Sometimes, being in an environment as difficult and rigorous as OSSM is, it can be hard to be positive. It’s easy to become so preoccupied in our own lives that we forget we are a family here. We have to lift each other up, to help each other get through the days, and to cherish the time we have together, before our time here is up. The two years pass by so quickly that we don’t have the chance to have a second glance.
This piece is about positivity. Recently, I was asked how I stay positive all the time. I couldn’t seem to directly answer this question, because the many things associated with positivity were running through my head. Being positive is something I’ve grown accustomed to doing but it was refreshing to write this article because it got me thinking about what positivity really is. What are its benefits? How does one stay/try to be more positive? So today, I will be answering these questions.
What does it mean to be positive?
Being positive means looking at life’s circumstances in an optimistic manner, and looking at even the unpleasant circumstances in life in a positive and productive way. Make sure to look at the glass half full, not half empty. Research is beginning to reveal that positive thinking is about much more than just being happy or displaying an upbeat attitude. Positive thoughts can create real value in your life and help you build skills that last much longer than a smile.
What are the benefits of being positive?
Helps manage stress
Improves health
Increases life span
Lessens depression & distress
Increases immune system efficiency and overall physical well-being
Provides better coping skills during hardships and stressful situations
Provides better cardiovascular health
Promotes a healthier lifestyle
How to be positive and implement positive thinking/actions in daily life?
Positivity starts from positive thinking which manifests into positive actions. This means that your brain automatically thinks of the positive side of any situation, not the negative. Make sure to talk to yourself in your brain (“self-talk”). For example, if you did not score so highly on a quiz, you can turn this unpleasant circumstance into a positive one by accepting the grade and using it to motivate you to study well to prepare for the next exam.
Other ways to be more positive…
Don’t put blame on yourself immediately if something goes wrong.
Don’t anticipate the worst, or look at situations as only good or bad. Allow middle ground.
Remove the negative aspects of your life, whether that be relationships or even habits.
Focus on one aspect of life to be more positive about and after accomplishing it, focus on being more positive in another aspect of life too, without neglecting the previous aspect.
Be conscious of your thinking, and aim to always think positive, turning any situation from bad to good. Check your thinking periodically throughout the day.
Laugh, smile, and find humor in life!
Exercise! It releases endorphins, which make your happier! In addition, eating healthier, even if just a little bit every day, makes all the difference!
Get rest! Being young, it does not seem to affect us that much if we lack sleep, but in the long run, the effects of lack of sleep will show physically, and more importantly, mentally. Sleep can be crucial in helping the brain think more positively.
Surround yourself with positive people!
Talk positively to yourself! Don't say anything to yourself that you wouldn't say to anyone else. Encourage yourself. If a negative thought enters your mind, evaluate it rationally and respond with affirmations of what is good about you. Think about things you're thankful for in your life.
Listen to positive music!
Negative self-talk:
I've never done it before.
It's too complicated.
I don't have the resources.
I'm too lazy to get this done.
There's no way it will work.
It's too radical a change.
No one bothers to communicate with me.
I'm not going to get any better at this.
Positive alternatives to the abovementioned negative self-talk:
It's an opportunity to learn something new.
I'll tackle it from a different angle.
Necessity is the mother of invention.
I couldn’t fit it into my schedule, but I can re-examine some priorities.
I can try to make it work.
Let's take a chance.
I'll see if I can open the channels of communication.
I'll give it another try.
Barbara Fredrickson, who is a positive psychology researcher at the University of North Carolina, has published a paper that shows the surprising facts about positive thinking and its impact on one’s life. Her work is among the most referenced and mentioned in her field. More about her and her studies on positivity can be found in the article “How Positive Thinking Builds Your Skills, Boosts Your Health, and Improves Your Work” by James Clear.
Here are some quotes that are helpful to keep in mind throughout the school year:
The amount of time you put into what you want to be successful at, will reveal the benefits in due time.
Successful people don't grow on trees. You have to nurture them with hard work and passion. Work for it like the dream it is. Get rid of anything that shifts your focus from what it truly is.
I'm rising from the bottom and there is nothing you can do to stop me.
Get work. Do work. Finish work. Feel good. Build work ethic. Repeat.
You have the brain and control to accomplish what you want to. You've done it before! Just work harder and get it done!
Work hard for what you want.
Compare yourself to nobody else except who you were the day before. All you can do to truly be better, is to be better than who you were the day before.
You can make a wish, or you can make it happen.
When something scares you, it means it is worth it.
A little progress each day adds up.
Believe you can and you are halfway there.
Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire.
They believed they could so they did.
When you feel like quitting, remember why you started in the first place.
Don't stop until you're proud.
If you stumble, make it part of the dance.
Be so happy, that when others look at you, they will be happy too.
Good things come to those who hustle.
I can and I will.
Be so good that they can’t ignore you.
You did not wake up today to be mediocre.
Don’t give up what you want most for what you want right now in the moment.
I'm doing this for me, not anybody else.
Don't tell people your dreams, show them!
Do what they think you can't do!
Being positive in a negative situation is not being naïve. It is being a leader.