People love a good challenge. Why not try a one-day positivity challenge? Being positive for 24 hours is a great way to put your full attention on the ways you may be negative without even knowing it. Challenging yourself to one day of positivity can also give you a healthy dose of the impact positivity has on you and those around you.
A one-day positivity challenge is a great way to examine how often you fall into negative habits and how easy it can be to change them when you are paying close attention.
Use these guidelines to set up your one-day challenge. You can add or delete activities to suite your unique needs.
Positive Self-Talk: For one day, control any negative self-talk that goes off in your head. From complaining about the driver in front of you, to worrying about whether you get to work on time. Cut the negative self-talk.
What to do instead- When you notice you start to engage in negative self-talk, ask yourself what the opposite choice would be. If a driver is being inconsiderate or careless, consider reasons why he may be under immense pressure or having a bad day. Perhaps he is on his way to say goodbye to a loved one at the hospital or has just been given some tragic news. Cut some slack and make the decision to be compassionate.
Compliments and Kindness- For one day, pay close attention to the people around you. What do you notice? Go out of your way to give compliments, say please and thank you and try some random acts of kindness. Look people in the eye and smile as you pass by.
Try these ideas for one day- Buy someone’s coffee or take someone to lunch. End your transactions with clerks by saying ‘thank you, I hope everyone treats you well today.’ Leave a voice mail or send a text to let someone you care about know you are thinking about them.
Positive Entertainment- For one day, choose positive and uplifting entertainment. Avoid the news, psychological thrillers, or explicit music. Instead, choose content that is upbeat and has a good message.
Use these tips- Have a retro-dance party. Jam to your favorite tunes from ‘back in the day.’ Choose music that takes you back to a time when you were happy. Try your favorite love song, or the most upbeat song you’ve ever heard. Enjoy a family movie night. Choose a comedy or upbeat feel-good movie. Make popcorn and serve with some fizzy soda and chocolate for a movie theater feel.
Participating in a one-day positivity challenge is a fun way to focus on positivity and see how it makes you feel. You might even expand your challenge to a week or more. Be sure to solicit friends and family to join in to make even more fun.
