Sam Glenn’s Quick Tips to Stay Positive During Uncertain Times

Sam Glenn’s Quick Tips to Stay Positive During Uncertain Times

There are a lot of scary things happening in the world right now and it seems like news and feelings change by the minute. My goal is for my place on the internet and in the world to be a positive one where people can come to and know that they will be encouraged, laugh, and know that no matter what everything will be good and we will come out of this stronger, wiser, and closer. The gift in all of this is that many of us are being given time with our families and the opportunity to grow closer through being together. Before I get into some quick tips for staying positive and finding the opportunities present in adversity I want to thank all of the people that are continuing to work, doctors, nurses, 911 operators, people restocking store shelves, and every other person that is doing the necessary work to make sure that everyone has what they need. I’m not going to share medical advice (I’m not a doctor) and that actually leads to my first point. 

  1. Listen to doctors and actual medical professionals. While social media has been wonderful for giving so many “arm chair experts” a space to share their medical knowledge in order to keep your own peace of mind and have the wisdom you need to keep yourself and your family safe listen to the actual medical professionals. Doctors, nurses, and the medical community as a whole have prepared for situations like this, have the most access to accurate/current information, and are able to give you the information you need without inspiring fear. Information and facts will always overpower fear.
  2. Put your energy into what you can control. With so many things out of our control the very best thing we can do is control the things we have control over. This starts with making a schedule for your days if your normal routines have changed. The trick with the schedule/routine is to be flexible with it and adapt as needed. Build on what works, eliminate the things that don’t and build some fun into each day. 
  3. There has truly never been a more crucial time to pay attention to what you are watching, hearing, and reading. Keep yourself informed but you don’t need to listen to the news 24/7 (that will make you crazy). Watch the news for 15 minutes to stay informed but then balance that out by reading a positive book for 30 minutes or listening to a positive audio book on audible or watching an inspiring video. Goalcast is great resource for this. Also, little ears are always listening (unless you are asking them to clean up toys or brush their teeth) so make sure what you have on in the background is positive and inspiring. This is also a really great time to introduce them to your favorite shows from the past. Shows like I Love Lucy, Bewitched, Green Acres, The Brady Bunch, etc are all great “escape” shows. It is pure humor, no risk of anything inappropriate to be heard by little ears, and something different from what they are used to watching. It is also a great conversation starter about history and how technology has changed and evolved. 
  4. Set a daily goal for each member of your family and work towards those goals throughout the day. Discuss how the day went and if everyone had a good day and accomplished their goals then reward it by playing a family game, doing a fun activity or watching a fun movie. 
  5. Have, discover or start an engaging hobby.   As many of you know, I love to paint and if you follow me on my Facebook page (@SamGlennSpeaker), I love to give many of my smaller paintings away for free!  One of my friends, David Harrison, takes daily walks and captures the beauty of nature through photography.  His pictures really make you appreciate nature.   When it comes to a hobby, you don’t have to be perfect…just allow yourself to have fun, let go of stress, relax and be in the moment.  You can learn to cook, build, play an instrument, read a series of books, start a book club, paint – anything you want. 
  6. Keep the right attitude.  For nearly 25 years in all my books and speeches, - “KEEPING THE RIGHT ATTITUDE” -  has been a cornerstone of all my work.  When we encounter change, the unexpected, adversity, it’s easy to become negative and choose an attitude that works against us.  Fear is contagious, but so is courage.  Of the two, one will work against you and one will work for you.  Remember, your attitude is always your choice.  Just because things may not be going the right way or your way, doesn’t mean you have to go with them.  You can always choose an attitude that works for you by pausing to recognize what you have to be grateful for and who you have to be grateful for.  Remember, your minor negatives have no power in the presence of your major positives.  (read that last sentence again).   The best choice you can make daily is to be consistent about choosing an attitude that works for you.
  7. Be Understanding and Nice to Others.  Right now, things seem uncertain, so we are all in the same boat.  Being short, rude or aggressive towards others isn’t going to help the situation or any situation.  The best thing we can do is set an example others will follow.  Remember, attitudes are contagious.  If you speak calm, smile and are nice, that makes a positive statement in a storm that is frustrating for everyone.  I think it’s always important to be nice to people you live with, people you work with, people you speak with on the phone and people you interact online.  Take a deep breath and practice extending kindness verses stress.  This is always your choice, so make a choice that helps the situation and sets the right example.

 

I hope these few ideas encourage you and get you thinking in a direction that is better for you.  As I always say in my speeches, “When you think better, you will do better, be better, feel better and live better.” 

 

And remember, if you need a source of daily encouragement, I always have a positive quote waiting for you on my Facebook page  www.Facebook.com/SamGlennSpeaks  and if anything, you might have a chance to win some great motivational and inspirational art.  I am always looking for a good home for my artwork!

 

Keep your head up and remember, we are all in this together.  Lets be encouraging to each other and if someone needs a little bit of courage, give them some of yours. 

 

Sam Glenn

Award Winning Motivational Speaker & Author

www.SamGlenn.com

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