Maintaining a positive attitude is a challenge for everyone who faces stress-and who doesn’t?
But how can you keep a positive attitude about the changes that are required to reduce stress, especially when change itself is so stressful? How can you deal with new stresses that pop up? How can you stay alert for new solutions to old problems?
Here’s how: by becoming an expert at making change a positive process. Change experts embrace the power of change using these bright ideas:
– Experts don’t use the words “Yes, but …” As soon as you utter the word “but …,” you run the risk of dispelling good advice that could propel you to new heights.
– Experts aren’t chicken to challenge themselves to pursue large dreams and goals.
– Experts don’t strive for a perfect outcome on the first try.
– Experts refuse to kick themselves (or others) ruthlessly if they fail to achieve a goal by accident or on purpose.
– Experts intuitively know that if they start playing the blame game, the ship of their dreams will get lost and then sink.
– Experts try to think positively when they are feeling pessimistic, beaten down and eaten up by stress.
– Experts refuse to be victims for long.
– Experts keep trying to gain a fresh perspective on stale problems.
– Experts don’t complain about what they can or can’t change.
– Experts recognize when they are beating their head against a wall. When that recognition hits, they pursue new choices to go around, under or over the wall.
– Experts rely on a few close advisers who will give them blunt and honest opinions.
– Experts act in spite of innate and learned fears that fuel higher self-esteem.
– Experts value emotional attachments by letting other people into their hearts and under their skin.
– Experts think about conflict issues and take a public stand by explaining but not defending their viewpoint.
– Experts avoid emotional escalations and psychodrama in their personal and work relationships.
– Experts use this personal growth motto: “Analyze and change yourself first and try to critique or change others last, if ever.”
– Experts resolve resentments in order to keep going, and they shrug off rejections to get going again.
– Experts tap, accept and showcase their hidden strengths without becoming stuck up.
– Experts let go of the need to control every outcome in life and learn to ride the tides.
– Experts prefer to give more than they take, and they always give a little extra along the way.
– Experts don’t expect life to be easy, pain-free and predictable.
– Experts don’t twist reality. Instead, they strive to think straight in a crooked world.
– Experts seek to learn something new from every stressful situation instead of fussing and grousing, “Why does this always happen to me?”
– Experts don’t tire learning more deeply about the good, bad and ugly sides of change.
– Experts desire to get good enough at one small thing that makes a big difference in the world.
The surest route to happiness is to grow and change! Easing stress is your job because you alone live full-time in your skin. Are you worth it? You know best.
Dr. Dennis O’Grady is a communications psychologist from Dayton, Ohio, and the author of TALK TO ME: Communication moves to get along with anyone.