Purposeful Growth

Cheering up friends not only lifts their spirits, it lifts yours, too. Your unique gifts, when offered in support of another, will benefit giver and receiver. How do you cheer up when you’re feeling down and blue? A great way is to help cheer a friend up. Cheering friends up helps to move the focus from you to someone else. The personalized gift of your time and

energy on behalf of someone else will do wonders for lifting your spirits. You and your friend both benefit; win/win always feels good.

Research Studies Verify It

Research studies show that an orientation to the welfare of others is, in the long run, more satisfying than an orientation to one’s own pleasure. And when you’re feeling down, there’s a tendency to focus on your own problems and your own unsatisfied wants and needs. Shifting to help another person gives you the opportunity to connect and foster a relationship. Strong relationships correlate with personal happiness and life satisfaction.

Tips for Cheering Up

A nearly instant way to lift your own spirits is to focus on gratitude for what you have. Acknowledging gratitude and appreciation for even the simplest and most basic aspects of your life will lift your mood. To translate this to a unique gift you can give another person, express to that person those aspects of themselves for which you are grateful.

• Gratitude: A Unique Gift Idea

Recall a time this friend helped you with a kind word, an extra pair of hands, or a thoughtful gift. Express your appreciation for that and how much it meant to you. Recalling the event and circumstances will lift spirits for both of you, reinforcing the value of a good friend.

• Your Unique Gift

Find a way to offer your unique gift to someone in need of a lift. Perhaps your gift is simply that you’re more physically able than your friend. An elderly friend or relative can always use help with house and yard chores. Running the sweeper or mowing the grass removes a physical demand on your elderly friend and also eliminates the mental and financial burden of finding a way to get the work done.

You probably have talents and experience in many areas that can help a friend who’s down in the dumps. A small, personalized, hand crafted gift shows you care; always a sure way to lift one’s spirits.

• Everyone Can Listen

Sometimes a friend just needs someone to talk with. Burdens are lighter when shared. Your gift of listening supportively will cheer up your friend simply because you’ve helped them be heard. You don’t need to solve their problem, just be an empathetic listener.

• Give and Receive

When you give you also receive. The old saying, “what goes around comes around,” is another way of expressing the Law of Attraction. If you cheer up a friend you will also be cheered up.

If you or your friend are feeling overwhelmed, feeling as if you’re on a treadmill going as fast as you can but not getting anywhere satisfying, your life is probably out of balance. The Life Balance E-course can help you get your life back in balance and keep it that way. This ten week self study course has helped others just like you. Find out how to get your life back in balance in ten weeks.

This article first appeared in the Personal Development Topic at Suite101.com.

Positive psychology studies indicate a positive attitude, along with an optimistic outlook and positive thinking, can bring better health and greater happiness.

Positive attitude, positive thinking, and optimism are now known to be a root cause of many positive life benefits–the good life and well being. You’ll live longer and be healthier and happier with a positive attitude toward life. In addition, you’re

more likely to be successful. Learn to use the power of thinking positive, adopting positive attitudes, and affirmations to gain important life benefits.

What is Attitude?:

Attitude is a mental position relative to a way of thinking or being; a leaning toward that which you believe. A positive attitude is, therefore, the inclination to generally be in an optimistic, hopeful state of mind.

Psychology Studies Reveal:

A positive attitude and optimistic thinking early in life predict health and well being in later years. Analysis of 99 Harvard graduates found a strong correlation between their optimistic thinking as college students and good health at age 40 and above.

In his ground-breaking book, A Primer in Positive Psychology, Christopher Petersen, PhD, says, “…optimism has demonstrable benefits, and pessimism has drawbacks.” He goes on to say, “…optimism…has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to perseverance and effective problem solving; to academic, athletic, military, occupational, and political success; to popularity; to good health; and even to long life and freedom from trauma.”

Even if you have been a pessimistic, negative thinker for many years, it’s not too late to change your way of thinking and reap the benefits of a positive attitude.

Characteristics of a Positive Attitude and Optimism:

Optimists believe they are accountable for good things and that good things will generally come their way. If something bad comes instead, optimists tend to write it off as an isolated incident, an anomaly, or something out of their control; optimists believe things will be better in the future.

Positive Thinking Takes Practice:

If you’re a person whose first thoughts about the meaning of something that’s happened are negative thoughts, be encouraged by the knowledge that the first step toward a positive attitude and positive thinking is to simply think another thought. Thoughts are under your control. Your pessimistic way of thinking is habit; habits can be changed.

• When you catch yourself thinking a pessimistic thought about an event in your life, first evaluate the evidence. What are the facts–not the fears–but the facts?
• Next, think of alternate explanations and future outcomes. When your old car suddenly makes a strange noise you may jump to the pessimistic conclusion that repair will be costly, but maybe a minor repair will solve the problem.
• Remind yourself to follow this approach with a daily affirmation such as this: When I have a negative thought I immediately evaluate the facts and think of positive alternatives that also fit the facts.

Practice the positive thinking approach outlined above and you’ll find it soon comes naturally. You may be amazed to realize that you simply feel better with a positive attitude.

Learn to use positive affirmations to reinforce your attitude. Instructions for powerful positive affirmations are here.

Using your unique core strengths is always a positive experience.

If you like this article you may also like How to Cheer Up.

More related material here.

This article first appeared in the Personal Development Topic at Suite101.com.