Work and life can be hard. Why make them harder?

Take a moment right now to think of something that’s stressing you out. Maybe it’s a project or person at work. Maybe it’s something related to your family, finances, or health.

Now imagine that tomorrow morning, when you wake up, this thing that’s frustrating you is the first thought that enters your mind. You dwell on it as you get ready for work, as you drive to your job, and as you go through your day. Every spare minute, this negative thought is right there, at the front of your mind. You focus on it as you drive home and as you go to bed that night.

What kind of day would that be? It sounds like a hard day to me!

Now take a moment to think of something that you’re grateful for in your work or life. Maybe it’s a project you enjoy or that person who is fun to be around. Maybe it’s something related to your family, home, or friends.

Now imagine that when you wake up tomorrow, this positive thing is right there, at the forefront of your thoughts. And you continue to think about it as you head to work, as you interact with your coworkers, and as you prepare dinner that night. All day you’re thinking about how much you appreciate this person, thing, situation, etc. in your life.

How would these days be different? How might what you focus on affect how you feel, what you say, and even what you get done? But most importantly, which day do you want more of in your life?

If you’ve been to one of my talks, you may have participated in this “thought experiment.” If you take the time to really feel the difference between these two days, you get a sense of just how powerful our thoughts can be. Yet, how often do we think about what we think about?

Try writing down some positive things you can focus on throughout your day. Put reminders in your calendar, notes on your phone, computer, and bathroom mirror, etc. See if it doesn't make your day a little better. 😊😊

To browse past positivity tips, visit this page.

Tina Hallis, Ph.D., is a professional speaker and founder of The Positive Edge, a company dedicated to helping individuals and organizations increase their positivity to improve the quality of people’s work lives and the quality of company cultures.