Is positivity a word

Users of this dictionary frequently have strongly held beliefs regarding whether or not one of the words we have defined is, in fact, a real word. We know this to be the case, as many individuals leave comments, outlining their position on the matter. One of the words that attracts a considerable amount of doubt is positivity.

Below are some of the comments that our readers have left about this word.

This should not be a word. It is an imposter word. It was made up by someone in 1999 and conned its way into the dictionary. Don’t use it. You’ve been scammed.

I saw a quote on good morning America «Starting the year with Positivity» I feel that they should have said Starting the year being Positive.

sports news use it …It’s not a word really is it? Positive yes. you can’t turn that into a verb

Google told me that «positivity» is not a word and I was like whaaaaaaaaaat chill

Before turning to the history of positivity it is worth addressing the issue of what makes a word «real.» This is somewhat tricky, as the word word can be used in many different ways to mean many different things. However, it is not a great stretch to assume that when people say «that’s not a real word» they are referring to the sense of word as it is defined in this dictionary’s Simple Definition: “a sound or combination of sounds that has a meaning and is spoken or written.” Given that positivity has been a collection of sounds with a fairly consistent meaning in written use for over 350 years, it seems likely that we can say that it is indeed a word. Asserting that a collection of sounds or letters which are understood to mean a certain thing is «not a word» because you do not care for it makes no more sense than to assert that the 1975 Gremlin your grandparents gave you is «not a car» because you do not like the way it drives.

Positivity appears to have entered the English language in the middle of the 17th century. The earliest known use we have for this word comes in 1659, and oddly enough, it was used by three different writers that same year, all of whom employed it to refer to sin.

The Positivity of Sinne might be a Paradox or a truth, and so declared on either side without drawing me into the Quarrel, who have not hitherto engaged on the one side or the other.
—Peter Heylyn, Certamen Epistolare, or, The Letter-Combate, 1659

My fourth and last argument against the pretended positivity of sin I dispose in this enthymem, Original sin is not positive, ergo, sin as sin is not positive.
—Henry Hickman, Patro-scholastiko-dikaiösis, or A Justification of the Fathers and Schoolmen, 1659

And for the other branch of his discourse you may acquiesce in a confidence, that Master P. never intended to assert a positivity of every sin, not of sins of omission to be sure.
—Laurence Womack, Arcana dogmatum anti-remonstrantium. Or the Calvinists cabinet unlock’d, 1659

It is unclear why so many people feel that this is not a word. Few, if any, of the many hundreds of other words in English that end with —ity have attracted such skepticism. Most of the English-speaking people are fine with negativity (which, by the way, is a much younger word, not appearing until the 19th century), so why not welcome positivity? One possibility is that many spell-checking programs do not recognize it, and the red squiggly line it occasions makes people mistrust it. Another possibility may be that some view the word as belonging to the jargon of the self-help movement.

We do not rely upon the dictates of spell-check when choosing whether or not to include a word, and we do not avoid words that may have become popularized in a specific field. There is a considerable body of evidence showing that positivity has been in sustained and widespread use for over three hundred years, and so it is worthy of being defined.

This does not, of course, mean that you have to like the word, or that you have to use it, any more than you have to like or use whatever car it is that your grandparents bequeathed to you. It doesn’t even mean that you have to stop saying «that’s not a word!» It just means that you will be wrong when you say it.

I hear others say and would not myself mind using the word ‘positivity’ as an antonym of ‘negativity’. Spellcheck gives it a red underline on my computer, both on Reddit and in Word. I looked it up on Webster’s online dictionary, and in this reality it has been a real English word used in print since 1659. Here’s why I’m posting this, though…in reading the comments below the definition (something M-W encourages its users to add, and of which there are at the moment 118), there are scores of people, it seems, who insisted it is not or did not use to be a real word, had arguments with others who used it, and were at last shocked to find it in the dictionary. This has the markings of an ME, for me, anyway, with people divided and insistent, and the internet giving mixed signals.

So how do you all feel about the legitimacy of this word in your memory and in current reality? No negativity, please…

What does positivity mean?

When we define a term, words or expressions, they become easier to understand.

Let’s define what positivity is.

Positivity means thinking in an optimistic way, looking for solutions and expecting good results and success. It also means a tendency to make life happier.

It is a happy and worry-free state of mind, which looks at the bright side of life.

Positivity means a positive frame of mind.

• With this frame of mind, you do not take things too personally.
• You enjoy the present moment.
• You do not worry about the future.
• The focus is on doing and achieving, not on thinking about the past or about difficulties.
• It means being a happy, tolerant and good-natured.

Collins dictionary defines it as “The state or quality of being positive”.

Cambridge dictionary defines it as “the quality of having a positive attitude”.

Positivity and Your Emotions

The emotions associated with positivity are joy, love and inspiration. A person possessing this state of mind chooses constructive and good feelings and emotions, and avoids negative and unhappy feelings.

This might not be easy at first, but with a little training and perseverance, it becomes possible.

Positivity and Your Thoughts

The thoughts associated with positivity are thoughts of courage, self-esteem and certainty, and thoughts of success, courage and self-esteem.

The mind of such a person chooses to think in terms of “I can”, “It is possible”, “I am doing my best to improve myself and my life”.

More about Positivity and a Positive Frame of Mind

Being positive does not mean ignoring difficulties and bad experiences. It means acknowledging them, learning from them, doing better, and using the knowledge gained to improve.

