As much as I would like to be a glass half full kind of person, I seem to always end up on the half empty side. I sometimes am this way with others, and am certainly this way with myself.
I like to tell myself that I'm not being negative...that I'm just being "real" and "telling it like it is." I think there are times when this is certainly true and believe we all need to hear "truth" at various moments in our lives.
I also tend to be annoyed with those who seem to be positive and happy all the time. I mean, c'mon...haven't they ever had a bad day?
In any case, the words below are my encouragement to be more positive. I will try to catch myself being negative, and if I fail, if the thoughts make it all the way through my mind, then I will read the tips below to knock them right out of my head. If, like me, you struggle to keep your glass half full, then I hope these words will also help you!
Excerpt below taken from the August 2009 Administrative Professionals Conference newsletter. To see the newsletter in it's entirety, click here.
Negative Mindsets that Hold You Back—and What to Think Instead
A positive mindset builds confidence and gives you a better sense of control over life. Most importantly, those who are optimistic achieve more and get better results. There's no denying it—negativity and pessimism will hold you back. But many of us have a tendency to focus on the negative aspects of a situation. Here are some alternatives.
"This is a problem." vs. "This is an opportunity." The most optimistic people problems, because they see them as challenges and opportunities for improvement. Reframe the situation as a chance to put in place something better than the current situation and to take positive action.
"There's nothing I can do." vs. "I'm going to give it a try." Innovation usually comes from individuals—and often from individuals who are not "experts." The Wright brothers were bicycle mechanics, the first color film for photography was invented by musicians and the Popsicle was invented by an 11 year old who was trying to make soda pop.
"It is impossible." vs. "What might work is..." If we assume that something cannot be done or a problem cannot be solved, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Who would have thought a machine weighing tons could fly or information could travel through space if someone had not considered the impossible, possible?
"There's one right answer." vs. "There could be another solution." Most problems can be solved in a number of ways. If there was just one solution to every problem, we would still be writing with quills dipped in ink instead of using ballpoint pens, printing presses or computers. We'd be walking or riding animals instead of driving cars or riding on trains.
"I might fail." vs. "I might succeed." Fear of failure is one of the major obstacles to creativity and solutions. Failure is a learning tool and an action step in the right direction. Thomas Edison knew that the key to the light bulb was the filament; he tried almost two thousand substances before he got it right. After about 1000 attempts, someone asked him if he was frustrated. His view was that he had actually gained a lot of knowledge about what wouldn't work!
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