The Power of Positivity

Hello to you again!

 This evening, I want to reach out to you, my readers, in a way that may not be specific to fitness, but will (hopefully) assist you in fitness, business, social experiences, and personal journeys. I want to talk to you tonight about being positive.

I have been asked before, quite literally, "How are you positive all of the time?" I will say that I am definitely not positive every moment of my life. But I will say (and I pride myself somewhat in this) that I keep a positive mindset a majority of the time, and that is, in itself, a feat worth fighting for. Like moving well, being positive takes a conscious effort. It does not come naturally, easily, or without endeavor.

Many people think of positivity as a hereditary attribute, that a person is born positive, is always positive, and will therefore always be positive. But even as you read this, you know that this thought is ludicrous. But it still comes naturally to think this way. Do you know someone who is always slightly upbeat? Who always seems to say something to make you feel better, or look at the positive side of things? To see the silver lining, the half-full glass?

  There are three conscious efforts that I have placed upon myself that make my life majorly positive, and I want to share them with you. I make it an effort every day to:

1) Remove the negative words from my vocabulary. Words like: can't, don't, won't, no, never, wouldn't, not, unfortunately, but, might, impossible, etc. Many of these words (like but or might) aren't precisely negative, but they are "flimsy" and therefore rob you of your certainty that the possible it real. Avoid these words! Change "Unfortunately, I can't do a box jump" to "I currently struggle with box jumps." By saying you can't do a box jump, you've given up on the idea of doing it. "Currently struggling" indicates that by continuous practice, you intend to one day conquer the box jump! It may seem silly at first, but every single thought has a positive spin. Fight to find it, andexpress it with everything that you have!

Which one of these runners KNEW he was going to win, and always told himself that?

2) Recover quickly from negative situations. When someone tells you something is going to fail, or a situation turns negative, recover quickly from it. Take a moment to collect your thoughts, or at least your attitude, and turn it to one of a constructive, postive force. Determine a way to solve the problem at hand, and complete the task. The most successful people in life are those who can rebound from an "unfortunate circumstance" and turn it into a positive outcome.

3) Exude an air of collected confidence. I tell all of my clients, when doing an exercise of extreme intensity, it is better mentality to portray outward calm in your face, posture, and breathing. By forcing yourself to appear calm, you are mentally working towards being in a calm state. The same can be said of negative and hectic environments. If you give the impression that you are calm, cool, and composed, people will follow suite, and you will find yourself more often in control of a stressful situation.

This man looks confident. If Ryan said something to you right now, you'd believe him. Even if he was about to crap himself.

 

I am in firm belief that positivity will be one of the major influences that changes the world for the better. If you truly believe this, and can be an ambassador for positiveness, you may be a catalyst for change as well. The worst possible outcome? You are happy for the rest of your life.....

 Stay Fit.