How do you stay positive?

Sometimes in the morning when I am getting my kids (3 year old and a 1 year old) ready to go to daycare and they are being especially difficult, don't want to wear clothes or have their teeth brushed, crying... I "Zoom Out" and remind myself that it won't be like this forever and instead of making it a struggle I try to make it fun to not let frustration take over. My mission is to get them to laugh and I will blow raspberries on their bellies or tickle them to move them from anger and resistance to happy and playful. Hearing their laughs put me in a more positive place!

On the days that the above might not work...... I "Zoom Out" and remind myself that eventually they will be strapped in their car seats and can't run away from me and I will be able to enjoy my coffee as I drive into work in peace 🙂 and as soon as I pick them up from day care I will be greeted with hugs and smiles.

Great idea Lindsey! I love how you incorporate playfulness and laughter into these mornings 🙂 And if all else fails, just strap them in, haha.

When I am having a tough day I try to stay positive with two of my "go to" strategies... humor and gratitude.

Humor: One of my favorite ways to incorporate humor is by watching funny animal videos on youtube. When I don't feel like laughing, this will always give me a chuckle. My dog, Bella, likes watching them too!

Gratitude: I try to think of all of the things I have to be grateful for in that moment, no matter how small it may seem. Once I think of one or two things, my mind builds momentum and starts to think of more. This works especially well when I make it into a game. For example: List as many things as you can think of that you are grateful for in the next 2 minutes.... ready... set.... go!

As much as I would love to be able to control their attitudes in the morning I know I can't... I can only control my own attitude, thoughts and behaviors.

Animals are a great mood booster- one of my favorites is a compilation of people doing yoga and their animals are either climbing on them or doing silly things with them! One thing that always puts a smile on my face is watching laughing baby videos... you just can't help but burst out laughing too!

Love these ideas, @alkuth and @lindseymarx! I find that I'm pretty good at being positive at work and then letting the negativity surface when I get home, which is sad. My 3-year old seems to let all her emotions go when she gets home from daycare as well. I've found, though, that in the midst of all the to-dos each night (with making dinner, cleaning, bath time, meal time, bills, etc.), if I can make the effort to slow down and make a meaningful connection with my daughter and with my husband, the evenings seem to go a lot smoother and more enjoyable. I have to remind myself of the most important things...relationships. It's funny how when we all give each other the time and energy, even 5 minutes of it, we all have a more positive experience and, therefore, outlook.

When I am having a tough day at work I try to put things in perspective and tell myself "things could be much worse". I could be unemployed with no benefits. I could work in a job that does not challenge me or provide professional growth. I reframe my thinking and find the good in my current situation, knowing "this too shall pass".

So true @jammin! It's all about perspective. Sometimes I also find that my past tough experiences have equipped me for the present battles. Many times I tell myself that I can handle this because I've been prepared and know that it's only for a little while. Soon enough, I'll be over the hump and potentially helping someone else through a similar situation.

Amy, I try to focus on gratitude and use breathing techniques. (Thank you Mindfulness in Medicine!) Long walks and a good nap can work wonders too.

As for dealing with teenagers, I'm still working on adding more techniques to my toolkit. Over and over in my head, I recite, "Do not engage! Do not engage! Do not engage!" and remind myself of all the reasons he is loved so much, and that this is just part of learning and growing. These traits will develop and serve him well as an adult.

Haha, yes @lindseymarx ! I LOVE laughing baby videos. There is actually science behind the contagiousness of laughter. Mirror neurons in the brain cause us to experience the emotions of others we are with (or watching). We experience their laughter, which makes it easier for us to laugh 🙂