How Positivity Can Change Your Outlook at Work

Do you ever find yourself getting down in the dumps and you’re not sure how you got there? Perhaps you found yourself wishing and thinking if only you had a better job, house, car, family, and the list goes on and on. The truth is, we all goes through times of wishing that life was better, however, how does wishing create a life we only imagined having?

Instead of spending your time wishing that life’s current situations were better, try reframing your thoughts. A lot of the time our thoughts influence our day to day activity and how we respond to situations and people. Changing your thoughts will absolutely change your life. Let’s look at a few simple ways that you can retrain your mind to look for the good in life and stay positive at the same time.

Every time you find yourself thinking about something negative in your mind, question it. Ask yourself: is this really beneficial to my time? Try thinking of ways that you can switch around your thoughts to instead look at your current woes differently. For example, you can think, well, my current situation isn’t the greatest, but it wasn’t my fault how my co-worker treated me. I choose how I react to how I’m treated and I can create boundaries so it doesn’t happen again.

Make a list of the things you are thankful for. Instead of wishing for the things you don’t have, try being grateful for the things you do have. Give a call to your parents who might have not spoken to in a while. Bring home your child a treat or gift just because you love them. Take your spouse on a getaway weekend just to show them how much you appreciate and are thankful for them. The thoughtfulness and thankfulness that you show to others will not go unnoticed and soon enough you will find yourself more thankful than ever. Pretty soon you will wonder why you ever were wishing for more and more when you had it all along.

Learn to love yourself more. The journey to self discovery and self love may be never ending, but be gentle with yourself. Forgive yourself of past wrongs, and realize that you deserve to be happy. Stop beating yourself up over mistakes you cannot change, and be grateful at a new chance at life. Find a hobby that you adore and build up your confidence by  doing what you love most, whether it be writing, running, getting that dream job you always imagined yourself getting, or making more time for your kids.

Positivity may seem like a simple word, but it can be taken lightly. Let’s set aside some time to make a list to be thankful, replace negative thoughts with positive ones, and learn to love you more. Pretty soon you will have a joy that you can’t contain and a positive nature that everyone will ask how you achieved.

Guest Bio: Sierra Greenman is definitely an ocean dreamer and has lived more than seven years in Southern CA. She adores writing about fashion and style most of all. Being a featured fashion blogger for JoeShopping.com is something she enjoys immensely and JoeShopping.com is a social shopping site dedicated to saving you money through hot deals and more. Ocean Dreams is the name of Sierra's personal blog, so please stop by and say hello!

Comments

[Sierra]

Thanks so much for the opportunity to guest post! I hope this helps with thinking positive for everyone! :)

[Executive X]

Thanks for these tips, Sierra. I would add that it's incredible how paying attention to how you are sitting and then shifting can give you a different outlook. Try simply standing up from your office chair, rolling your shoulders back, with your chin up.

[remainclear]

Beware ... Putting a positive spin on everything is very different than reframing your thoughts. Authenticity is far more important than faking a positive attitude until some time in the future when you may feel one. Of course make the time to count your blessings, appreciate the importance of the people who help and teach and love you, and give honest consideration to what it means to be less fortunate than you are (hopefully this causes you to volunteer or donate, which always makes you feel better!). Nevertheless, if you are having a moment where you aspire to more, admire what you don't have, or long for things to be different or better, then don't try to pretend that those feelings aren't there. It is human to experience both. Negative feelings are ONLY a counterpart to the positive feelings. Be open to both positive and negative thoughts and feelings, BUT never be consumed by either.

[Dana Lightman]

I enjoyed your post about positivity. You've hit on great strategies, and according to a recent article in USA Today, the workplace is becoming a hotbed of negativity. So, any steps you can take to be in charge of your mood and experience will be freeing and empowering. I would suggest using these same techniques when you encounter difficult people that put you on a downward spiral. You are responsible for how you feel. Don't let others' negativity attitudes or foul moods get you down. You deserve to live on an upward spiral!

[Alex Dogliotti]

Hi Sierra, are you familiar with Barbara Fredrickson's paper 'What good are positive emotions'? In a nutshell she says positive emotions broaden your focus, inspire you to play and do things you never did before. Sky's the limit. On the other hand negative emotions keep you safe, they narrow your focs so that your instinct number one is to get away from the situation that caused the negative emotion to come up in the first place. Example: if you are scared your instinct is to run away from what you perceive to be the danger.
So I agree with you, positive emotions lead to a nice place. However I somehow miss the connection with the work environment. It seems to me you don't talk about a direct connection, but rather something like: If you're positive, all other things will be nicer. Among these there will be work. How would you suggest to switch from negative to positive at work?