By Alice Facente, Backus Community Education and Outreach Nurse
An earthquake, a terrorist attack, a mass shooting, Zika virus outbreaks, a plane crash and the never-ending contentious presidential campaign — these were the headlines as I scanned the newspapers, all in one day. It’s true: It can be a real struggle to stay upbeat and optimistic these days. But in an effort to stay positive, I have compiled 12 simple tips we can all follow.
- Harness the power of humor. People who know how to laugh at themselves and the absurdities of life have the best attitude. Use your sense of humor to enhance your mood and emotional state.
- Every day, do something relaxing that you enjoy. Whether it is listening to music, reading, dancing, gardening, crocheting or drawing, it’s important to take a break from the necessary duties of the day.
- Do a kind deed without telling anyone. If the person discovers the kindness you have done, ask them to “pay it forward,” thereby extending the circle of generosity and kindness.
- Forgive an old hurt, and ask to be forgiven. It’s easy to say you’re sorry, but it takes a bit of courage to ask for forgiveness when you have hurt someone. Forgive everyone for everything. Life is too short to waste time nursing old grudges.
- Look for the best in others, and yourself. Martin Walsh is credited with saying, “When you look for the good in others, you discover the best in yourself.”
- Stop expecting life to be easy. Life is certainly not easy, and can be painful at times. Acknowledge that sometimes things won’t be easy, and embrace the attitude that you can handle anything that life throws at you.
- Go outside and look up. If the sun is shining, the world seems calm and bright. If it’s raining, those of us living through a drought are thrilled to see rainclouds. If it’s nighttime, the moon reminds us that it’s a big world and life goes on. Richelle Goodrich says, “Every sunrise is an invitation for us to arise and brighten someone’s day.”
- Surround yourself with people who have a positive attitude. When we share space with another person, we often pick up on their energy and feel how they feel, whether we mean to or not. It’s not always possible to do this, for example, at work, but in our personal time we can choose to avoid negative people that sap our strength.
- Every day, write down three good things that happened. This is a great way to keep things in perspective. With practice, you will find that there are often days when four or five good things have happened.
- Practice gratitude. Research has shown that cultivating an attitude of gratitude can help us build up a psychological immune system that can cushion us when we fall.
- Make at least three people smile each day. Make it your mission. And smiling is contagious — it will be impossible not to smile yourself.
- The best fortune cookie saying I ever got is probably the best reminder for thinking positive: “No matter what your past has been, you have a spotless future.”
Alice Facente, RN, MSN, is the former Community Education and Outreach Nurse at Backus Hospital.