Maintaining a Positive Attitude

I’ve been referred to as a “Pollyanna”, a term taken from the title character in a 1913 novel written by Eleanor H. Porter. This girl was an orphan who insists on maintaining a positive attitude and outlook on life despite her circumstances. There is even something known as the “Pollyanna Principle”. This is the tendency for people to remember pleasant items more accurately than unpleasant ones over time.

Even though I have been called out for always looking on the bright side of events and situations, I believe that my positive attitude is one worth fighting for in my life. Think about the implications of thinking positive on a regular basis. Here are some ways this mindset manifests itself in my life on a daily basis.

Many of the people I am around regularly seem to almost enjoy complaining about one thing or another. While I was working as a classroom teacher I had a strict “no complaining” policy with my students. Many of them would even catch themselves or others starting to complain and the complaint was quickly turned into a statement of gratitude, thankfulness, or appreciation. My students lived in the inner city of Los Angeles and were originally from Mexico or El Salvador. A cry of “too much homework!” would transform into “thank you for giving us homework” as they thought about friends, relatives, and neighbors who were now working in the fields instead of in school in the United States. It was a good reminder to all of us to see the joy in the life we have instead of wishing things were somehow better or different.

These days I employ a positive attitude about everything, so much so that people will occasionally roll their eyes or shake their heads when I make one of my positive observations. Raining too hard? I am thankful for the rain during our drought. Car accident? I am grateful no one was injured and that insurance will cover the necessary repairs. Laid off from a job? I appreciate the opportunity to pursue another field or to start a business.

Now I will agree that it may be difficult to see the silver lining in the cloud or the light at the end of the tunnel when someone first happens. Change can be scary, especially when it is thrust upon us suddenly and without warning. But if you can just stay positive and focused and believe that it is a blessing in disguise you will land on your feet more quickly.

Think about a situation in which you were very upset and that turned out to be better than you ever could have imagined. I promise that if you are able to find that feeling and truly know that this current situation and set of circumstances will also work out well you will be pleasantly surprised.

How can this relate to your business? Remember that everything in business is a learnable skill, so no matter what happens all you need to do is to get back to the basics and continue improving your skills. Instead of dreaming of having talent in some area of your business, work to develop a skill that will appear to others as your special talent and take you further than you ever thought possible.

I’m Connie Ragen Green, online marketing strategist, bestselling author, and international speaker on the topics of entrepreneurship and inner game mind shifts. Let’s connect to see how I may best serve you in the near future.