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Positive is Stupendous!


How cool would it be if everything went the way we wanted and we always had all the energy we could ever want and we would have no worries! Wishful thinking, right?

Coming from a tightly knit Hispanic culture and growing up around family, I remember that I would always be positive, happy and optimistic. Much of it had to do with the environment in which I grew up and my family support system. I think in general, the country where I grew up and its society was very upbeat and, generally speaking, happy; which at the time I thought it was contagious. I can't forget, of course, that I was a child and back then I had little or no worries. Life was always taken one day at a time, the days were long and the nights were full of dreams. It was a special time in my life that I would cherish forever. It's those times that I think about today in the midst of a fast-paced world, with the ever constant change, volatility and uncertainty that each day brings. Why do I think back? I do so because it makes me happy, and happy, to me, equals positive even when I feel down or negative.

I have found that choosing happiness and a positive attitude really changes my perspective each day. It's really part of my DNA and my heritage and I know that's just not enough, especially because those childhood days are long gone, family is no longer near, and I am in a new place; creating many new memories and living a new life. Now that I fast forward and think of my adult life, I attribute my perseverance to positive thinking and looking for the small things in life to find happiness. Here's how it works for me, in no particular order. Take note as you could probably relate or use some of this to feel and live better if you so desire:

  • Rise early - This gives me time to soak the new day in, stretch the body, enjoy the little things like taking care of the bare necessities, getting dressed, and energizing my mind to face the day!

  • Take care of others - If you live with others or have children, as I do, one of the first things I do is reach out to my wife, thank her for being in my life, and remind her that she too, has to get ready for the new day. After I am ready, I get my children up, ask what they have dreamed about, and help them start their routine, regardless of the day of the week. Helping others and taking care of those most important to me just feels plain good! And it makes me happy!

  • Serve others first! Again with the family, I get them ready so they are one step ahead and I am thankful for the opportunity. For example, I help everyone out with chores, meal prepping, and planning out the day.

  • Plan the day! While I am eager to check my smart phone right away after I wake, I don't. I do it after everything else has been taken care of so I can do it purposely. This includes looking at my schedule, my priorities, and browsing positive thoughts or quotes I have read or visited and happy thoughts I have captured in voice memos. I then share these via my social media of choice as one of my daily posts and I write it down on my tablet or notebook so I can see it several times. It works and it plants a seed in my mind to stay positive. Also, this helps avoid the bad news which abound these days.

  • Seek positive things throughout the day. Yes, there is enough negativity out there. The world chews on negative and we are fed negative things by the dozen. It's your choice to sift through the negative, like the news feeds, and search for the positive things around you. It can be the small things, like less traffic in your commute or less emails in your inbox when you start your work day. It can also involve doing small things for others like greeting everyone you meet, including strangers. Now this need not sound weird, but a greeting can be as simple as a smile. And it can make a difference in someone's day.

  • Thank people often. This can charge you up and enhance your gratitude coefficient by leaps and bounds. Take the time to thank your spouse, children, family, boss, co-workers, customers, and friends.

  • Connect with others. This one is simple in our ever connected world and it can make a difference. Regardless of whether it's in person or virtually, do it and enjoy the feeling of fellowship in knowing about others and being part of their lives while sharing yours with them. It works! We get plenty dopamine from our many posts and likes on Facebook; just try not to spend too much time absent minded checking your feed.

  • Call your mother. Yes, this one is a basic but it helps to do so. Call your dad too. If they are no longer around, call someone special just because.

  • Experience something positive every day. This can be reading, listening to music, or a hobby or whatever makes you happy.

  • Connect with your inner self. This is the most important conversation you can have with anyone. Check whether or not you are really feeling happy or are more positive. Be honest. Be optimistic.

  • Enjoy the moment! All we have is the moment. If you put this into perspective, you will have greater focus on the good things that can happen in the moment and you will maximize your effort to feel good and happy, and your positive vibe will increase!

Remember, start small, but start somewhere and at some point. You will not regret starting and will feel stupendous.

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