April 2021
Sometimes it is hard to hear people saying you need to stay positive. But being positive is about maintaining perspective. Being positive is about seeing the reality of the situation and not some biased version of the truth. People are hard on themselves, sometimes catastrophizing. You think that you performed terribly or that the worst-case scenario is going to happen. When this, in fact and most likely, is not the case.
Here are three tips to help you maintain perspective and stay positive throughout your day:
See the Forest, Not the Trees.
When something does not go your way, you focus on the thing that went wrong. You focus on the sentence you wish you had said differently in the 10-minute speech you delivered. You may ruminate on the not so stellar feedback you received on a draft slide deck for a business pitch.
An element of a process or project, most likely, will not derail your day. Think of the bigger picture. Remember the context in which you work.
Read blog post: 6 Steps to Develop Big Picture Thinking.
Smile.
Ok, mistakes happen. Reasons to be down happen. But, try to smile anyway. Research shows that smiling helps generate positive emotions and decreases stress-induced hormones that can negatively impact your health. Either try to smile or put yourself in social situations where smiling occurs. Smile to remind yourself that things are okay. “This will pass.”
Bonus: when someone sees you smiling, they smile too!
Click here for a reason to smile.
Do Not Dwell on What is our of Your Control.
Take the time to learn from your mistake or unpleasant situation. There is only so much (if anything) you can do to correct what has already happened. Focusing on that past mishap can undermine your current focus and productivity. Stay present and mindful. Maintain your efficiency and effectiveness by learning from what has happened and move forward.
Read blog post: How to Let Go of Control.
Ideas from Avery Blank from Forbes.com
