The best things in life really are free. It doesn’t cost a dime to be kind, to be patient, or to be positive. As we go through our days in a rush, it is easy to see the negative in situations. Yet, according to the National Institute of Health, research shows that having a positive outlook can benefit your physical and emotional wellness.
Be patient with yourself and with others. According to a study by Gardner, Lally, and Wardle, it can take up to ten weeks to build a new habit. Their research shows that you can build a habit, by teaching yourself to do an action after a stimulus, just like washing your hands after using the restroom. They suggest the following template for changing behavior.
A tool for patients to make a new healthy habit
- Decide on a goal that you would like to achieve for your health.
- Choose a simple action that will get you towards your goal which you can do on a daily basis.
- Plan when and where you will do your chosen action. Be consistent: choose a time and place that you encounter every day of the week.
- Every time you encounter that time and place, do the action.
- It will get easier with time, and within 10 weeks you should find you are doing it automatically without even having to think about it.
- Congratulations, you’ve made a healthy habit!
For example:
- My goal is to stay positive while I am shopping.
- My plan is to remain calm while shopping during this hectic season.
- In the aisles and lines, I will smile and speak nicely to those I encounter.
How can you become more patient, show more forgiveness, and become more kind? You can build a habit of a more positive outlook by practicing often. By practicing, you will begin to build a more positive mindset. Here are some ideas for you to try:
- Take time each day for small, simple pleasures.
- Hold the door, give up your seat or let someone go in front of you.
- Send someone a note of ‘thanks.’
- Compliment someone (a stranger, a co-worker, your child, your spouse, a family member).
- Wait your turn. Don’t shove. Just take a deep breath and wait.
- Smile at those you see in the store aisles or in that very long line at the register.
- Help someone with a small task.
- Pick up litter when you see it.
- Shovel someone’s drive or scrape the ice from someone’s windows.
- Stand up for injustice. Speak out.
- Visit the elderly (a neighbor or a nursing home). Ask them to share some memories with you.
- Hug someone.
- Spend time with people who make you feel better about yourself.
- Build a “positive” display in your home or office. Items should include memories and accomplishments that help you remember happy times.
Remember, it doesn’t cost anything to take a deep breath and stay kind. Like Ghandi, you must be the change you wish to see in the world.
Written by: Jami Dellifield, Extension Educator, Ohio State University, Family and Consumer Sciences, Hardin County
Reviewed by: Amanda Bohlen, Extension Educator, Ohio State University, Family and Consumer Sciences, Washington County
Sources:
Ohio Department of Education https://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Other-Resources/News/Know!-To-Practice-Kindness
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Workforce Management Office http://www.wfm.noaa.gov/workplace/EffectivePresentation_Handout_2.pdf
National Institutes of health, US Dept. of health and Human Services https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2015/08/positive-emotions-your-health
Gardner, B., Lally, P., & Wardle, J. (2012). Making health habitual: the psychology of “habit-formation” and general practice. The British Journal of General Practice, 62(605), 664–666. http://doi.org/10.3399/bjgp12X659466; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505409/
https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/mahatma_gandhi_109075
Photo Credits:
https://pixabay.com/en/smilies-emoticons-especially-1607163/
https://pixabay.com/en/peru-travel-people-kindness-641632/
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