Motivational speakers and positive thinkers are so easy to make fun of. If you can set aside your own optimism and good manners long enough to let yourself group them into stereotypes you’ll find yourself noticing that they’re usually one of the following:

Positivity Stereotypes:

1. The peppy cheerleaders with ponytails that flip back and forth while they jump around, seemingly very excited about “the team.”
2. The used car salesmen urging you to take a creative approach when describing situations.  That car isn’t a death trap, it’s a well-loved classic. That house isn’t a fixer-upper, it’s an investor’s opportunity. You’re not unemployed; you’re in transition.
3. The coach who sandwiches his insults and criticism between layers of praise.  “So what if we’re down. We’re the best and we’re going to show them. Now get off of your pansy backsides and quit being weenies. Let’s go kick some butt. Chant with me now, we’re the best, we’re the best, we’re the best…”
4. The preacher who has divine information that you’re living perfection and wants to remind you of what your soul already knows.
5. The mom who won’t let you forget that you’ve messed up but wants you to do your best next time. We can make fun of these personality styles all we want, but one thing is clear; we need to maintain a positive attitude if we’re to thrive in our careers, with our families, and in life in general. Positivity might be the only social force with the power to make anything better by helping us change our thinking.

Right now you might saying “Bull! Positive motivation doesn’t work. It may help in the short term, but it wears off!” I hear you. However, in his book, “Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World” motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar has said “Of course positivity and motivation aren’t permanent. But then, neither is bathing; but it is something you should do on a regular basis.”  Here then, are a ten reasons why positivity is so essential for work / life balance:

4 reasons Why Positivity is Essential in the Workplace

1. Because attitudes are contagious. Basic organizational leadership teaches managerial students that praise and encouragement go much farther than criticism and condemnation. One “bad apple” can spoil the whole bunch.
2. Because positivity is inspiring. It takes courage to think outside the box and come up with creative solutions. A leader who maintains a positive environment will be more likely to benefit from an inspired team of risk-takers and innovative thinkers.
3. Because no one likes being around a meanie. For a happy and productive crew you’ll want to make sure no one is preoccupied with thoughts of “Get me out of here.”
4. Because wherever you go, there you are. It’s hard to shake a bad mood once it’s affected your day. If you’re crabby with the barista who pours your coffee, you’ll be crabby when you arrive at work. Even if you manage to shake the mood over lunch, you’ll return to an office full of people who are annoyed with you. Chances are everyone will leave angry, turning happy hour into mad hour, and the next day when everyone arrives hung over and still annoyed with you, the crabbiness will have spread to their families. It’s a vicious cycle.

3 Reasons Why Positivity is Essential at Home

1. Because home is a refuge and the people in your nest should feel safe. Just like in the workplace where a crabby leader can hinder creativity; a crabby parent can make it difficult for kids to develop emotional intelligence. Treating people the way you want to be treated applies to people of all ages. Kids learn by example and are only permanently influenced by the values of their adult associates.
2. Because a home that’s positive and uplifting can be a source of energy and support in dealing with the outside world. Heading to school or to work shouldn’t feel like escaping the insanity. If leaving home every day is a profound relief, then it might be time to create a more positive home environment. When it’s time to leave, wouldn’t it be nice if everyone looked forward to coming together again after the day’s activities?
3. Because once the kids are grown, the jobs are retired, the mortgage is paid off, and life is slowing down, you’ll want to look back with your spouse and say “That was a wild and wonderful ride. Thanks for taking that with me.”

3 Reasons Why positivity is Essential for Life Balance

1. Because we’re all in this together. The attitudes we have and the way we communicate with one another have a ripple affect. People who are committed to positivity, along with truth, beauty, and goodness will align themselves with organizations and causes that resonate with their values.
2. Because a grim and dismal outlook creates stressed-out people. Stress hormones are higher in people who pay attention to news stories of war, crime, poverty and destruction. Feelings of desperation brought about by stress often inspire people to desperate acts. It’s a vicious cycle that can be avoided by refusing to become a barometer reflecting the news of the world.
3. Because the health of your community depends on it. No only can stress cause you and your associates to behave in erratic ways, it’s also bad for your body. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones causes organ damage and alters brain chemistry. It can disrupt sleep patterns which can make driving difficult.

Harnessing the power of positivity is one of the secrets to productivity. If you want to learn more about how we inspire creativity and innovation on our team, or how to inspire your own crew, contact us for the rundown.

If you enjoyed this article, you may also want to check out these others:

How to Choose Freelancers to Help Grow Your Business
Why Should You Care About Starting A Blog?
Email Marketing: How to Keep Your Messages Out of Your Customer’s Spam Box
200 of Google’s Website Ranking Factors [Infographic]
Combining Blogging and Social Media into a Truly Effective Strategy
5 Ways You Can Benefit By Using LinkedIn
How To Amp Up Your Visibility With Facebook

This article is published by Will Sherwood | The Sherwood Group |Website Design | Graphic Design | Marketing Communications: The Sherwood Group has over 30 years of experience working with all sorts of companies, small and large. Our clients range from entrepreneurs to Fortune 500 firms, in nearly every business sector, from across the street to around the world (and yes, even Europe, China, and South America). Our goal is to create advertising,  graphic design, website design, and marketing communication that still looks fresh and relevant 10-15 years later. Our mission is to stir your imagination and leave your competition shaken and wondering,  Now what do we do?”  We are located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

Do you need help growing your business? Click here to check out the social media marketing and website design packages from The Sherwood Group. We’ll help you capture new business and achieve your goals.

“Like” us and/or “Follow” us at these social media sites and we’ll return the favor:

LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

Please comment. We’d like to know if you found this article informative or helpful?