Your ATTITUDE is your present state of mind, with which you view and handle people, events, and issues around you. We are surrounded daily with a mix of realities and happenings in Nigeria, and across the world. You might say these are hard times. But was there ever really a time in the history of mankind that was entirely free of ‘hard times’? Maybe not. So let’s face reality. Things may not always work out to our advantage. But a positive state of mind can help you turn these experiences around for your own greater good. This is the whole essence of being able to maintain a positive attitude.
We must come to the understanding that life is a mixed blessing. Thus we should learn to either create good out of life, or extract the good from our daily experiences. You must bring your mind to agree that there is always something good you can make out of every situation (or learn from it). So we will be discussing how to maintain a positive attitude in Nigeria (or even outside Nigeria) at any time. A positive attitude will help you keep your mind balanced and in control as much as possible, regardless of happenings around you.
What Good Is It to Maintain a Positive Attitude?
Having a positive attitude contributes to your overall mental, emotional and physical health. It can significantly reduce your stress levels, and reduce falling sick to a minimum. Again, having a positive attitude can improve the quality of your relationships with other people. Because your positivity shows in the way you act and speak; thus you end up positively influencing others as well.
Yet again, having a positive attitude is a key characteristic of good leaders. Such persons find it easy to motivate and energize others to pursue a mission or task.
Lastly, it boosts your confidence to reach higher on your career ladder. You can succeed better in your profession, schooling, business or other venture, with a positive attitude.
Effective Strategies to Maintain a Positive Attitude
Here below are a couple of strategies that can help you to maintain a positive attitude as a lifestyle:
Choose to Stay Positive
You are the biggest determinant of your own happiness. Others may or may not contribute to your happiness. And indeed quite a lot of people would disappoint you time and again. But you must choose to stay happy. Refuse to allow other people and their actions to decide how you think, or your state of mind. Some simple actions that can help you to reinforce and maintain a positive attitude include being cheerful; humorous; approachable; courteous; and responsive.
Be in The Company of Positive People
Attitude is a magnet. The more you spend time in the midst of happy people, the happier you become. Largely because people naturally begin to think and act like the people that surround them. They would influence you to be what they are. So if you want to maintain a positive attitude, surround yourself with positive-minded people. Their actions will teach you to stay positive. And of course you must distance yourself from people with negative attitudes, to avoid despair and hopeless feelings.
Speak Positivity Into Your Life
How about using positive self-talk? Look at yourself in the mirror and speak positive things into your own image. Speak positive things to yourself and the situations you face. Positive affirmations eventually go beyond the self-talk to manifest in your life. Positive self-talk can change your behavior and thoughts in the positive direction. Even if the prevailing circumstances are not so uplifting, your positive self-talk will keep your mind focused on good possibilities.
Offer to Help Others
One good way to stay positive is in doing good deeds for others. It is an opportunity to be selfless, thus taking your mind away from your personal challenges. It also stirs up good feelings, and can help to release the ‘happy’ hormones in your body. You can help others by donating gifts, doing charity work, teaching and mentoring others, and rendering other forms of assistance.
Show Empathy and Respect for Others
You get what you give. Your actions and attitude are magnets. Why not treat others the way you want to be treated? One of the effective ways of building good relationships is in showing respect, and empathy to others. You can do that by learning to be a good listener, and consciously reducing criticism and judgment. You can also learn to understand other people’s viewpoints and feelings in a discussion, and not insist on imposing your own. Also learn to understand other people’s needs and personal differences. Lastly, learn to show appreciation to others. Whatever good thing they achieve, or any good thing they offer you at any time – openly appreciate them.
Develop the Can-Do Attitude: Never Ever Give Up
There will sometimes be days when things may take a down-turn. And then you feel upset. Nevertheless, calm down, meditate, and take your mind away from what upsets you. You must develop the winning attitude of NEVER GIVING UP. Even the darkest night will give way to the light. Stay positive and focused.
Seek Opportunities and Solutions
Rather than groan about a challenge or problem, shift your attention towards seeking solutions and opportunities that present themselves. See problems as opportunities to learn and grow. Use your mistakes (and the lessons you learn from them) as stepping stones to improve yourself. These lessons may eventually teach you to be more creative and resilient. Thus, you learn to solve future problems faster than those of the past.
Are You Taking Good Care of Yourself? Start Now
How well are you taking care of yourself? Self-care should be one of your priorities. You need to put as many self-care tips as possible to work. Get enough sleep/rest, eat nutritious meals, drastically reduce alcohol and caffeine intake, and do regular physical exercises. Remember to also take yourself out – pamper and reward yourself from time to time.
Doing so will help you reduce stress to the barest minimum. Additionally, you are investing in your overall wellness (mental, emotional and physical), which will improve your mood and preserve your energy. All these contribute to helping you to maintain a positive attitude.
Choose to Celebrate the Good Things
When good things happen or present themselves; or when you achieve something good no matter how small – celebrate it. Learn to celebrate others as well. Support, recognize and reward positive outcomes of the work done by colleagues and team members, not just yours. Doing so would further motivate and spur people around you to strive for something greater. It also promotes job satisfaction, bonding and team building.
