The amount of negativity surrounding this season never ceases to amaze me. The atmosphere can be so discouraging and deflating, but it doesn’t have to be. Today I’d like to share three proven ways to make your holiday season positive.
Did you know there’s actually a formula for how much positive it takes to neutralize a negative? That magic number is 3. It takes three positives to undo the impact of one negative.
I’ve recently challenged myself for the month of November to respond to every negative with 3 positives. At the end of every day, I journal my experiences and meditate on how these experiences (good, bad or every-day ones) can have future meaning. This has really helped keep my focus on the positive, even in the midst of a negative circumstance.
I have found that if I actually write things down, it helps me to stay focused and remember to be intentional. Each morning, I write and review goals for the day. It’s easy to do as I sip my first mug of coffee. Throughout the day, those goals are at the forefront of my mind, even with all the distractions that creep into a busy November day. I then review them in the evening when I meditate about the positives. That helps me create new goals for the next day.
I had a recent encounter with someone in particular who was very negative. I decided to be intentional about showing her kindness and being positive. When I asked her to share her story, I learned her husband was starting radiation treatment in 3 days. My heart broke for her. She thanked me for taking the time to listen and care.
It has become very easy to dismiss people. We like to remain to ourselves. It takes someone of courage and intention to really stop and listen.
This holiday season, I’ve committed myself to being intentional about being positive and keeping things in perspective. I’ve shared a few ways that I have challenged myself to remain positive this season. I’d love to know what you do to keep the season bright. Share your thoughts below – I’m looking forward to hearing them!
