Hey Mynd readers! I liked guest posting for Simple Dude so much that I had to pass on that love. Nicole Bandes is perhaps the most infectiously upbeat person that I have read. So when she said she was taking a personal challenge to guest post 18 times in April, I said get something freaky together and come on down.
You know, those people on Facebook that are always posting positive messages. You just KNOW they have to be hiding some deep seeded misery and despair. I mean really, can someone honestly be THAT positive ALL THE TIME?
Well, actually, yes and no. It really is possible to be genuinely happy and positive much or even most of the time. Sure, bad things happen to everybody once in a while. But it’s also very possible for someone to take a different view of a negative situation so that they find a positive spin on it.
I wasn’t always a positive person. In fact, I used to take Prozac for depression. Now, however, I am able to really focus on the benefits there may be no matter what the situation is.
It’s a skill that takes some effort and learning and a habit that has to be established but finding a positive spin on even some of the most challenging situations is possible, for anyone, if they want to. Do you want to?
Here’s a few ideas for how you can begin to shift to a more positive attitude:
1. Gratitude – It’s such a simple thing that most people take gratitude for granted. However, if you start to record your gratitude on a daily basis, you will find that it is difficult to be unhappy when you have so much to be grateful for. Trust me, it works! I’ve been doing it on Facebook for almost 3 years!
2. Fake it Till you Make it – When we consciously decide to put our bodies into a more positive posture, even when we aren’t feeling it, it forces a release of feel good chemicals in our brains. Here’s a great idea. Take a pen or pencil and hold it between your teeth for 5 minutes several times throughout the day. This position forces you to smile thus helping you fake a more positive state. When you’ve tried this, take one of those great self portraits with your camera phone and send it to me. I’d love to see the results.
3. Help Someone Else – It doesn’t matter who but when you take time to connect with someone else that needs your help, you can’t focus on your own negativity. Take the time to help others whether they are in your church, office, community or at a non-profit organization. It will do wonders to shift your attitude. Oh and you never know who will want to pay you back big time!
Wouldn’t you rather see those posts on Facebook and get all warm and fuzzy knowing you, too, can find a positive attitude? I challenge you to give it a try. Just think of the great stories you’ll have either way.
Nicole Bandes is the bestselling author of Positivity on Purpose: Intentionally Create More Abundance, Wealth and Happiness. Go from negative, unhappy and miserable to positive, excited and extraordinary in just 30 days with her Positivity on Purpose
Transformational Challenge beginning April 23rd. Learn more and register at http://goldeneaglescoaching.com/poptc/. You can also read more articles by Nicole at http://goldeneaglescoaching.com/blog/.
Anyone can have a nice day, choose to Make it an AMAZING Day!
Nicole Bandes
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Hey Scott, thanks for the opportunity! I sure hope your readers enjoy the post.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how far "Please and thank you" will get you these days! I wouldn't mind seeing etiquette being taught mainstream again.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great guess post and I agree it can be easy to be happy if we only think of all the good things in our lives and not dwell on the sad, bad stuff think happy thoughts in order to be happy................
ReplyDeleteGratitude alone will do it. I had a gratitude journal, and after ten days of writing in it, my mood began to change drastically.
ReplyDeleteGlad you could do this for me. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteSeriously! My kids are fortunately well mannered at least with other people.
ReplyDeleteIt's like starting a habit.
ReplyDeleteI might have to try that.
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely more annoyed by the negative posts. In fact, I hide those people from my newsfeed because I don't like to listen to a bunch of whining and complaining. That must make me one of the annoying ones that writes the annoying, positive posts. It's not that I'm always positive. There is always something I could complain about but where's the fun in that? Plus, it takes a LOT of effort to be negative. I'm much too lazy for that! :)
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