Having a positive mindset is a matter of consciously turning negatives into positives. You can apply this to your life during the holiday season and throughout your life. First consider
• What are your emotions telling you?
• How do you view the people around you?
• What are you looking forward to?
• What do you enjoy most?
• What don’t you understand?
• What would you like to do away with? (I’m asking about holiday traditions here NOT people)
Based on your answers, do you already have a positive mindset? If not
• What emotion would you like to cultivate during this season?
• How can you add more ____ (the emotion you picked, like joy and calm) to your day today?
• What do you like most about each of the people you will spend time with today?
• What one thing will you do to care for yourself today?
• When will you do what you enjoy most? (schedule it on your calendar this week)
• Who will you ask about things you don’t understand?
• What can you delegate, ignore, or not participate in to increase your positive mindset?
These following tips will help you develop a positive mindset to enhance your perception of the holidays and to assist you in handling change and transitions in your personal and professional life for years to come.
• Acknowledge negative emotions without allowing them to take over your thoughts and your life. Build an arsenal of positive emotions to help you successfully move through any change.
• Think about characteristics of change and in what ways you can view change as positive (read more about this at Characteristics of change: how to make yours positive)
• Set goals for yourself for the holidays. Decide which holiday functions you really want to attend. Decline invitations that don’t appeal to you. You always have a choice.
• Set goals for the coming year. Reflect on what worked well in your personal and professional life during the last decade. Write down what needs to change for next year.
• Consider what inspires you to think more positively about the holidays—a song, a poem, a book, a person, a gratitude list, an activity. Reflect on the things that inspire your life in general.
• Build a resilient mindset. Work on establishing positive expectations when faced with change.
• Nurture positive relationships.
• Discover who you really are. Build your self-esteem and confidence. Find life meaning and purpose.
You can have a positive mindset for the holidays and a lifetime. Think about the wonders of the unknown, the possibilities of accomplishment, and the opportunities for new relationships. Trust yourself and your ability to thrive in your positive mindset. Enjoy your holidays and your next successful decade!