I’ve been known to be that negative person. The person who seems to see the bad in everything. I think I’ve tried to change this reputation in the past year or so. I was told I had to, not because I wanted to. Rather, I want to be more objective about the people, places, and things in my life. I’ve been told I am opinionated. That was probably true. It seems like everyone has a preference, whether it be a political party, lifestyle choice, or even dietary options. I was taught to speak negatively about things I don’t support because that’s what I’ve seen, but rejection isn’t the best way to do things.

I find myself on one side of the coin by rejecting the things I don’t understand. My side is good, and the other side is bad. It’s easy to keep things I don’t care for separate from my identity. Pushing it away as to say that there is no value in it. Even though I may not agree with something, that doesn’t mean there is no need to try at least to understand the other side. The best debater is one who can argue both. Everything in this world holds some value. The greatest adventure while I am here is to unearth it.

Integration

To be whole is to integrate, not separate. I must acknowledge my biases toward one thing, not the other. Yet, I must use these biases as triggers to understand why I hold such a position. My anger should make me curious about why this situation does not make me happy. My disgust should hint that I must figure out why I am not attracted. If I only align with my preferences, I miss out on deeper meanings I’d never gather if I stuck to my side of the street.

Silverlining Playbook

Every negative has a positive that can be derived from the negative. I used to hate chaos, but I’ve realized that chaos is the only place where true creativity shines. Many people hate conflict, but dissent isn’t dissent unless I treat it as such. Instead, I can see conflict as a catalyst for change because something doesn’t seem to be in harmony. Even characteristics that I deem negative have a purpose within the overall scheme. There’s a lot of discourse about social media addiction. Although it may be addicting, social media has also increased connections and gives content creators an avenue to create without a large corporation backing them. I’m told to reject procrastination, but procrastination helps me think through an idea randomly when I’m not thinking about the idea.

Understanding Doesn’t Mean Agreeing

Just because I can see the value in something perceived as negative doesn’t necessarily mean I have to adopt it. I can understand something, but it still is not for me. I am not a fan of rules, but I can understand how rules create stability and safety for those who follow them. I’m not a fan of fast fashion, but I do understand the need to have accessible clothing at an affordable price. Every coin has two sides. I need to acknowledge both.

To deny anything is to say it has no place in the whole. My perspective begins to widen when I see the strengths in things I don’t necessarily agree with. It’s much easier to rant about the things I don’t like on Twitter (or X or whatever) than to catch myself being one-sided and looking into what I disagree with curiosity. I’m no longer here to pick sides. It no longer matters to me who wins or loses. I just hope both teams play hard.

Questions and Responses