January 13, 2020

10 Ways to Stay Positive When Things Don’t Go As Planned

By Jennifer Borba von Stauffenberg

What a doozy this year has been… it’s only day eight and I feel like I’m completely getting my ass kicked. It started immediately with a scratchy throat about an hour after we toasted. I woke up about three hours later to a sick baby barely able to breathe. I stayed up all night making sure he could and finally tagged out with my husband around 7 a.m. who then rushed the little guy to urgent care for an exam while I dropped into a deep sleep.

The next six days were filled with coughing, runny noses and snuggles. The snuggles were great, but this wasn’t exactly the visioning I spoke into the skies only one hour before the new decade settled in. I think we have all experienced these moments when you get totally pumped up and then you are met with a disappointing reality.

I thought I’d share what I’m doing to stay positive even though it didn’t show up exactly how I planned it.

  1. Deep breaths. When in doubt stop and breathe. This sounds so corny, but it’s absolutely true.
  2. Get grounded. If you aren’t into grounding meditations, then go for a run. Your feet pounding the earth is a different way to get the same result.
  3. Hydrate. Make sure you are drinking water. One of the first things to go when I feel stressed is hydration. Grab that reusable water bottle and carry it with you wherever you go.
  4. Press reset. While the turning of a year is a powerful threshold, so is every moment. Now is the best time to get back on track. Lift that reusable water bottle into the air and toast to a new start right now.
  5. Write a list of gratitude. Gratitude holds all the power. Focus on the things that are going great and celebrate them.
  6. Write a list of the people who have made a difference in your life and next to their name identify a kind gesture you can do to acknowledge that impact. Think about buying them a coffee, send flowers, send them a love note, drop a surprise at their front door to find in the morning. What could you do that would brighten their day? I guarantee it will give you a lift too.
  7. Share your fears with someone close. I like to sit with my husband late at night and talk about what I’m feeling and he helps me to work through it. If you don’t have a significant other – call your mom, your best friend, your coach. This person needs to be someone who is committed to your happiness. Do not call that friend who fuels your worry…
  8. Review your goals and create an actionable plan for each goal. Identify one thing you could do right now that would get you closer. And do it.
  9. Ask yourself powerful questions like: What would be the most amazing thing that could happen to me? Who do I know that could help me take this year to the next level? How many opportunities are available right now?
  10. Go for it.

Originally published on Thrive Global

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