MAKING THE POWER OF POSITIVITY WORK FOR US

Author and speaker Jon Gordon in his Positive Tip for October 10, 2022 said, “Positivity leads to winning.” Yes indeed!  Positivity also leads to:

• An active, curious mind.
• Better stress management and coping skills.
• Ability to overcome obstacles easier.
• Enhanced resilience.
• Increased productivity.
• Better heart health.
• A faster healing process.
• Better social life and more meaningful relationships.

Gordon also said, “People think being positive means being less ambitious, less gritty, less competitive but the truth is you can be positive and competitive. You can be positive and fierce. You can have a humble heart, a positive attitude and a warrior spirit.  Too many equate positivity with weakness but it is a source of courage and strength. People think you have to choose between positivity and winning but I’ve found with all the leaders I’ve worked with; positivity leads to winning.”

I couldn’t agree more.  There is power in a positive attitude; power in positivity.  When we accentuate the positive we think positively and when we think positively we allow entrance into our mind only thoughts, words, and images that are conducive to growth.  We expect good and favorable results.  We anticipate happiness and joy.  Whether we are positive or negative often depends not on the circumstance, but rather on our disposition.

Yes, I know.  It is hard to remain upbeat and positive when facing challenging or sad circumstances.  However, those circumstances can help us become, as Gordon says, “more focused, more driven, and more determined.”   This week, let’s explore some things we can do to help us deal with any anger, frustration, or disappointment that might result from a challenging situation.  We can:

KNOW THAT THERE IS MORE GOOD/POSITIVE HAPPENING than what we see or hear.  Much of what brings smiles to our faces never makes any type of news. Random acts of kindness are being done all the time.  Look for those bright moments. Bring a bright moment to someone.  When we do, we will feel good and our positivity will climb.

REFRAME NEGATIVE THOUGHTS.  If we were to reframe a picture, we’d replace the current frame with a different one – perhaps one that highlights the picture in a way that may give it a better perspective.  Well, when we reframe negative thoughts, we do something similar.   We take those negative thoughts and replace them with ones that allow us to look at the situation or issue from a different perspective and one that is more useful or resourceful. 

MAKE THE MOST OF ALL SITUATIONS.  Despite any challenges, we can choose to be resilient and endure.  We don’t have to lose the twinkle in our eyes. Yes, life is hard at times, but it is our choice how we deal with and what we take from those hard times.  Overcoming a challenge makes us feel good!

STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE NOT PERFECTION.  Too often we try to live up to someone else’s standards.  When doing this, if we fall short, how we feel about ourselves can often take a hit.  But, if we set our own standards and have excellence as our goal in meeting our own standards, we actually give ourselves the gifts of better confidence and enhanced self-esteem.  Those two gifts combined make things brighter for us and power up our positivity.

TAKE CHARGE OF OUR HAPPINESS.  Whether we are happy or not is totally dependent on us.  While we are not in control of what happens to us, we are in total control of how we respond to what happens to us.  Choose to respond to life in a positive way.

BE MINDFUL OF THE PRESENT MOMENT.  We need to remember that the past is the past.  We have no control over the future.  What we do have is the here and now – the present – and we need to make the most of it.    Maintaining balance in our present moment goes a long way in appreciating the happy and joyful moments that each day does contain.

CREATE AN INNER CIRCLE FILLED WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE. Surrounding ourselves with encouraging and positive people helps keep energy vampires from stealing our happiness and our positivity.

MEDITATE.  Research has shown that those who meditate experience more positive emotions than those who don’t.  Meditation helps us stay mindful and the ability to do so helps us remain positive when we face challenges.

COUNT BLESSINGS.  Looking at our lives through a lens of gratitude makes the good seem even better, the not-so-good look good, and makes us more appreciative of things.

INDULGE IN SOMETHING THAT BRINGS A SMILE TO OUR FACE.   The smile allows us to feel and think in a more positive way, so we need to do something each day that graces our face with a big smile. 

PICTURE A SUNNY DAY.  Think about the smile a sunny day will bring to you and the bounce it puts in your step. 

LISTEN TO UPBEAT MUSIC.  Whatever our favorite style of music is, listening to something with upbeat lyrics will get those endorphins flowing in our system.  When the “feel good” hormones are circulating, our positivity is stoked and fueled.

SING SILLY SONGS.   Whether the songs are from our childhood or current times, whether they are songs one sings to a young child, belting out a song that feels and/or sounds silly actually releases our inner child. That inner child will help us soak up the fun and the happy from those songs and doing that will help us feel more positive.  The joy experienced when our inner child is released goes a lot way in powering our positivity.

GET OUR GIGGLE GOING.  Laughter does a body good!  Not only does it relieve stress, but it creates an optimistic mindset which goes a long way in helping us maintain a positive outlook.

When we power up our positivity, we are able to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life.  Positivity brings optimism into our lives and makes it easier to avoid worry and negative thinking.  When our positivity tank is full, we can see the bright side of life and expect the best to happen. And when a tough time challenges us, our positivity can provide the fuel to get us through the toughest of times.  As Gordon says, “Sometimes the most positive thing you can do is turn fear into fuel, frustration into focus and failure into finishing strong!”