments, but quiet beginnings,
like a whisper instead of a shout. So,
tomorrow morning when you wake up, try
this. Before you reach for your phone,
before you think about the day ahead,
place one kind thought in your mind.
Just one. Let it sit there for a moment.
Let it be your first light. You might be
surprised by how far it carries you. Let
me ask you something gently. How many
times have you said yes when your heart
whispered no? It's okay if you've lost
count. We all do it. Agree to things we
don't want. Stay in conversations that
drain us. Scroll through social media
even when it's making us feel worse. But
here's a quiet truth we often forget.
Being positive doesn't mean being
available to everything. Sometimes
protecting your energy is the most
positive thing you can do. There's a
kind of strength in choosing what not to
give your attention to. And that's not
selfish. That's wisdom. When I was
younger, I thought being kind meant
always being open. I didn't want to
disappoint anyone. So, I answered every
message, joined every plan, stayed in
every uncomfortable situation just to be
nice. But I didn't realize I was
spending my energy like it was endless.
And by the end of the day, there was
nothing left for me. No wonder I felt
exhausted, even when nothing bad
happened. So one day I started paying
attention. Who do I feel heavier around?
Which habits leave me feeling hollow,
not whole? Where do I always walk away a
little more tired, a little less myself?
That was the beginning of something
powerful. Learning to say no, not with
anger, but with love. Love for my time.
Love for my energy. Love for the kind of
person I want to be. You see, when you
constantly say yes to what drains you,
you end up saying no to what could
actually lift you and protecting your
energy doesn't require dramatic changes.
Sometimes it's as simple as muting a
notification that always stresses you.
Choosing a quiet evening over a loud
one, stopping a thought mids sentence,
and saying, "No, I don't need to go
there again."
Here's something I remind myself often.
Just because something wants your
attention doesn't mean it deserves it.
And the same goes for people. Some
people will always pull your energy down
with their complaints, their drama,
their criticism. You can love them from
a distance. You can wish them well and
still walk away. You don't owe anyone
your peace, but you do owe it to
yourself to protect it. This isn't about
building walls. It's about choosing
gentle boundaries. Like saying, "I care
about you, but I also need to take care
of myself." Or even just saying to
yourself, "This isn't helping me grow
right now, and that's enough reason to
step back." Your energy is like a small
garden. If you give it away to
everything and everyone, there won't be
anything left to grow the things that
truly matter. But when you protect it,
when you water it with rest, boundaries,
and intention, you start to see
something bloom, clarity, confidence,
calm. And here's something even softer.
The people who truly value you will
respect your boundaries. They won't get
angry when you take time for yourself.
They won't guilt you into staying small.
They'll understand because they want you
to feel safe and whole. If someone
punishes you for choosing peace, that's
not love. That's control. And you
deserve better than that. So today, take
a moment to ask yourself, what drains me
quietly, daily, invisibly, what gives me
light, even in small ways?
What's one thing I can step away from
just a little? Even the smallest
boundary is an act of selfrespect. Even
the smallest no can protect your ability
to say a bigger yes to the life you
want. Your energy is precious. Spend it
where your heart feels calm. Protect it
like you would protect something sacred.
Because it is. There's something I want
to share with you. Something simple but
real. Gratitude has saved me more times
than motivation ever could. You see,
motivation comes and goes. Some days you
feel it, some days you don't. But
gratitude, gratitude can live inside you
quietly like a small candle. It doesn't
always burn bright, but it's steady. And
sometimes that's all you need. When
you're trying to be more positive every
day, people often tell you just be
grateful. But let's be honest, sometimes
that can feel like pressure. You're
tired. things aren't going your way and
someone says just be thankful and inside
you might think I know I should be
grateful but right now I don't feel it
that's okay gratitude doesn't mean
forcing joy it means noticing something
good even when everything else feels off
it means catching one small moment and
holding it in your heart like a hand you
can hold on to when When I was going
through a hard season, my mind kept
racing. I'd wake up worried, go to bed
tired, and spend the day trying to fix
everything at once. I felt like life was
rushing past me, like I was living in a
storm. Then one afternoon, I was walking
home after a long day. Nothing big
happened. No breakthrough, no deep
wisdom. But I remember this clearly. I
looked up and saw the sunlight catching
on the leaves of a tree. And for some
reason, I stopped and I just breathed.
That was it. Just one breath, one still
moment. And I thought, "This is
beautiful. I'm still here." That's when
I understood gratitude is not a feeling.
