Positivity

November 2024 Character Core

Nearly every day, something happens that makes us grumpy, discontented, or unhappy. Given enough time, those happenings can cause our minds to only focus on the negative and can make our attitude ungrateful. Winston Churchill once said “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

Some steps for cultivating a positive attitude:

Practice Gratitude

There are bound to be negative circumstances or interactions that change our response to a situation. But choosing to find something to be grateful for, even something small like beautiful weather or a chat with a friend can help to reorient our focus. If our attitude is positive, we can more easily see the positive things that happen to us and around us.

Laugh

One study, conducted by the Biomedical Research and Therapy Journal, found that “Laughter also increases the oxygen supply to cells of the body and increases blood circulation…” The study also mentioned that the participants experienced lower levels of anxiety overall. Laughing not only helps you feel better, it actually is good for you!

Spend time with positive people

Even just a few minutes with a critical and ungrateful person can make you feel less grateful and positive. People with a happy, cheery attitude always seem to make a situation better and help others have a more positive attitude.

As Zig Ziglar said, “Positive thinking will let you do everything better than negative thinking will.”