The power of positivity is back. It has always been the driving force of our lives, but in the flower power movement of the 60s and 70s, it became a weapon against bourgeois discontent, skepticism, and fear of change. Everything became colorful, vibrant, joyful, open, courageous, and progressive. People encouraged each other and embarked on new journeys. Marriage, education, homosexuality, love, participation, women’s rights—everything was reconsidered and redefined.

However, this power of positivity has always existed, both before and after, for millennia. It has always been the positive thinkers who have propelled the world forward. Without them, we would still be living in caves. And in times when this power is particularly needed, positive thinking becomes especially noticeable. It asserts its presence and mobilizes people.

That time is now. In an era where thousands of media outlets, hundreds of individuals in forums, and countless friends on Facebook & Co. tend to emphasize the negative, one can easily be overwhelmed by a mega-cocktail of gossip if not careful. The good news is: we have already responded to it. Positively. By being positive even on the internet. By navigating the online world with an eye on what propels us forward, without ignoring the negative realities, but putting them in their place. We realize that the shocking news, posts, and conversations represent only a tiny fraction of the overall world events. And we discover daily: the positive always invites us. It is always present, always tangible, always ready for us. We are designed to think positively. The entire evolution was and is positive. The development of all species could only occur through positive turns, strategies, and paths. You are here because your parents approached each other positively. And when we truly live this knowledge about the power of positivity, we are always rewarded.

It all begins with our consciousness. The most important partner of positive thinking is a conscious approach to our everyday life and ourselves. Being vigilant for the moments, and being vigilant in every moment, while consciously observing and perceiving it, is the basic formula. We must internalize that there is no hierarchy of positivity. Not only the supposedly big things count. The promotion, the successful exam, and the victory in sports are positive experiences, but so is the simple act of getting up in the morning and greeting the day. They are everywhere. We are made of them. Every one of our trillions of cells emits a positive signal. Directing our gaze outward, with these signals inside us, perceiving and honoring the beauty of life in even the smallest things, is the key. Discovering this positive power in our lives, even in negative situations, opens up spaces.

Two of the most famous German advertising gurus, who achieved worldwide triumph with their agency from Frankfurt, Michael Conrad and Walter Lürzer, coined a phrase in their founding years that can be applied to almost every situation in life. Whenever they experienced something negative, for example, after a not-so-good client meeting or a lost presentation, they looked at each other and said, “Who knows what it’s good for!” Perhaps their mistake in the meeting will make them better in the future, or perhaps the budget would have brought too much work and too little profit had they won. There is a good reason for the good. But there are also good reasons for the negative. Positive elements are present in everything and can influence everything. It starts with partnership.

I could scan my partner, the person I love and share my life with, mainly for his faults and shortcomings. I could constantly demand that he tidy up and get annoyed about his messiness. But I could also take a fundamentally positive step, focus on all the wonderful sides of my partner, and tell myself: Messiness is part of him, just like all the other wonderful qualities. I could stop pressing buttons he doesn’t even have. With my car, I know and accept that it doesn’t have a sunroof, and I don’t search for the switch every time I get in.

Seeing and pressing the buttons life offers. Recognizing, seeing, and welcoming the positive in all areas. The fact that there is still milk for coffee in the morning is already positive. The little bird at the window is positive. The cool water on my face in the bathroom is a piece of my positive world. This world can only emerge and develop strength when I perceive and honor it in these small things. This makes me strong for moments when it really matters.

Decisions in the profession that can influence the future of the company, the team, and possibly many employees are such moments. I could focus on all the risks of this decision, which is completely legitimate. Or I could focus on the opportunities, include mindfulness of all the risks, and even make them a team player in my decision. Taking risk mindfulness as grounding and a protector on the future path chosen out of positive drive.

It’s fantastic to feel how this works in all areas. And it’s instructive to be encouraged and confirmed by taking a look at history for it. Everything dear and precious to us in the world would not exist without the power of positivity. No Eiffel Tower, whose builder Gustav Eiffel defended, saved, and protected his positive belief in his work against a thousand resistances, doubters, and circumstances, and erected the wonder of the world in just 26 months. No moon landing without positivism, no penicillin, no heart valve, no ice cream scoops, no car, no wind power, no computer, no bread, no milk. And even super bands in magical concerts in giant arenas only exist because of the incredible positive energy of their fans.

In everything lies the decisive moment when confidence releases power and paths. Many things that make our lives easier and better today involve years of research, years of perseverance, years of not giving up despite setbacks, and a persistent belief in the success of life. Of course, this belief must never become strained or manic. Even positivity must not be overused. It needs breaks and time. Positivism is a companion who needs the nourishment of my perceptions, my respect, and my wise, intuitive way of allowing it to happen in my life, consciously using it again and again.

You are currently reading a post about the power of positivity. That is already positive, even very positive. You have made a positive decision again. And many more will follow on this day. Look forward to it. Look forward to yourself!