I hope that the start of the new year is treating you well.
Now that How to Be a Better Person is officially born and out in the world, I want to show it off a little.
There are eight categories in the book that correspond to eight different areas of you and your life. For this and my next seven newsletters, I’m going to do a deep dive into each category and give you some of the content from the book as well as some extra insights and goodies that are exclusive to this newsletter and my website. That may sound like a lot of newsletters to you, but everything I cover in the book totally relates to the things I cover here—I don’t think you’ll notice that I’ve diverted from our regularly scheduled programming. =)
The first section of the book—and the most important, which is why it comes first, is Seeing the Positive. Why? Because for any change you want to make, refining the way you *think* about the change is what dictates your success. Upgrading your mindset and training yourself to see opportunities instead of obstacles, possibilities instead of problems helps make everything you do more powerful—and less energy-intensive (meaning, it feels a lot easier).
The hitch is that the human brain is wired to scan for problems. This so-called “negativity bias” helped us remember what went wrong and avoid danger when we lived on the savannas. But in our modern lives, it can keep you focused on what’s going wrong. And where the mind goes, reality follows.
That also means that the more you appreciate your life, and what’s going right, the more reasons you have to celebrate.
To that end, here are three of my favorite tips from the “See the Positive” section of the book.
Is there one here that really speaks to you that you want to take on for the next week? Let me know, you can Tweet me @KateHan (and use the hashtag #beabetterperson) or respond to this email, or leave a comment on the web version.
Seeing the Positive Mantra #1: Learn from Others
Thinking that you already know everything you need to know about anything—or everything—keeps you from being curious and learning more. (And there is always more insight to be had.) If your mind were a cup, imagine that it always has room in it for more tea. You never know when an idea is going to come along and change your life, so keep some space open for new thinking.
Seeing thePositive Mantra #2: Refuse to Complain
No one likes to hear a litany of complaints, no matter how justified they may be. Complaining doesn’t get anything accomplished, and worse, it amplifies the problem. If you have something to get off your chest, do it with intention. Tell the person you are venting to, “There’s something I want to share so I can gain perspective and move on.” Once you’re done, tell yourself, I’m open to seeing this in a different way.
Seeing the Positive Mantra #3: Remember That It’s All a Miracle
Consider this: we live on a huge rock that’s hurtling through space and we each contain many of the same materials that comprise stars. The very fact that you’re alive is a miracle. Remembering these facts can make day-to-day annoyances seem pretty insignificant and inspire you to do things that might otherwise seem impossible.
There are 51 more in the book!
For a deeper dive on training yourself to see the positive, here are some past posts I’ve written that will help:
Look for the Loving Reason. Always.
Can You Really Let It Go? Plus, 5 Clearing Exercises
If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, you can order one here!
And if you have gotten your copy, would you mind taking a moment to leave a review on Amazon or Barnes & Noble? It helps so much! (And thank you!)
