After the horrendous attacks that happened last week, it’s hard to remain positive. I was in a dark spiral until I recently came across a video of a musician who decided to set up his piano in front of the concert hall in Paris and started playing John Lennon’s Imagine. Now, while I agree that flowers and candles won’t fix our world problems, they do accomplish one amazing thing: positivity.
What that musician did made me realize that it’s important to seek out the silver lining in even the worst of events. It was a beautiful moment where you could feel the strong sense of community being created around him. So, I decided to take a page out of his book and this week I’m writing a blog post on spreading positivity.
Here are a couple of tips to make the community around you a happy one…
1. Smile. Smile. Smile.
I know that when I’m having a bad day and I see a stranger smile at me, it makes me want to smile too. The power of a smile can really help lift your mood. Did you know that smiling can increase your lifespan up to 7 years? No, really look it up: it’s an actual thing.
2. Compliments!
If you think someone’s haircut is cute or if you like the way they presented their project in class, tell them! Compliments make a difference in a person’s life. They help boost the people around you and create a happier environment.
3. Listen to a happy song.
If you’re working hard and need a study break, listen to a song that gets you pumped up. It’ll immediately put a smile on your face (who doesn’t want to live 7 extra years?!) and you’ll feel ready to tackle the rest of your workload with a more positive mentality.
4. Workout.
I can’t emphasize this one enough: endorphins, endorphins, endorphins. Working out will put you in a more positive mindset, which will affect the people around you too! A good mood is contagious, so feel free to spread that around!
5. Treat others the way you would want to be treated.
Just do it. There’s no way to explain this one really, but if you wouldn’t want to hear it, why would you say it??
These might be kind of “fluffy” tips, but they’re important nevertheless. Just remember that you have the power to create a positive environment. It only takes one compliment, one smile, one hug to do it. So, go on… spread that positivity!