I saw a sign once that said “attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?” It wasn’t in a doctor’s surgery!

It isn’t always easy for people to maintain a positive attitude and demeanour if they have to operate in negative environments and interact with negative people. It’s easy for this to erode any positive feelings and intent. Having to listen to people complaining and gossiping has a detrimental impact on our mood. It also doesn’t help productivity, morale and service in businesses and teams. One bad apple has the ability to send the rest of the apples in the barrel rotten!

Some people keep expressing their unhappiness with situations and like a broken record play the same tune over and over. Whilst expending this considerable negative energy, they never once consider solutions and alternative approaches. It can make you think you have walked onto the set of Groundhog Day, as you hear the same thing over and over again!

Watching the news can be a similar negative experience. Talk of economic catastrophe, war and conflict and unhappiness with political leaders can seriously undermine your positivity and feel good feelings. It’s easy to fall into the trap of forgetting all that we have in life, the value of our family and friendships, how much beauty there is to be found in nature and how very fortunate we are to have the gift of life.

We all have challenges to contend with from time to time. After all, life is all about ups and downs, hills and valleys. It’s important that we take the time to enjoy the view at the top of the hill. If we do go through a valley, we can remind ourselves that “this too will pass” and remember the marvelous experiences we have had and can enjoy again one day. Life isn’t to be taken for granted. It is to be lived one day at a time. We must set an intention to enjoy life as none of us know how many days that we have left.

It’s important that we seek out positive people, experiences and environments to keep our sanity. It’s one form of self-care and helps to maintain good levels of health and well-being.

Here are few tips and suggestions to maintain and increase your positivity levels, which are contained in my book Be First Class.

  1. Defer worrying. Put off worrying until you have a reason to worry. We can all spend lots of time locked in our heads imagining all sorts of scenarios that never actually happen. I was told that 70% of what we worry about never happens, 25% is trivia and 5% is out of our control.
  2. Be self – disciplined. Setting clear goals and taking daily action helps raise our esteem and confidence levels. Having daily rituals mean that we make the best use of our time. Many people resist structure for fear that it sucks the fun out of their life, when in fact it gives us the freedom to make the most of leisure time.
  3. Appreciate all that you have in life. Take a few minutes each day to write down 3 things that you’re grateful for. This helps you focus your mind on what you have rather than what you lack. It helps to develop an abundance mindset rather than one of scarcity. Like attracts like, this simple act will attract even more things to be grateful for into your life
  4. Hang out with positive people. Be discerning about the company that you keep. Avoid toxic people and situations. Associate with people that are good to be around, have belief and faith in you and encourage you to develop and grow. Socialise with people that aim high, think positivity, genuinely care about you and make you laugh. Be that person for them too.
  5. Remember to laugh. Nothing increases your mood and energy levels more than a good belly laugh. The news coverage can contain lots of negative and sad stories. Regularly watch things that make you laugh. Take a break from news bulletins and newspapers from time to time. Read something funny or look at a book of humorous cartoons.
  6. Keep a journal. If you do find that your mood dips or you’re having a challenging time, write down your feelings and frustrations as this will help release any hurt, confusion or negative thoughts. It externalises what you’re thinking and brings clarity, calmness and a sense of balance. It restores you to positivity.
  7. Maintain your boundaries. Say no when you need to without feeling guilty. We all have limited time and energy and it’s important we address our own needs. Saying yes, when you actually want to say no does nothing for your self-esteem and can have a negative impact on your mood.
  8. Practice self-care. Make good health an absolute priority. If you have good health you have everything and it helps you to keep good energy levels and a positive frame of mind. Your health truly is your wealth. Aerobic exercise releases endorphins and helps to reduce body tension. Get sufficient sleep and count your calories.

One final tip, as an experiment take a sabbatical from watching the news for a week or month (or if that is too radical, reduce the amount of time you spend catching up on the news). As an alternative, watch some comedy, read a book or do some exercise and see if it makes a difference to your mood and reduces your anxiety levels.

This week, why not take a few moments out to pause and reflect on the following question:-

What steps can you take to increase your positivity levels?

This week’s quotation:

“A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thoughts, events and outcomes. It is a catalyst and it sparks extraordinary results.” Wade Boggs

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