Be an Alchemist, Turn Lead into Gold

“When one door of happiness closes, another opens; but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one which has been opened for us.”  — Helen Keller

Things do not always go your way in life. Metaphorically, sometimes you are mining for gold and end up with a big hunk of lead. These types of setbacks can happen regardless of wealth or social status. During unexpected situations it is important to implement positive thinking, re-group, and move forward.

Attitude is a huge factor when dealing with life’s ups and downs. It can directly effect the outcomes of challenging experiences. When working in tipping cultures, studies have revealed that individuals who engaged customers with a positive attitude earned more in tipped income¹. Positive thinking also has health benefits, which not only leads to a happier life, but provides the tools and energy to overcome its challenges. People with a family history of heart disease who also had a positive outlook were one-third less likely to have a heart attack or other cardiovascular event within five to 25 years than those with a more negative outlook². If positive thinking does not come naturally to you, don’t worry – it can be taught. In older adults, positive thinking training led to better thinking, higher resilience, and greater life satisfaction³.

Thinking optimistically can be easier said than done. Luckily, there is tons of material to help you train your brain. Steps can be simple, such as using positive language when you speak or asking generative questions of others⁴. More complex strategies include reminding yourself to look at the bright side, which can be challenging in some situations. Take the time to nurture your positivity with a plan of approach. Don’t get frustrated with setbacks. Positive thinking is not a silver bullet to fix all the issues in the world, but practicing it along with gratitude goes a long way⁵. The art of turning lead into gold takes time and is not a straight path, but one worth the journey.

Action: Research positive thinking strategies which would work for you. Implement them this week.

Further Reading:

1. Effects of an upbeat and positive attitude in customer service interactions.
2. The Power of Positive Thinking
3. The effect of positive thinking on resilience and life satisfaction of older adults: a randomized controlled trial
4. Positivity Is Not Magic. It’s Science.
5. Positive thinking: Stop negative self-talk to reduce stress