{"id":47921,"date":"2017-03-31T19:23:07","date_gmt":"2017-04-01T03:23:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/?p=47921"},"modified":"2017-05-27T08:45:43","modified_gmt":"2017-05-27T16:45:43","slug":"want-more-positivity-in-the-people-around-you-take-the-first-step","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pickthebrain.com\/blog\/want-more-positivity-in-the-people-around-you-take-the-first-step\/","title":{"rendered":"Want More Positivity in the People Around You? The First Step Starts With You"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Positivity is contagious. It\u2019s been proven that if we are surrounded by positive people, we are more likely to be positive. It\u2019s hard to be happy when everyone around you is negative.\u00a0 It\u2019s hard to be negative when everyone around you is positive.<\/p>\n

So here\u2019s the question:\u00a0 Do we change who<\/strong> is around us\u2026or change<\/strong> who is around us?<\/p>\n

If you can change who<\/strong>, then do it. If someone is spewing rage in your social media feed and you don\u2019t want to see it, mute it. Unfortunately, in the real world, it\u2019s not that simple to mute people.<\/p>\n

So what do you do? One way to be surrounded by more positive people is to simply make the people who surround you more positive\u2026 But how? Here is one simple strategy you can do today and make a difference.<\/p>\n

Surprise someone with a compliment. Give someone a genuine, specific compliment and let them know what their actions meant to you or how it made you feel. It\u2019s a simple way to invest positivity in your network and one of the most powerful things you can do to boost your own positivity.<\/p>\n

I would like to take a moment to give you a compliment. Congratulations on making an investment in yourself by reading this positivity blog. By taking the time to invest in yourself, you are increasing your capabilities and growing. I\u2019m thrilled you are here with me because it means that the time and energy I\u2019ve spent writing this blog is worth it, and that means a lot to me. Thank you.<\/p>\n

Did that feel good? I hope so. When you give someone else a compliment, it increases their positivity, and it can be one of the most powerful actions you can take for boosting your own positivity as well. Also, if you provide the compliment publicly, everyone who witnesses it will get a boost in their positivity.<\/p>\n

I learned this lesson about compliments in a leadership course early on in my career and decided to try it outside of work in my role as a tee-ball coach and a youth soccer coach. During our games, I would notice and jot down something each player did well on the field. After the game ended, I would talk to each kid independently and bring up the play and what they did that I thought was so good. Those kids were naturally transparent with their reactions, and you could see each of them perk up and puff up a little.<\/p>\n

As adults we sometimes don\u2019t let on that we need that kind of encouragement and validation. We try to keep or reaction inside, but there is not one among us who doesn\u2019t appreciate a genuine compliment. A heartfelt acknowledgement of our efforts or accomplishments feels great even if we are too cool to let it show on the outside.<\/p>\n

The keys to providing a meaningful compliment include:<\/p>\n