With this state of mind, though you might experience negative emotions and go through unpleasant experiences, you will not lose your spirit or give up.

It is important that you strive to focus more on positive than negative thoughts and emotions. The ratio of thoughts and emotions should be in favor of positivity, not negativity.

We often hear negative stories and negative news. If we let them seep into our conscious mind and into our subconscious mind, we are allowing negativity to rule our life.

This often happens, due to the negative information that finds its way into our mind, from TV, the newspapers and the Internet. We should resist this negative information and prevent it from taking over our mind, feelings and life.

Negative news sells more than good news. That is why we encounter it so often and in so many places.

Negative news awakens emotions of anger and fear, which are powerful emotions. If we allow these emotions to arise in us, they soon grow into huge snowballs that affect our life and the life of the people around us.

Negative thoughts and emotions are contagious. We have to resist them and stay away from them.

I am not telling you to avoid listening, reading or watching the news. I am telling you to reduce your intake of it and take care that it does not affect your state of mind. You should not let it fill your mind. Instead, fill your mind with positivity, with positive thoughts and positive emotions.

How to Increase Positivity in Your Life

You need to make efforts to increase positivity in your life, in order to counteract negativity.

A little more optimism, love, and happy thoughts, would help you in this respect. Do something useful each day, to improve your life and the lives of other people. All this, will contribute to a steady growth of positivity in your life.

Each evening, sit down and think what kind of thoughts and emotions you experienced this day? Were there more positive or negative thoughts and emotions? Think what you can do tomorrow to increase positivity in your life.

As you fill your day with more constructive, optimistic and happy thoughts and emotions, and do beneficial actions to make life better every day, you will understand more what positivity is and how to increase it in your life.

I have written a great deal about positivity in my articles about positivity.

If you wish to take this a step further and learn a few practical techniques to become more positive, I advise you to read our book about Positive Thinking.

You will find in this book guidance for making positive thinking a reality in your life. You will also learn how to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts, and bring optimism, happiness and joy into your life.

You can make positivity an integral part of your life. It would bring more optimism, a constructive attitude, and more sunshine in your life.

Positivity is a state of mind we would all like to achieve, but it isn’t always easy. During a period of depression or loss, having a positive mindset can feel impossible. Many of us are also skeptical about positivity. We ask ourselves if it’s even possible to look on the bright side when there’s so much negativity in the world.

Part of the problem could be that we’re approaching positivity all wrong. Being positive doesn’t necessarily mean being happy all the time or seeing the good in everything («Does False Positivity, Fake Positivity, Help or Hurt You?»). In fact, the official positivity definition may surprise you.

Positivity: The Official Definition

Positivity is often looked down upon as an irritating personality quirk. However, the official definition implies that positivity is not something you are – it’s something you do.

According to the Oxford English Dictionary definition, positivity is: “The practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude.”

That’s right. Positivity is a practice, not something you’re born with. Just like running or learning the guitar, positivity is a skill you get better at the more you do it. What’s more, scientists are now learning that the power of positive thinking is more than just a buzzword – it can actually rewire our brains to rewrite trauma and overcome negative thinking patterns.

What Is the Meaning of Positivity?

The philosophy of positivity is one that goes back thousands of years. The idea that changing your thoughts can change your reality is one of the cornerstones of Buddhist teachings, for instance, but it’s also at the heart of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and other scientifically-backed therapy models.

There is no one meaning of positivity. Positivity is the act of training your brain to think and respond to situations calmly and optimistically. It takes time and a little effort every day, but the rewards can be life-changing.

How to Achieve Positivity in Challenging Times

The definition of positivity is only helpful if you can put the words into action. Here are some steps to help you live a more positive life.

1. Be Mindful

Studies show that people who practice mindfulness are calmer, have better memories and are more creative than those who don’t. This is because our brains are programmed by neural connections. Like working a muscle in the gym, the more you work on a particular neuron (e.g. positivity), the stronger it gets. The neurons you don’t use will eventually disappear. This is how habits form.

Here are some tips to help you become more mindful:

• Observe your thoughts: Try not to label them as «good» or «bad» or get too invested. Watch them pass like traffic in your mind. Don’t try to stop them or intervene.  
• Do one thing at a time: When you’re eating, for example, just eat. Don’t watch TV or listen to music or work on your computer. Focus on the tastes and textures of the food in your mouth.
• Do nothing: Every day, set aside 5-10 minutes to sit with yourself and just do nothing. No phone, no book, no TV, no music. Only you and your thoughts.

2. Practice Gratitude

Practicing gratitude is surprisingly simple. Find a time of day that suits you (the last thing at night works best) and write down three things for which you are grateful.

You may choose something as small as a hot shower or the coffee you drank on your way to work, or as general as support from your friends and family. If you’re unable to get out of bed due to mental or physical illness, be thankful that you have a soft pillow and a comforting space to rest and recover.

3. Journal

If you’re going through a challenging time in your life, starting a positivity journal could help you achieve a happier mindset. You can keep your gratitude lists here, jot down inspiring quotes and collect images that make you feel good.

When you’re having a particularly bad day, you can look back at your positivity journal and know that there are things in life to feel good about.

Practicing Positivity

If you suffer with depression or you’re experiencing hardship, you may resent being told to “think positively” («Positivity for Depression: Is That Even Possible?») However, by taking a few small steps each day towards positivity, you can re-train your brain to look for the good things in life. All we ever have is this moment – so why not make it the best it can be?

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