6 Positive Shifts in Behaviour That Can Change Your Entire Life
This is a guest post from art therapist and healer Trishna Patnaik.
These mental resilience practices have the power to change your life, if you invite them in wholeheartedly. Whether you're addressing pandemic fatigue or another high-stress time in your life, these practices can shorten and possibly end the cycles of overwhelm and burnout.
It is completely understandable that many of us may be feeling intense fatigue these days. Sometimes when I feel extra critical of my productivity or negative feelings, I remind myself just how much strength and resilience my community and I have had to access over the past year.
Periods of challenge also present us with a beautiful opportunity for growth, however, through empowering ourselves with positive thinking. I am a firm believer that how we speak and act directly affects the level of positivity in our life. When you continue to proclaim this time as a failure and a hardship, you will see those qualities reflected in your daily life.
In order to address pandemic fatigue, I’ve incorporated positive thoughts and mental resilience practices into my day-to-day routines. The sooner we can embrace all facets of wellness — not just physical, but mental and emotional — the sooner we can end our cycles of anxiety and burnout. When you commit to these six actions with intention and consistency, you will see the trajectory of your life change for the better.
1. Be Compassionate: Do Not Criticize
You know that feeling when you want to pick at yourself or others close to you? We’re all familiar with the impulse to communicate in an overly critical fashion. During this time when workplace burnout, depression and anxiety are on the rise, it is crucial that we re-evaluate our communication habits and styles.
When you stop being overly critical, your work and relationships will improve. You may even notice this feeling of positivity impacting the way your body feels. Managing your stress starts with embracing wellness in all five of your senses.
2. Be Tolerant: Trade Expectations for Appreciation
This one is all about perspective – sometimes we want to be control freaks, am I right? Yearning for control is understandable, particularly during a time of uncertainty. But when we trade expectations for appreciation, we actually feel less out of control.
I want to give you an example: Perhaps the company you work for couldn’t afford to give you the raise you wanted this year. You could complain and wallow in despair. Or you can appreciate that you have income when so many do not. By incorporating positive thought and gratitude into your approach to life’s challenges, you will start to feel lighter and more motivated.
3. Be Empathetic: Don’t Hesitate to Apologize
Have you hurt someone’s feelings even though you think you haven’t done anything wrong? Apologize. But what if you think they didn’t understand your side of the story? Yes, still apologize. If someone says you hurt them and you do not address their grievances, resentment will build.
I will give you a personal example: I was in a work setting when I found out that someone was upset with me. At first, I was confused and a bit frustrated. In the past, I would have asked her clarifying questions, proving that she needed to see things my way. But I decided to practice what I preach and immediately apologized. I asked her if there was any way that I could have better collaborated with her. She seemed surprised, likely expecting me to instigate an argument. In that moment, I witnessed an immediate shift in her mood, which led to a collaborative conversation instead of a combative one.
4. Be Grounded: Do Not Take Offense
This is arguably one of the toughest changes to enact. When we feel backed into a corner or triggered, we often go to a defensive place. We take offense quickly without reflecting on the fact that someone’s hurtful behaviour usually comes from a place of pain.
Instead of carrying around the burden of taking offense, release that negativity. Like water off a duck’s back, try to quickly forgive the person for your own sense of peace. They will learn by example from your tolerance and you can continue to maintain positive thinking practices.
5. Be Optimistic: Let Others Know You See the Best in Them
When we endure challenging circumstances for a long period of time, our patience may wear thin and our interpersonal relationships may suffer as a result. It is easy to place unfair expectations on others or take out our frustration on our co-workers and loved ones. As a result, those close to us will often match our negative energy and we will feel isolated. It’s a vicious cycle.
You can break that cycle by consciously looking for the best in others. When you see someone push themselves or succeed, express your admiration. When you see the best in others, they will often rise to your belief in them. In turn, you will both treat each other with more respect and compassion.
6. Be Grateful: Swap the Negativity for Gratitude
This one is key. Despite the abundant challenges of this year, I always refer back to my sense of gratitude for the positive parts of my life. Gratitude keeps me grounded when stress, burnout or pandemic fatigue begin to weigh on me.
I’ll give you a real-world example: One of the most common complaints I’ve heard in the past year is issues with sleep. When I am having a hard time waking up in the morning or losing sleep at night due to stress, I always refer back to the importance of gratitude. A positive morning routine starts with a prayer or an affirmation that helps you get in touch with your sense of gratitude for another day.
I encourage you to reflect on your growth this year. Even if you’re experiencing the effects of pandemic fatigue, try to reframe those negative feelings with positive affirmations. In many parts of the world, we seem to be nearing the light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s try to let go of setting ourselves up for failure with negative expectations and appreciate the start of a new journey.
Trishna Patnaik is a BSc (in Life Sciences) and MBA (in Marketing) by qualification but an artist by choice. A self-taught artist based in Mumbai, Trishna has been practising art for over 14 years. After she had a professional stint in various reputable corporations, she realised that she wanted to do something more meaningful. She found her true calling in her passion that is painting. Trishna is now a full-time professional painter pursuing her passion to create and explore to the fullest. She says, "It’s a road less travelled but a journey that I look forward to everyday." Trishna also conducts painting workshops across Mumbai and other metropolitan cities of India.
Trishna is an art therapist and healer. She works with clients on a one-on-one basis in Mumbai.
Trishna fancies the art of creative writing and is dabbling in that too, to soak in the experience and engage with readers, wanderers and thinkers.