Yasmina Rauber
Throughout my career as a corporate trainer, I am often asked the same question: how do I begin each day with a positive outlook? How do I become one of those energetic individuals who just seem to wake up on the right side of the bed every day?
While some may tell you that the answer is “coffee,” it’s something a little more intricate and learned than a caffeinated beverage. Although, a morning coffee does help.
Having a positive outlook is more than just a surface-level performance or forcing yourself to “look on the bright side”. It extends much deeper than just a smile and a shrug.
The truth is that a positive outlook and the secret to beginning every day with a proactive attitude is the result of ongoing, positive patterns. Alarmingly simple to understand and surprisingly tricky to master, positive patterns shape your mindset and help you become a better leader and manager. Once you start implementing positive patterns, you’ll wonder how you did without them.
Before we discuss ways to begin shaping our mindset for the day ahead, let’s first examine what a positive pattern is.
How To Create More Positive Patterns.
We start forming and adopting patterns in the early stages of life. These positive and negative patterns can become difficult to alter as we age. For example, we learn to brush our teeth when we are little, as this is a positive, beneficial habit we need to ensure our teeth stay healthy.
There are an infinite number of daily rituals we follow every day, most without us even realizing it. Remembering to lock the door when we leave the house, how we conduct meetings, how we wrap up our day—everything is guided by ingrained habits formed from positive patterns.
Introducing positive practices into your routine and building towards a positive outlook benefits you personally and professionally and supports good mental health. Below, I share the key steps I teach as part of my STAR (System for Amazing Results) Leadership training – a 8-week online group sessions – where we work to build the necessary skills for positive patterns. From small-team managers to large-corporation leaders, these daily rituals are the building blocks you need to start each day off on the right foot. Don’t hesitate to book a Leadership Jump Start Session to have more information about it.
Have a clear vision: write it and feel happy when you read it.
Let’s start by defining and creating goals for your positive patterns. You need to clearly define what you want to instill in your daily routine, how you can achieve this, and, most importantly, why this goal matters to you.
Goals are important because they help guide our decisions, but more importantly, they let us know we are on the right path. Everyone will have a different perspective and parameters for true happiness, so you need to have a clear vision of what this looks like.
For example, your positive pattern may be as simple as no screens before bed. Note how you will achieve this goal, perhaps leaving your phone to charge in another room. This practice will benefit you because studies have proven that exposure to blue light interrupts sleep patterns. Perhaps you can use your evening time to catch up on reading or meditate (more positive patterns).
While shooting for the stars and writing down grand plans is tempting, I would suggest beginning small. Start with the little changes and little benefits that will bring you joy. It should make you smile when you visualize how these changes will benefit you and improve your well-being.
Write daily gratitudes.
Introducing gratitude into your daily rituals can be a game-changer. As a pattern, daily rituals will help to train your brain to recognize efforts, appreciate moments, and, most importantly, lead the way for positive self-reflection.
Professionally, positive self-reflection is crucial. Researchers Hannah, Woolfolk, and Lord outlined a framework for positive leadership. They have found that a positive “self-concept” (a positive idea of who they are and a habit of thinking positively about themselves) is what makes a successful leader.
Building gratitude into your daily routine can be tricky to master overnight. But, like anything in life, it all comes down to practice. The more you focus on what brings you joy, the more joy you’ll begin to seek out in the day.
Begin by simply observing. You can jot down moments throughout the day that make you feel happy. For example, you may note someone appreciating your hard work or a successful experience with a client. It can be something as small as a kindly worded email to a one-on-one session with an employee who is succeeding under your guidance.
Pick at least one interaction a day to note down, taking the time to note exactly how it made you feel and, more importantly, how you reacted. Did you just give a simple “thank you” and move on? Did you deflect the moment? Observing and monitoring your approach to these moments
will help you to form the habit of positive thinking and a more mindful outlook throughout the day.
Surround yourself with people who fuel you.
Surrounding yourself with the right people has the most incredible effect on your mental well-being, outlook, and energy. We undergo subconscious stress when we are with people who do not mirror our energy. Humans are, by nature, social creatures, and inauthenticity wears you down more than you realize.
When we are with people who inspire and challenge us, it fuels positive energy. Creative ideas are allowed to bloom, the conversation is stimulating, and collectively, you can work to explore common interests and passions.
