Those who know me, understand I’m a nurturer at heart with a passion to help others. I believe a resilient attitude is the most important trait we can develop, so we best learn to make it a positive one.
But what if you’re not naturally positive? Is there a way to increase one’s positivity and thus your resilience?
YES, absolutely!
Positivity, according to the Oxford English Dictionary is: “The practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude.”
Positivity is practiced, we are not born with it, we learn it. It is your choice.
But is being positive all its cracked up to be? According to Harvard Medical, having a positive attitude directly affects our health and well-being – in fact, pessimist people were found to have a 42% higher mortality rate than positive people, regardless of other contributing health factors. I don’t know about you, but I want to live, so what can we do?
5 STEPS to POSITIVITY and RESILIENCE
KINDNESS – in the words of Dr. Bonnie Henry, “Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe”. This is the 2020 mantra for many of us. But all too often we listen to that inner voice telling us we can’t do something or it’s a crazy idea, or no one will believe me. Internal negative talk trains your brain to expect negativity. Start by being kind to yourself first. Look in the mirror and tell yourself positive affirmations everyday, “I did a great job on xyz”, “I am AMAZING!”, “I’ve got this”, “I deserve to feel love and be happy”.
COPE – are you focusing on all the things going wrong in your life, and using whatever crutch brings you comfort? We all go through bad times, being positive and resilient doesn’t mean that you experience less stress or disappointment than others, you simply respond to it differently. Learn positive coping skills; eat healthier, meditate, go for a walk, listen to upbeat get-your-feet-dancing music. I coped by baking bread – kneading and punching the hell out of the dough was the best stress reliever, and the bread would rise to perfection! If in doubt, refer to #1 – be kind to yourself.
OPPORTUNITY – when all you see is doom and gloom, start by changing your focus and imagine what you really want and what your life will look like if you explore other opportunities that you may not have considered. Think outside the box and dream BIG! Get inspired by surrounding yourself with positive people – they're contagious, in a good way!
ACTION – becoming resilient is learning to adapt and take action. We get stuck in our old ways, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Fake it till you make it if you must, and remember that actions speak louder than words and recondition our mind to positivity. Retrain your brain by noticing 3 positive shifts everyday.
SMILE – its universal, needs no translation and its the easiest way to change your attitude, and that of everyone around you. Smiling is also a natural anti-depressant that helps fight stress.
Remember positivity takes practice!
Trish Kimble
Founder & CEO of Blank Slate Enterprises
Virtual Assistant Coach & Mentor