| NEGATIVE NELLY OR POLLYANNA |
| Copyright © 2004-2010 Dancing Bulls Advertising All rights reserved. Used by permission. |
| JoyUs Musing Edition #10-18 |
Pollyanna Whittier is the child heroine of U.S. novelist Eleanor Hodgman Porter's "Pollyanna". Most of us read the
book or saw the movie version. Pollyanna was a very positive young girl, always looking at the bright side of life.
Merriam-Webster dictionary states that a Pollyanna personality is:
"One who finds cause for gladness in the most difficult situations," or "a person characterized by irrepressible
optimism and a tendency to find good in everything."
On the other hand, a Negative Nelly (Negative Nancy, Debbie Downer) is described as "Someone who commonly
looks at the bad side of things, whines or complains (e.g., about how tough life is), or is constantly a downer and
has a negative influence on others" (urbandictionary.com).
Do you know that like a computer, we are what we are based on input? A computer will only do what it has been
programmed to do. A computer will not suddenly decide to do something it has not been programmed to do -
such as go in and wash our dishes.
As humans, we are the same. Our subconscious will direct us what to do through programming. We are
creatures of habit and a habit has been programmed into us. Most of the time, we do our own programming;
sometimes our parents did it, sometimes other outside influences.
A simple example is that most of us have been programmed to brush our teeth every morning. That is a habit we
do almost without thought. There are others, such as the Pollyanna attitude I mentioned above.
You choose to be a Negative Nelly who thinks, believes and reacts negatively or a Pollyanna who thinks, believes
and reacts positively, both based solely on input.
If we consistently hear the television newscasters, read newspapers, check out internet new services, and feed on
the biased negative information there, we will believe the world is falling apart and we have to participate in that.
On the other hand, if we consistently read the Word of God, listen to faith-based teaching, and feed on the biased
positive information there, we will KNOW we do not have to participate in what is happening in the world. We will
know God always wants us to live joyful, happy lives full of peace, and expects us to live in divine health and
prosperity.
Never underestimate the power of these simple words by Jesus, "according to your faith, be it unto you."
Personally, I'd rather be considered a Pollyanna (based on God's Word) than a Negative Nelly (based on the
world's word).
Who are you? Choose what you program yourself with, the world or God's Word.
Sharing the goodness of God:
Musing Copyright © 2010 Nan C Loyd
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
