‘A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It’s a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results. Wade Boggs.

In last week’s blog, I talked about Thomas Edison and how one of his key attributes was his positive attitude. I also shared how he was able to stay positive in the face of adversity and personal tragedy when his huge laboratory caught fire and was destroyed.

Life isn’t easy for many people just now given the Coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis that’s affecting the world at present. Therefore, I thought as a follow on to last week’s blog I would share a few suggestions to maintain a positive attitude in these challenging times: –

  1. Live in the present, defer worrying.

We can all spend lots of time locked in our heads imagining all sorts of scenarios that never actually happen. I was told once that 70% of what we worry about never happens, 25% is trivia and 5 % is out of our control. Save worrying until you actually have something to worry about. Remember happiness is a now experience.

  1. Be self –disciplined.

Use the current situation to reset your daily habits and routines. Set some small goals and take daily action towards achieving them. It could be you can use the present time to set a plan to lose weight, increase your fitness, do some DIY or declutter etc. You may also set a goal to increase your reading or listen to podcasts. Setting and achieving goals will increase your esteem and confidence. When we have a daily routine and rituals, it helps us to make the best use of our time.

  1. Show gratitude. Appreciate all that you have in life.

Take a few minutes each day to write down 10 things that you are grateful for. It helps you focus your mind on what you have rather than what you don’t have. This develops an abundance mindset rather than one of scarcity and lack. Also take the time to show your appreciation to people who support you and make your life easier. Like attracts like, this simple act of acknowledging all that’s good in your world will attract even more things to be grateful for.

  1. Practice self-care – make good health a priority.

If you have good health you have everything. It helps you to keep good energy levels and a positive frame of mind. Good health is the real wealth in life. Spend 30 minutes each day doing some aerobic exercise. This will help increase fitness and reduce body tension.

Good sleep helps the body to heal and repair. With this in mind, aim to get 7-9 hours of quality sleep every night. Count the calories and watch what you eat.

  1. Remember to laugh.

Nothing improves your mood and increases your energy levels more than a good belly laugh. The news coverage can contain lots of negative and sad stories, particularly at the present time. Therefore, it’s particularly important to regularly watch things that make you laugh.

Occasionally, give news bulletins and newspapers a miss and use the time to watch a favourite comedy show or film. Read something funny or look at a book of humorous cartoons.

  1. Keep a journal

If you do find that your mood dips or you are having a challenging time, one of the best things that I find helps is to write how you are feeling in a journal. There is no need to edit the words that you write, just note down whatever is on your mind and let your pen flow on the page. Writing in this way allows you to release any hurt, frustration or confused feelings. It helps to externalise what you are thinking and feeling and it brings clarity, calmness and a sense of balance.

I hope that you have found these thoughts useful and that they make a positive difference to your life. This week why not pause for a few moments and consider what steps you can take to maintain and increase your positivity.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk