It is an understatement to say that our country is experiencing a difficult time. We just recognized the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. We are still feeling the effects of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Our political leaders can't seem to agree on anything of significance. It is enough for the most optimistic person to lose confidence in our future.
Effective leaders openly acknowledge challenges, but their faith in the future remains hopeful and they provide a road map for their followers to better times. Specifically, effective leaders:
1) Take care of themselves - they eat well, get enough sleep, get exercise, use relaxation techniques, etc.
2) They surround themselves with other positive people
3) They remind themselves of times in their past when they successfully dealt with difficulties
4) They discover and practice their strengths
5) They view challenges not as a problem to be fixed, but as an opportunity for new and creative responses.
6) They are self-aware and notice when they are feeling down. Instead of ignoring or repressing the feelings, they notice and honor them. By doing so, the emotions do not overtake them; leaders can actively choose how to respond to their emotions.
None of us have a switch in our brains we can flip to go from sad to happy. Most of time we do the best that we can and hopefully be kind to ourselves when we succumb to despair and pessimism.
What do you do to stay positive?
How do you help your followers stay positive?