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Its been a tough year and a half. I get it. We all still have sea legs. We are off kilter, lost at sea, living day by day until ________________. Until we get "back to normal" or establish a new normal or what?
No one wants a pep talk here, we are weary. Each of us frayed in a different way. Why do I even need optimism, why would getting on the bright side help me?
Looking for something good each day isn't just an activity for crisis management. Its a daily activity that helps our mental well being. Science shows us that what we spend our time on becomes our focus. Want to be good a worrying, then worry. Want to be good at complaining, then complain.
How can we begin to shift our men
tality from just getting by to looking forward to something good coming?
There are a few simple steps that
can help us have a larger measure of hope, which become optimism and allow us to see and focus on something good either in the future, or small good things each day.
First, who is your circle, your support? We resonate and reflect those people around us. If you want to begin to look on the Bright Side, then get around people who are resilient, adaptive, innovative in crisis and are looking ahead. Get in the wake of those forging ahead and draft behind them until you adapt their thinking.
Second, expect something good. Think vision board here. Write down something good you can look forward to it and look at it. Hang a picture of it on the wall, your bathroom mirror. Picture yourself living life with it. Do this every single day.
Third, wait with anticipation for it. Expecting something good is one thing, but do you really see it happening? Tell someone, tell a few someones so that it is more of a reality. Create timelines and benchmarks that enable you to get a step closer week by week, year by year. Speak out loud about it as a reality and have an accountability partner that holds you to progress and positive speech.
Fourth, you have to lean into this hope. You have to let go of everything that tarnishes the dream and reality of the dream. There is no plan B. This plan, this dream, this hope, this good thing is the only plan. It means that defeat is unimaginable. You depend on this happening. You create a gratitude journal to document the journey on the way there with only good things.
Lastly, this good thing, this hopeful thing has to become a part of you. You are tied to it. It is the anchor through the hard days and dark times. Its a thing that is not out there, its in here. Nothing in your life moves without it. At this point, you can begin to resonate to other people. They will catch your fire and the circle is complete. Hope spreads once you settle into it.