How to stay positive
It’s tough to stay positive with the Novel Coronavirus 19 swirling around us and things changing second by second. It’s crazy! However, staying positive will help you cope with a crisis.
It is no secret that what we think significantly impacts how we feel and how we cope. Studies show that positive thinking greatly increases a person’s chances of success, and negative thinking leads to self-doubt and a heightened stress response.
Maintaining positivity for me is a challenge that requires focus and turning off the negative self-talk. Every morning I make an intentional decision to be positive which includes a healthy balance of: work and relaxation, dog walking, chocolate, good reads plus the love and support of friends and family. It’s a simple formula but it seems to work for me.
However, there are a few more pieces to the staying positive puzzle for example;
- Cultivate an attitude of gratitude, because being grateful isn’t merely the “right” thing to do; it reduces the stress hormone cortisol. Research indicates that people who cultivate an attitude of gratitude were substantially more positive and able to process complex decision making situations due to lower cortisol levels.
- Helping others is the easiest way to stay positive. In library land and as parents, we have that opportunity on a daily, if not hourly, basis.
- Keep your options open. One of my favorite sayings is “it’s the smart girl who has plan B.” With no options, it’s difficult to stay positive.
- Dish out the compliments. It’s easy to do and everyone will feel more positive.
- Be a role model of positivity. Just like a pebble tossed into a pond, it all starts with you and your personal decision to be positive.
Staying positive will enable you to contribute to your community, your work plus your friends and family. But, it doesn’t just happen, you need to create an environment where the positive can take root and flourish. The reality is, if you are surrounded by the positive, it’s easy to stay positive.
Have a swell day and keep it positive, whatever that means to you and yours
Kitty Pope March 18, 2020