Balancing Act 3 - being more positive

‘There’s nothing good or bad but thinking makes it so’ (Shakespeare in Hamlet)

Positive people are generally better company, healthier and happier than those who share Eeyore’s view of the world.

Being more positive starts in the mind – do you choose to see the positive benefits, opportunities and pleasures, or the costs, disappointments and problems?  I say ‘choose’ because although our habitual way of experiencing and seeing things is a reflex response that leads us to think there is no alternative, we do always have a choice.  Talking to others and hearing their point of view often proves the point.

It just takes intent and practice to become more positive!

Here are 6 activities that if you practise consistently will help you to become more positive on your attitude and outlook –

1.     Watch your body language – holding yourself with shoulders back, head high and wearing a smile will make you fell much more positive than hunching over.

2.     Catch yourself being negative (‘I can’t do that...’; ‘that won’t work...’; ‘the problem is...’; ‘raining again…’) or critical of yourself and/or others, and deliberately turn round what you say into something more positive.  Ask a trusted friend or colleague to help you notice, maybe putting money in a ‘negativity box’ where you save up for something nice.

3.     Start a Positivity Book.  At the end of every day consciously think back over your day and write down 3 good things that have happened.  To begin with you might not find this easy – stick with it and soon you’ll find you can think of lots of things.  Include large and small things such as seeing your first snowdrop today, the shop assistant who smiled at you, the piece of work you finished on time, the meal you cooked, the stretching you did, the way you’ve been more positive today.

4.     Giving compliments makes you feel great as well as the person you give them to, so think of nice things to say to (and about) people you know.  Find opportunities to share them, and don’t be discouraged if they appear to brush them off – receiving compliments graciously isn’t easy for people unused to it.

5.      Set yourself small realistic goals for each day and achieve them.

6.     Treat yourself.  Make a list of all the things you like doing and that you consider a treat.  Divide them into groups according to how long they take and how easy they are to do, for example giving someone a hug, reading, doing some yoga stretches or stroking a cat are quick, free and easy; luxuriating in a spa day, going on holiday, walking the coastal path or going to the cinema take longer and some need more organisation.  Decide how many treats you want to give yourself each day – then do it!

Enjoy your progress towards being a more positive you…