In studying leadership, one of the most effective traits of a leader that I’ve seen repeated again and again is the ability to stay positive. We’re not talking Poylanna positivity or pie in the sky. We’re talking honest-to-goodness positivity that’s rooted in reality.
When the leader is positive, the people will follow. It may take some time as the people may not understand why the leader is positive. They may think it is all a ruse until the leader proves it.
When we come to the office with a positive attitude, the whole organization benefits. But, and it is a big but, how do we stay positive when things are going wrong all around us?
Today, you’re going to hear how to stay positive in times of trouble.
How To Stay Positive
1. Understand things are temporary:
We struggle to understand that what we’re going through is temporary. We fail to remember all the other times situations seemed dire.
When we keep in mind that things are temporary, it helps us to stay positive. We begin to look back on the past, see the struggles and doubt we once had, and then how we moved on to tremendous success.
Don’t look at the temporary as a permanent situation. These bad times will go the way of the dodo bird.
2. Get moving:
A sedentary life is a depressing life. Leaders will find themselves more depressed than the average person when they fail to move.
With all of the meetings, phone calls, and sit-downs that we have, we can find ourselves immobile for most of the day. We can change our sedentary lifestyles.
Instead of sitting in your office to take the phone call, stand up and pace the office. Meetings that you usually sit down in, choose to do a walking meeting. You could walk the office building hallways or you could step outside, breathe in the fresh air, and walk the city streets.
According to a Psychology Today article, walking can lift your mood, even when you don’t expect it to. So, get moving. It’ll help you to stay positive.
3. Write a handwritten thank you note:
Think about all of the people you’re grateful for. It could be your father, your former boss, or a fantastic employee. You need to thank the people who have positively impacted your life.
Take time to write a thank-you note to the people you most appreciate. Writing thank you notes will help you to focus on the good times. You see that there are people who care for you. You see that things aren’t always bad.
Write a thank-you note today. Handwritten thank you cards are a great way to let people know you care and to bring a little positivity into your life (Here’s a bit of history for thank you cards). You won’t regret sending it out to those who have impacted your life.
4. Watch a funny YouTube video:
Comedy can help boost our positivity levels. It’s hard not to feel more positive when you’re laughing and smiling. I recommend you watch a funny video on YouTube or another streaming channel.
A few recommendations for you to laugh at are:
The Unemployed Alcoholic/Aaron Sorrels
Go watch a few videos. Laugh your head off. Feel better about your day.
It’s so important that we stay positive, especially in trying times. We’ve all dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues between Russia and the Ukraine, and so much more these past few years.
We cannot give up the positivity that makes us so unique. Keep your heads up, leaders. More importantly, keep your spirits up.
I know this list of activities that you can do to stay positive will help you do just that.