The great American poet Walt Whitman once wrote, “Keep your face always toward the sunshine and shadows will fall behind you.” A positive mindset can be a powerful tool for motivating yourself and others. You can’t do something if you don’t believe you can do it. Some form of self-belief, of positivity, is necessary to commit yourself to personal growth. Whatever your personal or professional goals are, positivity can help you get ahead. If a positive outlook isn’t second nature to you, don’t worry: it’s a habit you can cultivate over time.
Affirmations for All
We could all use a kind word; who among us is immune to the power of a good pep talk? Be your own cheerleader. Give yourself daily affirmations that remind you of your strengths. Tell yourself that you can and will succeed in your endeavors, that your dreams are attainable, and that you have the willpower and desire to see things through. When we feel bad about ourselves, those negative, self-lacerating feelings can build up quickly if left unchecked. That’s why affirmations are important: when your internal monologue turns too critical, you need to advocate for yourself and focus on what you did right.
“Be your best friend, not your worst enemy,” said Dr. Melanie Abts, Rio Salado College's Counseling Faculty Co-Chair.
Affirming yourself is one thing, but it’s also important to affirm others. Give positive feedback and compliments to co-workers, family, and friends. Don’t be insincere about it; give praise that you mean because people can usually tell if a kind word is inauthentic or just the top layer on a dreaded “compliment sandwich.” Making others feel good can make you feel good while also modeling a positive behavior that may boomerang back at you in the future when they offer you much-needed affirmations.
Envision Success
If you’re more of a visual person, a vision board can be an effective tool for motivating yourself. A vision board could be a physical or digital collage, something that visualizes your desired future, goals, and/or dreams. Making the board can be a useful exercise in clarifying your values and priorities: what is so important to you, so central to your ambitions, that you want a reminder of it every day?
Studies have found that people with a sense of purpose tend to experience less stress than those with no purpose in their lives. Having goals to strive for, dreams to achieve, can be a strong bulwark against negativity. It’s easy to feel down and depressed when you don’t feel like you have any direction or momentum in your life. If you have something to work toward, even a modest goal like finishing a single class or reading more books, it could help dispel those feelings of inertia.
Remember Your Wins
It can be easy to fall into a dour mood when you hit a professional or personal setback. Don’t let a loss make you feel like a loser! Everybody makes mistakes; we all fall short of a goal at some point. The key to maintaining a positive attitude in these moments is to remember your wins. What are you grateful for? What have you done that made you feel good? Remind yourself that you are a competent and capable person, and that there are better days to come.
It’s also important not to just celebrate your wins when they’re in the rearview. Did you finish a challenging class? Completed a tough project at work? Hit some personal best in your hobby or fitness goals? Celebrate the win! Treat yourself to some kind of reward. Have a happy hour with friends to share your joy with them. Keep a gratitude journal so you can keep track of the things in life that bring you meaning and satisfaction.
Opportunities, Not Obstacles
Sometimes life can humble us. We face challenges that push us to our limits, and it can be frustrating to deal with these seemingly insurmountable obstacles. One way to give yourself the motivation and confidence to power through these hard times is to see them as opportunities, not obstacles. We often tend to think of friction as a bad thing but it’s the moments that challenge us- physically, personally, intellectually- that we often tend to experience the most growth. Consider how muscles get stronger through the strain and struggle of exercise, and think about how you can look at a challenge in your life the same way a weightlifter sees the heavy bar above them.
“We can learn from our mistakes,” Abts said. “Don’t fear failure - learn from it!”
A challenging situation can reveal important things to us about our blind spots and weaknesses. An obstacle is an opportunity for self-discovery and reinvention, a call to educate yourself so you can have the skills and knowledge needed to overcome it. Instead of feeling negative about a tough project, you could feel excited and determined to overcome it.
Garbage In, Garbage Out
What you eat, drink, listen to, and watch can all have an effect on your mental health. If you’re constantly exposing yourself to depressing news, if you’re eating an unhealthy diet that makes you feel fatigued and dehydrated, if you’re around friends who whittle down your good cheer with constant negativity, all of that will put a strain on your mood. It doesn’t mean that you should cut all these things out of your life: sometimes a little junk food as a treat is nice! Being informed of what’s happening is good, even if the news is awful. A negative friend can still be someone you love who is an important part of your life. The key is moderation. Limit your exposure to things and people that drain your energy. Know your limits, set boundaries, and stick to them.
Article by Austin Brietta
Read About Wellness
Check out more of our Wellness and Student Success stories: