Get the latest insights
delivered straight to your inbox
Jan 8, 2024
Brenda R. Smyth, Supervisor of Content Creation
We’ve all known people who can turn lemons into lemonade. Rather than seeing a failed project, they’re quick to remind themselves that they’re now one step closer to doing things right. They’re quick to tally the small components that did work, or that might be possible.
There are also people who tend more toward negative thinking. Some forms negative thinking takes:
A small portion (25 percent) of this inclination toward optimism/pessimism is genetic, according to studies. So, that leaves a lot of room for you to face down any “natural” tendencies you may have.
Positive thinking can be learned. Positive people don’t necessarily face fewer hardships. They just face them in a more productive way. You can consciously choose to change your thinking habits.
Imagine you find out your amazing boss is leaving. Someone from another internal department is replacing them. Over the last few years, you’ve worked hard, you’ve built a strong relationship with your boss. (You might even have been secretly hoping you would be considered for the job when/if they ever left.) How can you stay positive and control your building negative feelings and anxiousness?
You CAN learn to see the glass as half full. Start by not overreacting when faced with a negative situation. Stay calm, focused, and rational. Accentuate the positives and practice speaking about them. You have power over your own point of view. Positivity isn’t a function of the situation, but rather how you see the situation. Practice seeing the positive.
Brenda R. Smyth
Supervisor of Content Creation
Brenda Smyth is supervisor of content creation at SkillPath. Drawing from 20-plus years of business and management experience, her writings have appeared on Forbes.com, Entrepreneur.com and Training Industry Magazine.
Latest Articles
Article Topics