Great Ways to Stay Positive When Navigating Change
During seasons of change and transition the best equipped leaders possess a positive outlook on the world. Their positivity allows them to see and pursue new opportunities. When you are going through transition, negativity does not serve anyone well. It makes the situation heavy and can make the process arduous and drawn out. As you navigate change consider these benefits of positivity:
- Positive attitudes find solutions to problems.
A leader who keeps an optimistic outlook is better equipped to tackle obstacles and setbacks. They can access creative solutions, are innovative and foster a culture of collaboration. Each of these skills are critical to moving through a season of transition efficiently.
- Positive People have more energy
Energy is a resource that helps us through transition. When walking through unfamiliar circumstances it often draws a greater amount of our emotional, mental and physical resources. Enthusiasm and optimism equip leaders with a great sense of hope and resilience.
- Positive people are more resilient.
Resilience is a key to successfully transition from one season to another, particularly if you don’t have control over that timeline. Some of the most resilient people are entrepreneurs, they are also some of the most positive. Very few entrepreneurs make it big with their first idea or business. These failures and mistakes become part of the story and positive people take those and learn from them. A negative mindset might take them as a sign to quit.
- Positive people notice opportunities.
Not only do positive people notice opportunities, but they are also more likely to be invited into new opportunities. This is usually because positive people are generally more enjoyable to work with. Wide eyed optimism has a lot of benefits. Rather than being discouraged by problems, optimists find solutions and services to navigate them.
How Can I be More Positive?
- Practice Gratitude
You can daily kick start your positivity by practicing gratitude. I make this part of my daily practice first thing in the morning. I start my morning prayer time with gratitude. Taking time to thank God for all the good things in my life sets my disposition to one of thankfulness and appreciation. It sets me up for my day of work and my positivity changes the atmosphere around the office.
- Watch your Words
Your words have power to set a course for your life. The bible compares our tongue to a rudder, it has the ability to steer your emotions, your experiences and your destiny.
“4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts…”
James 3:4-5 NIV
Use your words to steer your life around the icebergs of negativity and set a course for positivity. Choose your words. Make a resolve to not rant or pointlessly recycle frustrations. Elect to use your words to build other people up, don’t settle for cynicism and complaining. The bible also says that life and death are in the power of the tongue (Prov 18:21) so choose life.
Spend Time with Other Positive People
Positivity and negativity are both contagious. Surround yourself with people who see the world as brimming with opportunities, and you’ll begin to share their perspective. They’ll inspire you to rise above challenges and view every crisis as a chance to grow and succeed. Church has always been a place where I can find faith filled positive people. I have found our marketplace group to be a great encouragement during difficult seasons.