As we count down the days to the sparkly night where we clink our champagne
glasses and lip-lock our loved ones, resolutions are stirring in the back of
our minds creating chaotic contemplation. What can we do better? What should we stop doing? What do we need to do more of? So, from me to you, here’s some
food for thought!
1) Stop comparing.
I read something along the lines of don’t go comparing your chapter 4 to someone else’s chapter 20 or another’s highlight reel to your behind-the-scenes. It is especially easy to be guilty of this with Facebook or Instagram at the tips of your fingers while you scroll through your feed questioning what the heck you are doing with your life. Breathe, you are doing just fine. We don’t know what all is entailed in one’s journey, so let’s break the toxic habit of fooling ourselves with a skewed perception.
2. Stop blaming yourself.
“He/She didn’t call…maybe I opened up too much…” This is where I want to shake my friends! Why do we project someone else’s insecurity or hesitation onto ourselves? Please do not ever apologize for being you or pause for validation. Hold yourself in dignity and grace and set the standard for the respect you want to welcome into your life. Start by showing yourself more of it.
3) Just do it.
(Thank you geniuses of Nike marketing.) Stop asking yourself if you should. Stop saying you will tomorrow. Stop the if-then hypotheses. As they say, procrastination is fear cloaked in nonchalance.
4) Be present.
We all would like to deceive ourselves into thinking we can multitask…but science has shown we are actually doing things in rapid succession. When you are there, get off your phone. Make eye contact and actively listen. Be in the moment instead of merely existing…whether it’s at a social gathering or in front of your clients. You have a lot to offer to the people around you and you never know what you might pick up on when you are fully there.
5) Be accountable.
Reflect on your actions and apologize when you are in the wrong. At the end of it, you will be far more respected and admired for your sincerity as well as less scrutinized for your mistakes. We are all human after all.
“Apology is only egotism wrong side out.” -Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
6) Discuss ideas.
Catch the Eleanor Roosevelt reference? It is time to tune out the petty background noise in your life and invest your energy and talents in your ideas. Tomorrow, the he said, she said dialogues will not hold any weight but the time you spent on your dreams most certainly will.
7) Scare yourself regularly and laugh at yourself too.
No, not the horror film kind of scare. The push your limits to soar kind. And when you stumble, don’t take yourself too seriously. It only causes wrinkles…and not the cute crinkly kind.
8) Most importantly, be positive!
One word. Neuroplasticity. Briefly summarized, the word encompasses the ability of your thoughts to rewire how your brain works. Seems complex, but you have all the power in the palm of your hand…or mind rather. It’s unfortunate that positivity often gets quickly dismissed as a cliche or too soft of a term to be taken seriously. However, multiple studies have shown the power of positive thinking in ALL arenas of life. Want to live longer? Want less stress? Want to be more solution-oriented? Want to be successful? Want to have more meaningful relationships? Want to be happy? Let’s spread the positivity and let’s start with ourselves.
Cheers! And as always, thank you for visiting #PositivityFilter,
-S
#PositivityFilter 