Joy and Anything is Possible

The key to fostering positivity in life is recognizing that control is simply an illusion. Once you stop trying to control your circumstances, you open yourself up to countless possibilities. Understanding this allows you to find new and positive ways to react to the challenges you encounter along your way. The only thing you have control over is your outlook.

However, I have every confidence that my team will find joy in every situation and move forward in a spirit of unrelenting positivity and faith that anything is possible.

Countless things keep us up at night. Some are big, like climate change, pandemics, and social upheaval, while some are small in comparison. As the world grows more complex, communication speeds up, and interdependencies deepen, it seems like things just keep getting worse.

Of course, that’s not exactly true.

Yes, the world has its fair share of challenges, but it’s a pretty great time to be alive from a historical perspective. If you consider the hardship that the average human faces today compared to a hundred years ago, the contrasts are shocking.

Still, despite what the facts say, we feel like things are always getting worse. We allow the stress and worry that is so prevalent today to impact our very psyche.

This unconscious negativity that results from prolonged and persistent anxiety almost always has seriously detrimental effects on your team, relationships, and personal wellbeing. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Everyone has the potential to choose a different path, a path of positivity and joy, even in the face of the most challenging situations.

 

Start with self-awareness

A strong sense of self-awareness is a vital trait everyone needs to develop and nurture regardless of age or position.

Without self-awareness, it’s impossible to control your reaction to the trials and tribulations that life so often presents. This is especially important for leaders, as their actions (either conscious or unconscious) set the entire organisation’s tone.

The first step towards self-awareness is recognizing and being open about the things that cause stress, anxiety, and negativity in your life.

This openness enables you to prepare yourself and those around you for challenging situations well ahead of time. Positivity and negativity are a choice; the only trick is that you have to be self-aware enough to recognize it.

 

Remember that control is an illusion

Humans have a persistent and particularly nasty tendency to try and control everything around them.

A strong argument can be made that fruitless attempts at control are generally at the root of all suffering. Business leaders, in particular, tend to box themselves and their team into painful situations when they try to exert control over things that cannot be controlled.

This futility leads to anger, frustration, and irrational decisions. Once this behavior takes hold, it builds on itself and can spread like wildfire throughout an organization.

 

Seek out the joy

Everyone can find joy in any circumstance, regardless of how challenging it seems. Happiness can often be found in suffering itself, as it helps you learn more about yourself and grow stronger.

It’s a choice we have the ability to make. Every situation can be viewed in a positive light if you look from the right angle. I challenge my team to stop and find the good in every situation they encounter. With enough practice, positivity becomes your default setting.

Fostering a spirit of unrelenting positivity, both personally and professionally, doesn’t mean that you have to be naïve.

It is always in everyone’s best interest to be in tune with reality and aware of all possible outcomes. The important thing is not to become so caught up in the bad that you lose yourself to anxiety, frustration, and negativity.

It is our choice to be happy and positive in the face of challenges. Positivity and joy are contagious and can quickly shape the very fabric of your reality.

As we move forward into the next exciting phase of our business, there will undoubtedly be challenges. However, I have every confidence that my team will find joy in every situation and move forward in a spirit of unrelenting positivity and faith that anything is possible.