Here we are in 2022. We thought it would all be over by now, well we hoped, but for many of us, including myself, it was a covid Christmas…fun.
Now its back to work after what feels like a ‘meh’ break, and the pressure is on to rally for the New Year, to lift everyone’s spirits and get everyone on track for a great year ahead.
That’s all well and good but if you’re not feeling it, how are you meant to motivate and lead, and lift people up who’s spirits are also down?
How can we stay positive when faced with; a global pandemic, mass absenteeism due to covid, hybrid working leading to feelings of isolation and disconnection, and a collective host of mental, physical and emotional health issues that is effecting nearly everyone?
When it comes to being positive the answer lies in cultivating a positive mindset so that when the going gets tough, you have the inner resources and resilience to lift you up, despite what’s happening externally.
So how do you cultivate a positive mindset, especially when in the moment feeling positive seems like such a stretch?
There is no one size fits all, however there are certain practises that are guaranteed to shift how you feel and have a positive impact.
TOP 3 POSITIVE MINDSET PRACTISES
Here are the top 3 practises to boost your mood in minutes. When you are having a rough day and you want to feel more positive, do any one of these practises and it will shift how you feel almost instantly.
1) Connect to the Present – Fast
One of the main reasons we can feel low is the worry of what is coming up, especially if we have a mountain of work to get through.
Connecting to the present immediately stops any future thinking, it lets you be in the here and now and that provides some space from all those worrisome thoughts.
Simple Grounding Practise
– First take 3 deep breaths
– Look around and focus on 3 things that you can see; notice the colour, texture, shape any detail at all
– Now focus on 3 things that you can feel; the chair you are on, your legs, a cup of tea and notice how they feel
– Finally close your eyes and focus on 3 things that you can hear; outside noise, the whirring of the computer, even notice the sound of silence
2) Be Thankful
This simple yet extremely powerful practise can positively affect your immune system, heart rate, stress levels and happy hormones and it is so easy.
When you are feeling in a negative headspace hating on your job or colleagues and just wishing your were somewhere else doing anything else just try this:
– Think about the elements of your job you enjoy or that provide you with something you are thankful for
– Take a moment to list those things in your mind or write them down
– This could look like:
I’m thankful I have a stable job and don’t have to worry about money
I’m thankful I have great colleagues (that only annoy me sometimes)
I’m thankful that I am here in my comfy house working remotely
I’m thankful that my role is challenging and pushes me to grow and learn
You get the idea. It may seem like the last thing you feel like doing, yet the act of focusing on that which you appreciate and enjoy immediately signals to your brain that there is abundance and goodness in your life and your body responds by producing more happy hormones and less stress.
3) Get Heart Centred
This is such a powerful mood changer, its instantaneous and so very simple.
– Place one hand on your heart
– Think of someone or something that you love and brings you joy (this could be a person, place, pet – anything that really makes you smile)
– Close your eyes and bring them into your minds eye, picture them as clearly as you can and let all of the feelings you associate with that someone or something wash over you from your heart all the way through your body
– Take some deep breaths and enjoy the feelings that come up
When we connect to the heart and to a feeling of love, that sends a wave of positivity through us that effects our mental, physical and emotional health and is a brilliant mood changer.
Try any one of these practises to see which resonates with you the most and has the biggest effect, and then keep doing them, as over time these states of mind will become your default.
If you’d like to learn more about ways to cultivate a positive mindset for you and your team try our workshop :
How to Raise your Positive Energy Levels
Find out more at www.corporate.tulatherapies.com/#workshops