What’s the most powerful positivity practice?
I was winding up my program, Sharpening Your Positive Edge, when a fellow in the front raised his hand. He asked why I recommended remembering three good things at the end of the day instead of anticipating three good things in the morning.
I thanked him for his fantastic question and agreed that anticipating good things in the morning is also a great way to charge our positivity battery. I acknowledged that a one-hour program limits the number of practices I can mention. Then I said that I really appreciated his question because it brought up a very important point; one that was a huge learning for me. The most impactful and powerful intervention we can do to boost our positivity totally depends!
It depends on each person’s personality, what’s going on in their life at the moment, their lifestyle, etc. So in order to find the perfect strategy for you, the best option is to experiment. Consider a few possibilities that sound interesting and doable then give them a try for a week or two. Is it purposely adding in music, connecting more with friends, doing breathwork, adding in a different type of meditation or prayer, journaling, spending more time with pets, or enjoying a favorite hobby?
A few times I tried journaling about good things in my day at bedtime, but it never seemed to work for me. When my daughter was little, we would share good things when I tucked her in to bed. Then she became a teenager and now I go to bed before her. So we need to be flexible and adaptable. If a strategy doesn’t work or things change, our practices may need to change. And it’s often helpful to switch things up so we don’t get complacent or bored.
That’s why I write these weekly tips; to give you (and me) more ideas. That’s why my book has 80 short positivity tips. Some may get used over and over while others just don’t resonate. The goal is to build our internal resources so we have more capacity to be patient and curious and optimistic and to intercept our saboteurs.
Is it time to add to or change up your positivity practices? Browse my list with hundreds of weekly tips and find what works for you!
