Think about your day/week/month … Now consider the times when you felt the most tired, exhausted, defeated, etc.
What did those events have in common?
After one week of being stepmom to five and three year old boys, I was exhausted. It was a relatively easy week. Not too many melt downs, fun activities and tons of dinosaurs. So, why did I feel so tired?
After examining the week, I realized that the exhaustion came from the act of saying, “NO,” several times a day. The week was full of:
- Don’t hit your brother.
- No yelling in the house.
- Don’t run in the kitchen.
- No dinosaurs on the table.
It’s draining to say the least. Being negative is so much harder than its opposite – positivity. The best parts of the week were when something amazing was achieved. Think peeing in the toilet, picking up the toys without arguing (well, maybe this didn’t happen), and seeing the meerkats at the Happy Hollow Zoo. All of these activities elicited a smile and a cheer!
Expression is everything
What does your face do when you say no? It usually bunches and scrunches up into some kind of frown or angry expression. And the feelings that come along with it give an overall down feeling to the event. While saying yes generally brings a smile, a happy eyebrow raise, a playful wink or other joyful expression.
Find the joy in every situation
Think about why you might be saying no. Is it to teach a lesson? Is it to find a better solution? Whatever you’re doing, there is a way to turn that negative into something positive.
Be open for positive experiences
If you’re looking for something bad to happen it will. And the reverse is also true. Positive actions will happen when you open your mind and look for the best in everything.
I’m looking for my next full-time opportunity as a marketing communications professional. While I’m going after my targets, I’m keeping a positive attitude. This has brought me some exciting opportunities to start freelancing. Because my mind was open to being active and keeping my skills fresh, opportunities are coming my way.
It’s a challenging time, but a positive attitude is everything. I keep positivity in my life by finding activities to keep me busy. I volunteer for SV-IABC, I joined a program called ProMatch, and I make time to regularly meet up with friends and positive influences.
Share how you keep the positive energy flowing in your life.
Congrats on week one stepmom! Thanks for the insightful reminder on yes and no’s – well written!
I find positive energy by volunteering with professional groups and attending in-person events. Not always easy to work a room, but sometimes the best connections happen by making an effort to meet a new person. Doesn’t have to end up as a business deal, just an interesting interaction that can only happen face to face. Good human interaction.
Yes, I too enjoy volunteering with professional groups. Networking is a great way to find positive interactions. And you’re right, it doe snot have to result in a business deal. Interesting conversation is just as satisfying. You never know where you will find you next friend! Did you see this post about networking I wrote?
What a great perspective, Theresa! A good reminder I used even today I’m glad to hear things are starting to come together for you!
Thank you, Mia! It’s been a crazy fun several months. Looking forward to more of them. We should catch up soon!