How to Coach Yourself and Others Techniques For Coaching | Page 535

4. Always Review Positively
If we are positive at the start of an enterprise, we should be
equally positive at the end when we review. Many people
become discouraged when things don’t go to plan and they beat
themselves up for missing out on the one thing that didn’t work.
But there are always gems of real worth in every situation, even
apparent disasters, if we only look hard enough. One way to
review positively is to use igniter phrases rather than
chloroform phrases. So, an obstacle is not a “barrier” but a
“challenge”; a setback is not a “disaster” but a “chance to learn”;
and a tough problem is not a “failure”, but “a nut we’re going to
crack”.
5. Mix With Positive People
One of the biggest drains on our enthusiasms is to be surrounded
by people who are negative. They may be well-meaning with
their warnings but they are misguided. You have two choices if
you want to survive as a positive person: avoid them or train
them. One clever way to train negative people is to simply ignore
them when they use discouraging conversation. Simply blank
them. Then when they return to positive expressions, re-connect.
Very soon, they will learn that you are a person who has a sunny
disposition and they will simply drop their previously gloomy
attitude with you.
6. Use Positivity For Good Health
Emile Coue, the founder of auto-suggestion, carried out a
number of studies that proved that positive thinking can cure
both mental and physical pain. George Gallup in his study of old
age also found that a positive attitude was one of the key
ingredients of long living. More recent studies have shown that
brain cells actually shrivel up and die under the effect of negative
thinking while positive thinking actually changes the
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