Our brain is an extremely powerful machine to which we hold the controls. Having ‘control’ requires a keen self-awareness into our emotional energy and our behaviour and thought habits. It takes anywhere from 14 days to 8 weeks to ‘re-wire’ our brain for a higher skill level . We ‘re-wire’ by continuous reading, writing and reciting of information for creating new thought and behaviour habits. This re-wiring occurs via the neuroplasticity of your brain.
Research has proven that the ‘brain-power’ needed for productivity and efficiency today will only occur when we are in a state of positive emotional electro-magnetic neuro-chemical energy. In other words, the emotional state needed for productivity, efficiency, and wellness, is the same emotional state that we are in when we are joyous and happy. The research shows in fact, that the greatest risk to productivity, to work relationships, and to overall wellness in today’s workplace, is negative energy.
In conjunction with your own self-awareness, comes the need to bring your awareness to the environment around you. To start, make a mental note of people and situations that trigger your negative feelings and thoughts. You may notice that the negative moods and thinking of a toxic person can be extremely pervasive and emotionally draining – the nervous energy, the anger at life and everyone in it, the sadness, complaints, clinginess, attention seeking, the gossips, the consistently negative viewpoint — these negative attitudes will suck the positive out of even the most up-beat and positive person!
For some, the best defense is to avoid the toxic people and/or situation, or at the very least to keep the encounter to a very minimum. But what if that is not an option? The first step is to consciously acknowledge that negativity is being sent your way. The next step is to consciously refuse to allow the negativity into your mind. You might even want to create a personal signal to remind yourself throughout the encounter to keep deflecting the negative conversation and energy that’s beaming at you. Your personal signal might be pulling a piece of your hair, or digging your thumbnail into your palm, or flicking your wrist, or tapping somewhere on your opposite hand…..whatever the signal, it will be your conscious reminder that you must ward off the negative.
The one thing nobody can take away from you is the way you choose to respond to what others say and do. Your personal signal that reminds you to ward off the negative is your cue to choose an appropriate attitude and response to protect your positive space. Here are some suggestions:
1. Make light of the conversation and change the topic to one of optimism.
2. Change the focus to one that is solution oriented. Ask questions like “So what can you do to change that?” “How’s that working for you….what could you do different?”
3. Provide a kind word and support if the situation warrants. “Are you ok?” “What can I do to help?”
It is important to keep in mind that life is a series of ups and downs. Acknowledge the negativity, never take it personal, and let it pass right through your consciousness. Concentrate on today, right this moment. Do not carry around things that happened yesterday or a week ago. Let go and move on and forgive yourself of any wrong doings of the past.
Consciously practice finding the positive and good in everyday interactions and in everything around you. Be thankful always in everything you do and for where you are at that moment … it could always be worse. The more time you spend in the positive, whether it’s time spent with highly positive people, or quiet moments of your own, the easier it will become for you to deflect the negative vibes that toxic people send out.
Acquiring the skill of Positive Presence is a slow and gentle process that begins with awareness. The more time we spend in the positive, the greater our capacity for achieving peak performance, for building and maintaining good relationships, and for experiencing good health.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.