The vast majority of us humans are hard-wired to take notice of the difficult and challenging things that take place in our lives – and have been for millennia.
Accordingly, we look back at recent events and repeatedly tell ourselves that we’ve had a tough day, week, month or even year. Repeat that thought process often enough and you can really convince yourself your world is a bit rubbish.
However, as John Milton put it in Paradise Lost… ‘The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven.’ Life does indeed have its tough moments – but it is not exclusively tough, there are good moments too.
The trick is to recognise and celebrate those good moments… choose to take notice of those too. Set yourself a target, five good moments for every tough one. Your mood will soon lift, and you can create a brighter future for yourself, or at least a more balanced view.
Want to create positive outcomes for you, your projects or your team? Explore how to respond to things in difficult times and how to maintain a positive outlook with our half-day workshop.
