The Physics of Positivity: Finding Light in Life’s Equations
May 15, 2025 | Issue #09 | Positive V. Negative
In this week's edition we’ll unpack:
The Physics of Positivity—What the laws of thermodynamics can teach us about staying positive, even when life feels chaotic.
Negative Capability— How embracing uncertainty (à la John Keats) can actually make you wiser, calmer, and more creative.
Simple day-to-day Magic— Dressing for the energy you want. Why choosing your outfit is more than fashion—it’s energetic alchemy for your day.
May this words find you well…
“Do not imagine that the Way is short; Vast seas and deserts lie before His court. Consider carefully before you start; The journey asks of you a lion’s heart.”
The Physics of Positivity: Finding Light in Life’s Equations
Have you ever noticed how sometimes positivity doesn’t always feel… natural? Like it’s something just out of reach, no matter how badly you want it? In a world that can often feel overheated, overrun, and over-complicated, joy can seem like a rare and fleeting visitor. But what if positivity, like the laws that govern the universe, was less about force and more about flow—about understanding the currents rather than fighting them?
Positivity—some days it tries so desperately to evade us, ducking behind every twist and turn of our thoughts. Other times, it’s just there—waiting patiently, cozy as a clam, right in front of our noses. It’s not always a matter of chasing down, but more about shifting our perspective enough to see that even the tiniest flicker of light can hold more power than we realize.
After all, where there is light, there will be shadow—and vice versa. You cannot have one without the other.
For much of my life, I found myself hovering more in that shadow, seeking that proverbial “light at the end of the tunnel.” I used to believe joy was something I had to escape toward, that happiness was a distant prize waiting to be unlocked with just the right combination of effort, hope, or luck.
That word—E-S-C-A-P-E—used to hang over me like a neon sign flickering in the storm. But something has shifted over the years. I no longer feel the need to run. To escape. Instead, I’ve started to sit with things, to observe, to appreciate the subtle mechanics of being.
And that’s where the laws of thermodynamics crept into my thoughts, and reflections.
Yes, thermodynamics—the physics of heat, energy, and transformation. At first glance, it might seem like an odd pairing with positivity, but hear me out. These fundamental laws of the universe, in their own quiet way, mirror the truths we experience every day—about balance, struggle, persistence, and peace.
“In nature, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.”
The Zeroth Law tells us that when two systems are in equilibrium with a third, they are in equilibrium with each other. In life, this reminds us that our emotional "temperature" is often influenced by what we connect ourselves to. If we surround ourselves with grounded, uplifting people, their stability can help regulate our inner state. Emotional balance is contagious—so choose your company like you would your climate.
The First Law (energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transferred) this, in my opinion, is one of the most hopeful laws there is. It reminds us that even on days when we feel drained, that energy isn’t gone—it’s just moving, changing. Sadness, anger, even despair—they all carry energy. And that energy can be reshaped into something else: art, conversation, change, or yes—positivity.
It's not about suppressing the “negative,” but allowing it to evolve into something meaningful.
The Second Law teaches us that entropy—disorder—always increases. Left alone, systems naturally move toward chaos. This is the truth of life, my friend. This is your overflowing to-do list, your scattered emotions, the spiraling news cycle. But here’s the twist: entropy isn’t failure. It’s part of the process.
Choosing positivity doesn’t mean resisting chaos, but navigating through it with grace, knowing disorder is part of the dance.
The Third Law states that as a system approaches absolute zero, its entropy approaches a constant minimum. In other words, the closer you get to total stillness, the more order is possible. For me, that’s what meditation feels like. Or painting. Or simply breathing deeply in the middle of a hectic day. Stillness, when done right, isn't emptiness—it's clarity. It's where you can truly feel the warmth of even the smallest positive thought.
So no, positivity isn’t a switch you flip. It’s a practice, a rhythm, a natural force as much as it is a personal, conscious choice. And like the universe itself, you are full of energy, transformation, and potential waiting to unfold.
The laws of thermodynamics don’t just apply to stars and engines—they whisper truths about your spirit too.
Fun Takeaway: And still, even with all this cosmic wisdom, we’re only human.And that means our instincts don’t always align with hope. When faced with hardship, our nervous systems recoil; we armor up, brace for the worst, and sometimes forget that joy can coexist with uncertainty. But knowing that chaos is not the end, that energy never disappears, and that stillness holds truth—these reminders give us a different kind of strength. Positivity isn’t a denial of difficulty; it’s a decision to keep returning to the warmth, even when the world goes cold. And just like the laws of thermodynamics, it’s always at play—quiet, steady, and full of potential.
Philosophy of the Week:
Negative Capability – John Keats
In a letter written in 1817, Romantic poet John Keats introduced a profound idea he called Negative Capability—the ability to remain comfortable amidst uncertainty, mystery, and doubt, without rushing to impose logic or chase concrete answers.
Keats believed this capacity was essential not just to great art, but to living well. In a world full of contradictions, unknowns, and emotional highs and lows, we often scramble to explain everything, solve everything, or fix the discomfort—but sometimes, the wisest, most creative, and most peaceful path is to simply sit with the unknown and allow the truth to unfold slowly.
Negative Capability invites us to hold space for both sorrow and joy, clarity and confusion—without needing to resolve the tension too quickly. It’s a philosophy that encourages emotional spaciousness, presence, and poetic courage in the face of the inexplicable.
So this week, if you find yourself uncertain or caught in the messy middle, try not to rush the process.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is let it be a mystery for a little while longer.
Day2Day Survival Tip:
Try starting the day by dressing for the energy you want, not the one you woke up with.
Think of your morning routine like a video game character select screen.
Each day, you get to choose your avatar, energy, and maybe even a little sparkle stat boost.
Sure, you might wake up feeling like a background NPC with bedhead and low battery—but you don’t have to stay there. The trick?
Dress for the energy you want to channel.
Want to feel grounded? Earth tones, soft textures, and something flowy.
Need boldness? Pull out that shirt you only wear “on special occasions” and make today one.
Longing for joy? Wear your weirdest earrings or socks with tiny astronauts. Even small choices like a pop of color or your favorite scent can rewire how you walk through the world.
This isn’t about faking it—it’s about activating something within yourself, like turning the dial on your emotional thermostat.
Words Of Wisdom:
First published in 1923, The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran is a poetic collection of philosophical teachings shared by a mystic figure named Almustafa as he prepares to leave a city he’s lived in for twelve years. Each chapter is a reflection on a different theme of life—love, joy, sorrow, work, freedom, pain, and more—offered in prose that feels both timeless and deeply personal.
What makes The Prophet so enduring is its ability to speak to the heart with simplicity and grace. Gibran reminds us that our most difficult emotions are often bound up with our most beautiful ones, and that life’s opposites are not enemies—but companions.
As we strive to create better days for ourselves and others, let this final reflection remind us that joy and sorrow are not opposites to escape or conquer… but truths we learn to carry:
“Your joy is your sorrow unmasked. And the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was often filled with your tears.”
— Kahlil Gibran, The Prophet
Thanks for reading!
Until next time, Guthrie
P.s. The book I’m reading for May is When No Thing Works by Norma Wong
Also.. if you are interested in learning more about this newsletters topics you may find these resources as helpful as I did:
Easiest Breakdown of Thermodynamics Out There
Into the Cool: Energy, Flow, Thermodynamics and Life
The Neuroscience of Positive Emotions and Affect
