Emphasizing the Positive

"Smoking causes cancer."

"An unhealthy diet and lack of exercise can lead to weight gain."

"Wash your hands or risk infection."

We are bombarded with negativity. Advertisements zero in on devastation, consequences, dangers, and risks. I was reading an article on PsyBlog via Stumble Upon called "The Influence of Positive Framing." It pointed out that the belief of advertising agencies is that we are better persuaded by advertisements that reflect consequences and risks. I simply cannot understand this.
Off the the top of my head, I can think of several examples of negativity in my day to day life. The attendances policy on each syllbaus of my five classes states something like this: Excessive absences are not tolerated. This will result in a drastic reduction of your overall grade. Why do professors have to scare us? The syllabus could read: Attending class on a regular basis will help you develop your knowledge of course material. This development in knowledge will be a benefit in improving your overall grade. This shift from fear to encouragement is relatively minor, but shifting our focus from negative to positive in any situation can be beneficial.
In our day to day lives, I think it is critical to emphasize the positive. Society forces us to see the negative. The majority of all news reports focus on war, murder, and scandal. This is something we cannot ignore. However, we must strike a balance. I don't think the media will ever change. News reports and television advertisements will continue to manipulate their success from our malleable minds. It is up to us as individuals to balance this out by personal motivation.

The Negative

"I'm sleep deprived and stressed."

The Positive
"As soon as I get through this stressful time, I will allow myself a relaxing break."

The Negative:

"This workout is making me too tired. I can't do it anymore."

The Positive:
"By working out, I am releasing endorphins. I just have to keep going,"

I implore you to emphasize the positive. Even in the simplest of ways.

 Give positivity it a chance.