Being Positive

As we approach Rosh Hashana, it is most important for us to be positive. We see this theme repeated throughout Rosh Hashana and we must capitalize on it.

Despite it being a most awesome and fearful day- a day where the entire world is judged, person by person, nation by nation on every aspect of the upcoming year, we remain positive and hopeful.

Some examples:

- One would think that we should fast during a day of such magnitude, yet instead we eat as if it were a holiday.

- We eat special foods that symbolize in name, or otherwise good things - for example the head of a fish or lamb is eaten so that 'we should be the head and not the tail'. Honey (or sugar) is eaten so that we should have a 'sweet year'

- We do not mention our sins whatsoever - even going as far as abstaining from eating walnuts whose Hebrew spelling (Egoz) numerically equals that of sin (Chet)

- We make Teshuva and accept to be better this year, despite all our shortcomings and shortfalls

It is clear from our behavior that we are definitely thinking positive (and we should be). Our thinking controls our outcome and therefore we must make sure that we only think that we will have a wonderful, sweet, healthy, happy and successful year. We cannot think that there is any other option, rather we trust that Hashem will give us all those wonderful things - despite our shortcomings!

In the Piyut Achot Ketana, we end it by saying - let the year and its curses end, let the new year and its blessings begin. It doesn't say let the new year be blessed - rather 'the new year and its blessings'. The blessings are contained inside of the new year. The year is a clean slate - yet we determine what it will contain. If we think positive and believe that our wishes come true, they will.

Don't let your Yetzer Hara hold you back -- you know, he's the one telling you that you can't do it - that things are impossible or just too hard. If you don't believe in yourself (with Hashem's help of course), you failed from the start. That's what he wants you to do.

You will become a better person!

You will have a great year!

May Hashem bless all of Am Yisrael with an over-abundantly joyous year- full of health, happiness, success and the wonderful, long-awaited Geula Shelema (peacefully), Amen!

*I was introduced to the power of thinking positive by Rabbi Pinchas Winston. I highly suggest everyone read his wonderful book Be Positive Is Not Just a Blood Type - it will definitely change your life.