The rules

/ 01 June 2009

Positive thinking
Why keeping yourself upbeat can benefit your business

Spread it around
Whatever your mood, it translates to those around you. If you’re feeling positive, those close to you are more likely to feel positive too, which makes for a good atmosphere in your office

Practice makes perfect
Like any skill, positive thinking takes practice. Learning to ignore negative thoughts doesn’t happen overnight, so don’t get disheartened if you don’t get it at once

Assess yourself
Being aware of your own behaviour and thoughts can show up negative practices and feelings you often don’t realise you’re having

Get some exercise
Physical activity is a great and cost-free way to boost your positive feelings and put your problems into perspective

Talk about it
If something’s getting you down, it can really help to talk to others in a similar situation. Don’t feel comfortable doing it in person? Online forums can be a great way to share the burden and get advice from peers

See it clearly
Visualisation works. Think about your goal and really imagine how it might look or feel – it makes success seem more real and achievable

Don’t plan for failure
Expect a positive result and it’s more likely to occur. If you don’t achieve your goal, make sure you recognise the positive aspects of the outcome as well as the negative