Well, here we are again…the week in between Christmas and New Year, when nobody knows what day it is or what in the world we are supposed to be doing. I always use this as a time to reflect on the past year; see what all I have accomplished, progress made and where I can make improvements. 

I am sure it is the same for most of you, the negatives always seem to stand out more than the positives. 

I cannot recall if I have ever mentioned the struggles I have had over the last decade with acne- the countless appointments, dozens of different doctors, multitudes of medication with little to no results.  

I finally found an amazing aesthetician that I have been seeing off and on for about six months now. Unlike the dozens of dermatologists I have seen over the years, she was more concerned with why this was happening and trying to cure it than just trying to remedy it temporarily.  

My complexion has come a long way since I began seeing her, but this past week has been a stressful one and stress always triggers my acne. I had a couple of places break out pretty badly. I reverted to wanting to hide at my house and not go out in public because I was embarrassed, but I had to go to my parents’ house for a fish fry.  

One of the first things my dad did was compliment me on how well my face looked. I was a little taken aback. I said thank you, but I also pointed out the two huge breakouts and told him it looked better before this past week. But it made me really (literally and figuratively) look in the mirror.  

Overall, my face did look loads better than it has in ten years. It made me realize something.  

We always harp on the negatives, so much so that we often forget the progress we have made and how far we have come.  

Why do we let a couple of blemishes on our record of accomplishment overshadow all the improvements? 

Well, I did a little research, and there is this thing called “Negative Sentiment Override.” 

Negative sentiment override occurs when negative feelings, such as anger or distrust, overshadow positive emotions. This can cause individuals to focus on negative experiences and ignore positive ones, leading to an overall negative view. 

So, what can we do to overcome this? Which also leads me to my personal New Year’s resolution. 

I am going to focus actively and consciously on the positive. I am not going to let a couple of negatives outweigh the loads of positives. I will not let a couple of small blemishes block me from acknowledging my blessings. 

(On a side note, for anyone dealing with literal blemishes, go see my girl Hannah Walker at the Nurse Aesthetician.)

(Paige Nash is a mother of three girls, publisher of Bienville Parish Journal and Claiborne Parish Journal and a digital journalist for Webster Parish Journal.)