Tip of the week: BE GRATEFUL AND CAREFULLY CHOOSE WHAT YOU SAY… AND THE COMPANY YOU KEEP!
What a wonderful week we had with my team! For the first time, we managed to organize an in-person retreat after several months of video conferences. With all the necessary safeguards and derived inconveniences, we got together again! Our numbers were limited, but our spirits were boundless. For three days, we shared our views and our food – perhaps eating more than we should- and we achieved our objectives. Most importantly, we reconnected as a team.
One of the team-building activities we did was observing a ‘secret friend’ during the retreat and providing them feedback at the end. I was very fortunate, and my secret friend happened to be a colleague I admire much but of whom I know little. Her feedback -generous and insightful- got me thinking about the importance of having a positive attitude and the impact one person can have in a group, even unknowingly.
In times of constant bombardment with bad news all around us, it becomes crucial to pay attention to our reactions, taking control of our thoughts, our tongues, and our interactions. In a nutshell, realizing the power of a smile!
Research shows that we absorb stress -like a sponge- from myriad sources: our friends, family, colleagues, social media, the news, fellow commuters, etc. Stress and negativity have toxic effects on our health and our performance. It is now undisputed that merely witnessing rudeness reduces our ability to process and manage information. The antidote to this is called THRIVING; in other words, “the psychological state in which people experience a sense of both vitality and learning.” How can we increase our THRIVING ability? Christine and Mike Porath suggest SIX TACTICS:
- AVOID NEGATIVITY: Look into what you are ingesting daily. What news, music, messages, conversations are you allowing into your ‘hard drive”?
- WATCH YOUR MOUTH: Negative thinking is damaging, but verbalizing your negative thoughts multiplies by ten the impact on your delivery.
- USE NEUTRAL THINKING: Avoid toxic people and thoughts, change the narrative, run away from judgment, and rapidly move on. Instead of dwelling on the past or fearing the future, manage the here and now.
- BE GRATEFUL CONSISTENTLY: There’s so much to be thankful for! Please do it. Your stress level will reduce, you will be happier, and you will be more likely to achieve your goals.
- MANAGE YOUR ENERGY: Sleep, sleep, sleep! Then eat well and exercise daily. I know you’ve heard it before. The point is if you are doing it!
- SEEK OUT POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS (in and out of work): Hang around with happy people, those with positive energy, the ones that find a solution for every problem. And, -please, please, please- until you are strong enough to help them, avoid those who have a problem for every solution!
As we head into the last month of the year, let’s make sure we not only survive but THRIVE! I wish you a happy new month, as we say here in Nigeria!