Promoting Positive Thinking Strategies
Learn how to minimize stress with thought awareness, rational thinking and positive plans.
A positive affirmation gives you a way to fight against negative thinking. When you think in positive ways it is possible to change your life one step at a time.
Change your thoughts by using positive affirmations to direct them.
Keith,
I think when an instructor is willing to share a personal experience (especially one that wasn't handled perfectly), students benefit. In fact, when we share something that helped us grow, we model important skills for our students. Our willingness to be open and vulnerable gives them a chance to ask some important questions:
* How can I admit my own mistakes?
* How can I learn from them?
* What can I do differently next time?
* What parts of the situation do I control?
The list is endless. We can't live life backward, but we can learn a lot from considering different paths we could have taken!
Beth Nichols
Hi Jena,
Good point. With instructional support there needs to be some realism to what is being said. Improvement areas for students can be pointed out and then when they make the improvements praise can come. Shallow praise is of no value to anyone and is soon ignored by students.
Gary
While I agree with this approach, sometimes being too positive can also be a negative. Positive thinking can be a very empowering thing, but as with everything, being too positive can also backfire. Make no mistake; I'm not striving for a "glass is half empty" approach to life or learning. Rather, by acknowledging that a situation, assignment, or discussion board was tough for the student, an instructor can be more "real" with a student. In doing this, the instructor is able to reduce the angst the student has associated with that situation, allowing the student the ability to move beyond it.
Hi William,
These scenarios really help the students to become engaged as well as have fun with them. Bringing them into the classroom helps to give the students variety in their learning and lets them use their problem solving skills as they learn more about their self awareness.
Keep up the good work.
Gary
Self-awareness is a big part of "soft" skills. When we know how we react to certain stimuli, we are better prepared to react.
If you got up this morning, your dog had soiled the bed, the power was out, there were two feet of snow to shovel before you could get the car out, the car stalled, you had to jump it, your significant other was still upset about the night before when you didn't eat the chicken . . . how might you react toward others at work?
I'm kidding on some level, but I like to present playful scenarios to talk about self-awareness with students. Making it playful keeps it positive, but it still demonstrates the central concept that a positive attitude is typically more productive.
I have often used the information learned from my upbringing to turn negatives into positive situations. When negative thoughts or emotions bring themselves to the surface it is wise to not react immediatly, depending on the situation. Very often, after some time for thought and reflection a better way to deal with the situation presents itself and then can be acted in in a more rational way. I have used this in personal and professional situations and has always seemed to work well. Immediate raction to a negtive situation usually results in a more negative outcome.
