5 Ways to Fan the Flame of Positivity

Have you ever found yourself surrounded by negativity wondering, “How in the world do I stay positive when it seems like everyone around me is so negative?” Thankfully, there are some specific actions you can take to fan the flame of a positive attitude and influence those around you caught up in negativity.

5 Simple Actions to Fan the Flame of Positivity 

1.    Make Your Room Great

You may not be able to control the whole house but you do have a room you are in charge of where you can adjust the thermostat to control the temperature. Your room may be the place where you play, a specific role at work, a place where you serve, a circle of friends, or some other environment.

Every day when you wake up, make it your goal to be the best you that you can possibly be and from that place, look for ways to bring out the best in others. Let the negativity around you go right through you by tuning it out and staying focused on what you can control – not what’s out of your control. 

2.    Differentiate Melancholy from Negativity

A lot of “positive talk” fails to acknowledge the presence of legitimate loss and the emotional roller coaster of adversity. Loss and adversity happen and can be accompanied by positivity as long as it doesn’t mean a “let’s just be happy all the time” way of thinking.

Positivity is having an abundance mentality – an attitude that believes you’ll get through and that people will show up to help and somehow whatever is in front of you, will be figured out. Positivity believes in growth amidst hardship and fights against being swallowed up by a doomsday mentality and a belief nobody cares. 

3.    Be The Change you Want to See

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said it: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” What exactly does that mean in this context?  Embody the values of positivity and hopefulness in your speaking, thinking, praying, believing, and responding.  Avoid being pulled down by the negativity around you and focus your own self-talk and other-talk on the good, the best, the pure, the beautiful.

Yes, negativity is a powerful force but so is the person who has lit themselves on fire with hope and a core belief that says, “Things can get better!”  

4.    Invite Others to Join You

Even though it’s true you can’t directly change other people, you can change yourself and in doing so influence others and whet their appetite for what you have.  If your life radiates a peaceful spirit, strong faith, a persevering attitude, kindness of words and actions – others take notice! There is something magnetic about a person who lives what they believe and who boldly invites others to join their side.

5.    If Others Fail to Join You – Press On!

Positivity, the belief in a brighter future and the belief you can make a difference with your life is a choice. You may not have been born into an environment of positivity but you can choose today to be that kind of a person.

Today, I begin the 23^rd month of recovery from the fateful day when a Cavalier crossed our path, totalled our motorcycle and brought our lives as we knew them to a grinding halt. There have been moments when I have wished this were all over but when I come to my senses and realize there is no end date, I shake off the poor me mentality and embrace the opportunity to grow and make a difference in spite of the challenge.

The strength of the human spirit to overcome odds, pain and loss is truly amazing if you decide it’s possible.  To do so you have to reach up in faith, out in friendship, inside for courage – but my testimony is to say it is possible to maintain an attitude of positivity even when your world gets permanently turned upside down.

How have you been able to fan the flame of positivity in your life?
Where do you need to choose positivity or encourage someone else to?

Image source: Free image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net
To receive each new post by email when they come out, enter your email address on the top right at www.camtaylor.net. And I welcome your comments!