Keep a Positive Attitude by Kevin Ciccotti

Some days, it is easy to maintain a positive attitude.  Other days…not quite so easy.  Here are ten smart ideas for helping yourself maintain a positive attitude.  Just choose one to put into practice today and see what happens:

1. Pray/Meditate – When you pray and/or meditate, you allow yourself to connect to a higher intelligence, an infinite wisdom that is always there.  It’s worth noting that we cannot see it or connect to it when we’re caught up in the busyness of life. Taking the time to just “be” for a few minutes – to turn off all the noise and distraction in life – gives us the ability to tap into that infinite intelligence, to rebalance, and to get centered.
2. Listen to music – Music is one of those magical elements in life – it’s artwork that we can hear. It has the power to propel us to the highest mountaintop, or bring us down to the lowest of valleys – sometimes within a single piece of music! When we listen to music, it allows us to quiet the extraneous noise, focus on the pleasant sounds of a favorite artist, and take a moment to enjoy something beautiful.
3. Breathe – I don’t mean, “just breathing” in the normal way. What I’m talking about is taking deep, cleansing, soulful breaths way down deep in your diaphragm. If you’re not sure where that is, place your hand on your stomach, and then move up a few inches toward your solar plexus. Deep breathing allows you to bring life back into your body. Just focus on the feeling and the sounds of your breath, blocking out all external distractions. Breathing in this way is invigorating and life giving.
4. Watch the sunrise. There is nothing quite as life affirming as watching another beautiful day coming into existence. Sit and watch as the sun peeks up over the hills or mountains, and sense the renewal that it brings.  Consider this renewal of life and all that is possible in this one, new, never-to-exist-again day.
5. Be grateful. When you focus on all that you have to be grateful for in your life, it is difficult to be anything other than upbeat and positive. Fostering an “attitude of gratitude” is one of the surest ways to keep yourself focused on all of the positive aspects of your life.
6. Call a friend. Connecting with someone who is important in your life is a sure-fire way to generate positive, uplifting feelings. Our friends have the ability to lift our spirits and remind us of the best that life has to offer.
7. Move! Whether you run, skate, walk or otherwise, get your body moving. When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins that contribute to feelings of well-being and happiness. Aside from that, there are also obvious benefits to exercise including better physical fitness and increased longevity. And that’s something to really be positive about!
8. Read something inspiring. The simple act of reading something inspiring can bring about a shift in your mental state and be a factor in maintaining positive emotions. We are after all, empathetic beings, so the act of reading about someone or something inspirational can lift our spirits. It feels good when we acknowledge the good things in life, and to know that others are a force for good in the world.
9. Smile! A smile is a gift to the one who receives it as well as to the one who gives it! A simple gesture, yet also profound. If you’re alone, then look in a mirror and smile at yourself! Think that’s goofy? Maybe. But it works.
10. Love yourself. Maybe this one should be #1. When we truly love and support ourselves, life just seems more uplifting and positive. It’s sad that society seems to frown on the notion of love of self, taking the position that it is self-centered and narcissistic. On the contrary, self-love is critical if we are to love others. After all, we cannot give that which we do not possess. Love is the most powerful force in the universe, giving meaning and light to all that we experience. Love is the most positive of all emotions.

So which one of these makes sense to you?  And which one seems the hardest to imagine for yourself?  Answers to both of these questions can give you some direction…

© Kevin Ciccotti, CPCC, ACC | Executive & Life Coach
Cutting Edge Coaching & Consulting
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