No doubt the world can feel a little dreadful right about now in the midst of the coronavirus scare. But it’s up to you if you stay trapped in that dread – or rise above it with a positive attitude. One way to get into the groove of a positive attitude is to look on the proverbial bright side of things.
For instance, when I recently told my mom I needed two new fillings in my teeth, her response was: “At least it wasn’t two new crowns.”
This woman had it down!
If we can flip our thoughts from negative to positive about having a high-speed drill boring into our teeth, we can most certainly do the same for any situation – including COVID-19.
Let’s give it a go together. Ready?
Let’s look on the bright side of…
All the fresh meat sold out of nearby stores
The lack of fresh meat gives us a chance to try those super-healthy vegetarian recipes we have stuck in the outer edges of our cookbooks. We can discover new foods, along with an undying appreciation for beans.
Other sold-out items give us a chance to explore the exciting and new, such as:
- Oat milk instead of our usual almond milk
- Momo’s frozen pizza instead of our usual Red Baron frozen pizza (this one was not necessarily positive)
- Jalepeno pita chips instead of our usual plain pita chips
Working from home instead of working at work
As I’ve been working from home for the past decade, I’ve already discovered the bright side of this one. It includes:
- Having your dogs at your feet
- Hanging out in your slippers
- Lunching on fresh vegetarian homemade dishes instead of less-healthy fast foods
- Taking a break when you feel like taking a break – and even going outside to do it
Being laid-off
Some occupations don’t have a work from home option if you’re not working at work. In that case, you simply may not be working. Don’t despair (or at least don’t despair for more than a day or so).
When the Tucson Citizen newspaper closed back in 2009, dozens of us staff members were sent packing. Yes, I despaired for a spell – until I realized that God was doing for me what I could not do for myself.
I had long yearned to be my own boss, making a solid income from my freelance writing and art business. But I had always been too scared to try it, “just comfortable enough” in my full-time at-work job.
It took a so-called disaster to prompt me to truly give it a go. I made more money my first year as a full-time freelancer than I had working at the newspaper. And I haven’t looked back ever since.
Being laid off from work gives you the chance to examine your own work life to see where you want to go next. It also forces you into creative problem solving, something you may already have listed on your resume. NOW is the time to go on the offense and stake out a plan, rather than go into defensive mode and collapsing in a heap.
The great toilet paper famine
Yeah, I’m still wondering about the bright side of this one. If you’re good about keeping TP regularly in stock at your home, you have enough to last for some time. So that’s a bright side already.
You can also switch this one to gratitude. How? Well, all those folks that hoarded toilet paper from the get-go must be living in a state of high anxiety, fear and selfishness. Be grateful you’re not there. If being calm, serene and giving means investing in a bidet or using a napkin, so be it.
The state of the nation in general
This is also a great time to strengthen your faith. Many of us talk about our belief and reliance upon God and the spiritual realm. Now it’s time to put that faith into action. TRUST you will have a solution to the TP situation if the time comes that you truly need it. Then relax, chill out, and enjoy your vegetarian lunch.
The world’s events will unfold the exact same way whether you’re in a negative or positive state of mind. There’s nothing you can do to control them. So you might as well make the most of the lessons and have a bit of fun along the way. Cheers! …with a glass of oat milk.
Having trouble flipping a negative to positive? Post the negative as a comment and let us help. Or book a coaching call for an even deeper dive into positive thinking.
I help amazingly creative souls who want more out of life than sleep-work-sleep get their dazzle back so they rock their world.
The Bright Side to the Coronavirus? – VIDEO
The Positive Side of COVID-19 – PODCAST
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