Many professionals neglect to seek out this kind of socializing outside of work. We expend most of our energy in the day-to-day, often preferring to isolate and rest after the working hours are up. However, I have found that surrounding ourselves with people who fuel us outside of the office is what gives you more energy. It’s just one of those counter-intuitive facts of life.
Consider joining a club with other like-minded individuals. Something physical, non-work related is always good for your mental well-being, especially when there’s an element of healthy competition. You might also consider something akin to a book club, an art class, or even a community of other professionals in your space. Fill your emotional cup with authentic people who inspire you, and watch how your outlook shifts.
Organize in-person team building
Team building is a wonderful way to build a positive outlook for the day. Socializing and bonding with your colleagues, clients, and more is a fantastic positive pattern that improves your mindset.
Forbes contributor Brian Scudamore says that team building is one of the most important investments you’ll make for both your professional life and mental well-being.
“It builds trust, mitigates conflict, encourages communication, and increases collaboration. Effective team building means more engaged employees,” he says.
Introducing in-person team building into your work schedule requires a little organization, but again, it helps to strengthen bonds and lets you connect more with your team and colleagues. When positive, happy energy surrounds you, it feeds into your day. The happier your team is, the happier you’ll feel, and, as the saying goes, a happy worker works best.
Have inclusive meetings.
An inclusive meeting is when you give your team the confidence and opportunity to take part. Hosting an inclusive meeting opens up the space for new ideas and perspectives. It also fosters innovation within the team and helps members bring their whole selves to work. This positive, energizing environment rubs off on you, too. The more positivity, and proactive energy you bring, the more you get back.
Running an inclusive meeting should begin with you introducing each and every person in the meeting and why they are included. I find this helps diffuse any initial tension and helps team members feel valued and included. Set a “no talking over each other” rule to balance the conversation. A balanced conversation will help to make everyone feel heard, understood, and valued.
Inclusive meetings also help you gauge your team’s energy and keep a finger on the pulse of what needs to be changed, acknowledged, or appreciated. It’s a positive pattern that opens up the floor for honest conversations and allows you to implement positive change where you can.
Find more joy.
Oftentimes, when I am working with someone who is experiencing stress or feeling unmotivated in their career, I ask them: when was the last time you took the time to reset? Chances are, most people will struggle to remember the last time they gave their mind and body a moment to rest and recoup.
This last step is a no-brainer but arguably the hardest to implement. Discover what brings you joy, and try to introduce this into your routine.
Get outside, spend some time in nature, move more, meditate, and put your energy into feeling your best. Movement is a great way to incite joy. It’s a proven medical fact that exercise reduces stress hormones while simultaneously stimulating the production of endorphins—the happy hormone. A walk around the block will do you wonders, mentally, physically, and spiritually.
I always remind my clients that when it comes to physical exercise and finding your joy, comparison is the thief of joy. Just because your co-worker runs a marathon before work every morning doesn’t make your brisk morning walk any less important. That’s their wellness journey, not yours. Your outdoor/movement time might be a quick stroll at lunchtime. Or, it might be a yoga class twice a week. Find what works for you.
If meditation is something you’ve always wanted to introduce as a positive pattern, I suggest introducing a 5-minute practice right before bed. Sit in bed, put your phone on silent, and listen to your breathing. Practice box breathing (here is a great guide to box breathing), and see if you can learn to calm your mind. Not only will this practice help you to sleep better, but it will also help you to wake up feeling fresh and revitalized.
The benefits of positive patterns are infinite. It’s what will make your day smoother, help you to inspire others, and become a better leader and guide in everything you do. Remember that the biggest changes begin with the smallest actions—start small, acknowledge joy, and wherever you can, support those around you. Once you begin creating positive moments, every morning will be a wonderful opportunity for more.
Are you looking to introduce positive patterns into your daily rituals? Wondering how you can begin each day with a more positive outlook? PLEASE CLICK HERE to get a free MP3 guided meditation to help you create the best day of your life!
And if you would like to discover how positive thinking can transform your life, BOOK A CALL with me here !
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YASMINA RAUBER of YAS COACHING
My mission is to guide managers to gain true confidence, career clarity, and leadership success through specific programs. As a corporate trainer, I educate businesses on equality and inclusivity and support them every step of the way as they journey into a new business paradigm where biases are a thing of the past.
Discover more about my journey, my mission and values, my certifications, and how I coach management and leadership on my website: www.https://yascoaching.com/
