Good Vibes Only!
Positive psychology is the scientific study of the factors that enable individuals and communities to thrive. The field is founded on the belief that people want to lead meaningful and fulfilling lives, to cultivate what is best within themselves, and to enhance their experiences of love, work, and play. We believe that it is a significant part of creating a great place to work. When the leaders within an organization embrace the practices of positive psychology, they set the tone for the rest of the people in the organization. And a more positive work environment is one in which there is more collaboration, less burnout, increased productivity and reduced stress. It is one in which people focus on the potential of what could be instead of dwelling on the shortcomings.
We are drawn to people who are positive, energetic, kind and helpful. They give us hope, provide reassurance, and inspire positivity within ourselves. Within our lives positivity starts with our thoughts. No matter what happens to us, we get to choose how we think about it. Negative thoughts steal creative energy and are a deterrent to success. We either have faith in what can go wrong or faith in what can go right.
The challenge when negative thoughts arise is moving from thinking focused on fear and limitation to thinking focused on love and potential. Positivity does not mean we are in denial, simply looking for silver lining, or ignoring obstacles, it's affirming that there is indeed a solution even if it may not be clear. Everything that can be seen, started at one point as unseen, so if we believe something is possible, then we allow for infinite possibilities to exist.
In February, I challenged the Footers team as well as the MIBE Masters community to adopt new habits that would spark more positivity in their lives. With inspiration from my favorite TED Talk by Shawn Achor, some people started an exercise routine, some committed to doing a random act of kindness each day, some made a point to write a note of gratitude to someone else each day, and many people did a the 21 day gratitude challenge, writing down three new things each day that they were grateful for.
This week I hope you take a few minutes to watch Shawn’s ted talk and choose to adopt a new habit that will lead to more positivity and gratitude in your life. And for those of you who are already underway with this challenge, I encourage you to keep it going and add something new to what you have already done. Yes these things take time, but by and large they are free and the results of more joy and fulfillment in life are priceless.
