Good Morning!

How we mentally navigate tough times.  There are a lot of struggles and challenges out in the world right now.  If we’re not careful, the negative can seep in and effect our mood, viewpoint, and even our health.  We can’t change the issues outside of our immediate world, but we can take some steps to ensure we protect ourselves.  Here are 4 recommended actions you can start today, to navigate things in a healthier way:

• No social media or news for at least 90 minutes after you wake up.   The media is wrought with pessimism and doom.  Sadly, that sells and there are so many people who feed on it.  Allow yourself to be firmly embedded in your morning, free of negativity.  If you feel like you need to watch the news, read a newspaper instead so you can be selective in what you are taking in.  After 1 week, you’ll feel the difference!

• Negative people – walk away!  When you encounter people who are determined to drop the “everything sucks” bomb on you, don’t allow it.  Simply walk away.  This can feel really uncomfortable, especially if the person is a good friend.  But it’s okay to politely say “I understand you might be upset; I’m trying to focus on what’s positive for me.”  Protect yourself.

• Evaluate what you take in.  What kind of movies are you watching… or books are you reading?  I went to a movie a couple of weeks ago.  While the movie I selected was a comedy, 100% of the previews were either a gruesome murder or the world was ending.  Seriously?  These are obviously popular genres, otherwise, studios wouldn’t make more of them.  Take a break from “entertainment” that has a heavy or doomsday theme for a while.

• Reward the positive.  Start looking for the positives happening around you.  When you see kindness or positive attitudes – call people out and tell them how much you appreciate it.  At a company I worked for, we implemented “Thank You Thursdays.”  We asked people on our operations team to write a handwritten thank you note (no emails) to their customers and keep track.  We supplied the stationery and postage.  Whoever sent the most notes at the end of the month – received a gift basket.  The cost was low, and the goodwill it promoted was priceless!  

• Self-check in.  How is your attitude lately?  Is the negative around you getting to you?  If so, recognize it, own it, and now change it!  It happens and we’ve all been there.  Just don’t stay there.  If possible, take a mental health day and decompress.  Get outside and take a long walk, get some exercise, start journaling, anything to pull you back into a positive mindset.  

While these ideas may be simple, they’re not always easy.  It takes being intentional and a desire to change yourself and sometimes your environment to get yourself into a  good place.  The good news is you can put these recommendations into action and start to see and feel the difference, today!