How to Stay Positive at Work

We’ve all known people who can turn lemons into lemonade. Rather than seeing a failed project, they’re quick to remind themselves that they’re now one step closer to doing things right. They’re quick to tally the small components that did work, or that might be possible.

There are also people who tend more toward negative thinking Some forms negative thinking takes:  

• All-or-nothing thinking: You set unrealistic standards. Anything less than perfect is a failure.
• Disqualifying the positives: Life is just one disappointment after another.
• Negative self-labeling: You’re flawed in some way.
• Catastrophizing: You imagine the worst.
• Dwelling on pain: Dwelling on something in the hope that it will make you feel better.

A small portion (25 percent) of this inclination toward optimism/pessimism is genetic, according to studies. So, that leaves a lot of room for you to face down any “natural” tendencies you may have.

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Positive thinking can be learned. Positive people don’t necessarily face fewer hardships. They just face them in a more productive way. You can consciously choose to change your thinking habits.

Imagine you find out your amazing boss is leaving. Someone from another internal department is replacing them. Over the last few years, you’ve worked hard, you’ve built a strong relationship with your boss. (You might even have been secretly hoping you would be considered for the job when/if they ever left.) How can you stay positive and control your building negative feelings and anxiousness?

Consider ways to stay positive when facing a negative situation like this:

1. Control your reaction. Take time to process what you’re feeling and calm down. The emotion of seeing a favorite boss moving on has nothing to do with the new boss. Don’t jump to conclusions.
2. Stay focused on the present and what you can control. Anything can happen. Focus on continuing to produce high-quality work.
3. Smile. It helps change your mood and the mood of others around you.
4. Reframe and rephrase the situation. Try considering another way to look at the situation, taking time to think about and itemize the good aspects of the situation. Also, stop speaking about it in a negative way. Changing your words will help change how you feel. Instead of saying, “I can’t believe Ashlee is leaving us,” say “Oh my gosh, what an incredible opportunity for Ashlee. I’m so happy for her.” Your new boss is clearly doing something right to have been selected to make this move. Maybe they have something to teach you.
5. Connect with positive people. Being around negative people can be exhausting and their perspectives can be contagious. Add more positive thinkers to your network.
6. Acknowledge the negative.  You don’t need to wear rose-colored glasses to be a more positive, optimistic person. Address any issues objectively. In this situation, you didn’t get a promotion. Find out if there was a reason and take any feedback with grace. And then work to make any needed changes so that next time you’ll be considered for the role.

You CAN learn to see the glass as half full. Start by not overreacting when faced with a negative situation. Stay calm, focused, and rational. Accentuate the positives and practice speaking about them. You have power over your own point of view. Positivity isn’t a function of the situation, but rather how you see the situation. Practice seeing the positive.