- March 25, 2021
The Power of Positivity
We have all heard the age-old question, are you a glass half full or glass half empty person? To some, it might seem like a crazy point to even think about because, at the end of the day, you have the same amount of water in your glass. I believe that being able to answer that I am a glass-half-full person makes a difference, both personally and for the people around me. The Mayo Clinic did a study where their researchers studied the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. Some of the conclusions that they came away with were that positive thinking may provide benefits that include:
Increased life span
Lower rates of depression and distress
Greater resistance to the common cold
Better psychological and physical well-being
Better cardiovascular health
Better coping skills during hardship and times of stress
The study concludes that a positive outlook better enables you to cope with stressful situations, which reduces the harmful health effects of stress. I think that we can all agree that we would all love to have the benefits shown here. But what does it mean to be a glass-half-full person? Do you just bury your head in the sand and ignore the challenges and difficulties in life? Positive thinking does not ignore those challenges; it means that you approach those challenges in a more productive way.
One example that I have shared with many people on this is that I have learned over 16 years of being a high school and middle school coach. When my football team or a specific player is struggling, I cannot just ignore the struggle, but how I address it makes all the difference in the world. I chose to approach these situations by telling my team or player that I believe in you and that by working on this skill, we can help get them back to the top of their game. They know that they are struggling but knowing that I believe in them will help them through it and get a much better outcome.
Don’t expect to flip the switch on your personality overnight, but just stick with it and keep working on it. You will feel better about yourself and the people around you by doing so. Never forget the song from the movie Annie, “The sun will come out tomorrow”!! Be positive, be healthy, and be happy!!!!!