Positive Mindset | Gabby Sosnowski | TEDxYouth@ParkCity
Okay, let's start with a movie, Finding Nemo. Yes, this is a humorous kids movie, but there's a true point. Nemo starts off with being taken by a boat. When Nemo disappears, his dad Marlin stresses out to find his son. And the entire time he's upset. His mindset was completely negative, and there was no way he wanted to change it. The entire time of his journey, Marlin's yelling at Dory, the fish he met while finding Nemo. But he hadn't realized until the end that he needed a positive mindset in order to find his son. Think of a time when your mind was negative due to something that impacted your life. Raise your hand if you've had a negative experience. Now raise your hand if that negative experience made you feel a little down or overwhelmed and anxious. I have had these rough times, but I understood that it took more energy for me to be down and discouraged than it did for me to be uplifting to myself and others. I like to refer to the saying, treat people how you want to be treated because it's a small phrase for the big idea. We want to be the uplifter in our own lives. When I was around 8 years old, my parents got divorced. Like any other kid, it was hard. I watched my life fall apart and my parents emotionally crumbled. Then my best friend's life was horrifically affected with their news. A close member of their family was diagnosed with leukemia and has been for six years. I couldn't have imagined that such an incredible family could go through a harder situation. The first time we both found out our hard news, we wanted to run away. We felt like escaping because we couldn't deal with all our problems. It wasn't until a few months ago that I realized it was impossible unless I had a positive mindset. My family and friends helped me find a distinguished method to staying elevated. People like my Tia and Aunt Joanie said life goes on and I found that to be true. My Tia and aunt Joanie have been through a lot. My Tia has a heart condition and she's had rough days. Joanie, on the other hand, is a runner and fitness leader who dreams of appearing on Survivor. She's indescribable. So when she was diagnosed with breast cancer, I never saw her smile fall. I look up to these two for positivity because they influence the way I approach life. Having a positive mindset helps you lead other people who are disheartened. My mom is another positive influence in my life. Her and my dad have been through hell with money issues and custody battles, but she never gave up. She's always stuck by my side. When I talk to her, she likes to refer me as a rescuer to victims in my life. She says, "A rescuer is someone who attends to the negative needs of others and helps them reach a healthy environment for themselves, but you think of them before yourself." Victims are the opposite. You only think of how bad your life is, and you constantly wait for people to come and rescue you and lift you up instead of changing your life around on your own. However, it's better to have balance. Balance is being able to rescue someone, but allowing people to support you. Think about the courageous minds we can have and try to pull that out from a deep place inside of you. Be the balance in your own life and take control on how positive your mind is. A few things you can do to help keep a positive mindset are to breathe through situations no matter how tough or scary they get. You can also learn that the people around you are there for a reason and they're there supporting you. Keep high hopes and stay humble because it will guide you in a stable direction. If the wave of guilt, depression, or anxiety pours over you, take a moment to realize what's really important. The glass is half full, not half empty. Something that's important to me is the cheer tune. I've only cheered for a year now, but it's transformed my life in so many ways. I've learned to stay uplifted and be confident and encourage others around me to do their best. They're so important to me and that's why I'm happy to be a part of it. Positive mindset is crucial in our lives because it transforms the way we approach it. We want to be the uplifter and the balance and the encouragement that people need to get through their hard situations. I think that when we have a positive mindset, it helps us get through anything because in life there will be times that you're going to be thrown down and bullied or beaten down. And a positive mindset is the simple solution. Thank you.