Is positive thinking actually just denial dressed up?

Question:When we are told to think positivly does that mean we are being encouraged to ignore the facts or reality in order to make ourselves and others feel better?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: When we are told to think positivly does that mean we are being encouraged to ignore the facts or reality in order to make ourselves and others feel better?

You never want to ignore the facts. To think positively is encouragement to push forward against the odds. You have a better chance of succeeding if you don't give up and you believe that you can accomplish the task.

Believe it or not but you can convince your self of just about anything.A mind is a terrible thing to waste.What you Believe you can achieve.

At the physis level, it may be a "he said, she said" back-and-forth. However, with more genuine self-energization, internalization, an affirmation or intention is genuine: note the biofield effects of "positive thinking" on quantum systems at http://www.tiller.org or "Extraordinary Knowing," Dr. Elizabeth Mayer, http://noosphere.princeton.edu for example.

"The Path of the Higher Self," Mark Prophet.

In a way, yes... When someone is dying, we still say: "Everything is going to be alright," even though it probably isn't. False hope--call it what you like--it makes life bearable, at least for me... When life is crap, you've got to delude yourself a bit to cope with reality! Well, that's my opinion.

i love your question. i think it qualifies as a koan in a western kind of way?

it's right up there with the proverbial 'which came first? the chicken or the egg?

In some cases, i would say that positive thinking is more denial than 'positive'. I feel weak if i dont admit to the pitfalls in life, even if it isn't the happiest path. At the end of the day, it's up to the person. Some are realistic, some just drift off and believe 'it's all good'. Some go inbetween. Just whatever works i guess, or feels needed, not neccesarily wanted...

To think positively is more than just being pleasant company.
Thinking positively creates a more pleasant LIFE.
We create our own reality. If we choose to be ruled by fear then we get a lot of crappy experiences. Everything that happens to us is a threat.
If we think positively, we create a more pleasant reality.
We can always turn something around to find something positive in it. Give it a shot. It's not as easy as you may think, but it is REALLY worth striving for.
Thinking positively has a very concrete reason.

Read: The Secret

In a matter of speaking it is a way of trying to convince yourself that what you know & feel is not true. Some times it actually works. But lets face it a fact is a fact & that's what reality is no matter how negative it may seem.

well positive thinking is not an act of ignoring facts and if one does that then u cant call it positive thinking thats termed as escapism..............its something where u see and accept the facts and still believe that u still can work them out and do something better...........that motivates u and keeps u moving........