It's a pause. It's a moment where you
say, "Even if things are messy, this one
thing is good." Maybe it's the way your
coffee smells in the morning. Maybe it's
a message from a friend. Maybe it's your
favorite song. Maybe it's the fact that
you're learning English right now. Even
when it's hard that counts. You don't
have to write a long list. Just find one
thing. Say it out loud if you can. Let
it be real. I'm thankful for this
breeze. I'm grateful I have a roof
tonight. I'm glad I kept going even when
I wanted to stop. These aren't big
things, but they change you quietly
because the more you notice small good
things, the more your mind starts
looking for them. And the more you look
for them, the more you realize. They
were always there. You just weren't used
to seeing them. Gratitude helps you
rewrite the story your mind tells you.
Instead of nothing is working, it
becomes some things are still holding me
up. Instead of why me, it becomes I'm
learning something even now. Instead of
I'm behind, it becomes I'm still moving
and that's enough. This shift isn't
loud. It doesn't need applause. But over
time, it builds a kind of strength that
doesn't break easily. And here's
something beautiful. When you practice
gratitude, it's not just your mood that
changes. It's your presence. You begin
to show up differently. You become more
patient, more forgiving, more open. You
start noticing the people around you and
they feel that you become someone who
reminds others of the good. Not because
your life is perfect, but because your
heart sees what matters.
So if you want to be more positive each
day, start small. Pause once. Say thank
you to yourself, to your life, to
something that feels steady. Even if
it's small, that's your superpower. It's
quiet, but it's real. And it's yours to
carry every single day. Let's be honest.
There are days when you just don't feel
like yourself. You wake up heavy. You
feel unmotivated.
Even smiling feels like effort. And on
those days, it's easy to think, "I can't
do anything today. I'm not in the right
mood." But here's something I've
learned. Something that changed the way
I move through hard moments. You don't
have to feel good to do something good.
That means you don't have to be full of
energy to take one small step. You don't
have to be perfectly calm to show
someone kindness. You don't have to be
in the best mood to still make progress.
In fact, some of the kindest, strongest,
most helpful things you'll ever do will
happen on the days you feel like you
have nothing to give. I've had mornings
where I felt so low that I didn't want
to do anything. But I told myself, just
one thing, Jenny, just one small thing
that moves you forward.
Sometimes that one thing was as simple
as replying to a listener's comment or
cleaning my desk or recording one short
voice note even when I wasn't sure it
sounded good. And here's what's
surprising. Doing that one good thing
shifted my entire day. Not because it
fixed everything, but because it
reminded me I still have a choice. You
see, we often wait to feel better before
we do better. But sometimes it's the
other way around. You do, and then you
start to feel a little lighter. It could
be anything. Making your bed, drinking a
glass of water, sending a kind text,
saying thank you out loud to the air.
Even these small actions have power.
They say to your brain, "We're not
giving up today. We're still here. We're
still trying." And maybe that's the most
positive thing you can do. Not force
yourself to feel joy, but create a
little space for it to return. Because
here's something no one teaches us. Your
actions don't have to match your
emotions. You can feel tired and still
be gentle. You can feel sad and still
speak with kindness. You can feel low
and still offer something meaningful to
someone else. In fact, some of the most
beautiful words you'll ever say might
come from a heart that's still healing.
That's not fake. That's real. That's
strength. And here's the other gift of
doing good on low days. It helps you
reconnect with who you are. Not just how
you feel. Your mood will rise and fall,
but your values, your kindness, your
effort, your quiet courage can stay
steady if you let them guide you. So the
next time you wake up and think, I don't
feel good today, try asking a different
question. What's one small thing I can
do today that matters? Even just a
little. Not for applause, not to impress
anyone. Just because your heart is still
strong enough to offer something real,
even the smallest act when done with
love is a seed that grows something
beautiful. And you never know who's
watching. Sometimes someone else is
having a hard day, too. And your one
kind action becomes the light they
needed. So no, you don't have to wait
until everything feels perfect. You
don't have to wait until you feel
positive enough. Just begin with
something small, something honest,
something gentle. That is more than
enough. That is what positivity looks
like. Take a deep breath. You made it
all the way here. Not just through this
episode, but through another day of your
life. That matters. Maybe you're not
where you want to be yet. Maybe your
heart is still learning how to stay soft
in a loud world. But even in this
moment, something inside you is growing.
Positivity isn't about being cheerful
every second. It's about returning to
hope again and again. It's about
choosing light even when shadows still
touch your thoughts. And the fact that
you're here listening, reflecting,
practicing English, and learning to care
for your mind is something to be proud
of. You're showing up for yourself
quietly and that is powerful. So tonight
or tomorrow morning or whenever you find
yourself slipping into doubt, just
remember you don't have to do
everything. You don't have to fix your
whole life. You just need one soft step,
one calm breath, one kind thought. I'm
proud of you for being here and I hope
this little corner of calm has helped
you carry something lighter into your
day. You're not alone in this and you're
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