It happens to the best of us. You get an angry customer on the phone. You are the angry customer on the phone. Your day isn’t panning out the way you had hoped it would, and everything seems to be taking a turn for the worst. And our almost-always gut instinct? Letting these communications shape our in-the-moment responses, our continuing mood, our next interactions with others, and even the remainder of our day or week.
Often, when we’re stuck in the well of negativity, we peer out angrily from the bottom at those with a positive attitude as, well, mostly just annoying. We assume they must have it better than us, or they probably don’t have to deal with the same frustrations that we do or insert reason here why they aren’t sitting and stewing in their bad mood, too.
Earlier this year, as a collective team, our office staff undertook a crash course on positivity via Jeffrey Gitomer’s YES! Attitude training modules. We were tasked to take stock of our own attitudes, negative triggers, and long and short-term goals by way of activities, presentations, and a little bit of the ridiculous per usual. We were then challenged to consider how we can make small efforts every day to reduce negativity and increase positivity.
Admittedly, I… and many others… laughed off that first session as we sat down and slowly realized what we were in for. Some of us perhaps didn’t take it all that seriously. Others of us didn’t want to change. And I can only speak for myself, but as the sessions progressed, they started to make a strange sort of sense.
By acknowledging what will put me in a negative mood ninety-nine percent of the time, I’ve learned it’s best to simply avoid those situations as much as possible. If it’s unavoidable (for example, an outraged customer on the phone or a coworker that brings their bad mood to work with them), I’ve learned that responding with positivity not only makes me feel better, but it often makes the other party feel better as a result.

• So, what if a positive attitude is a whole lot simpler than we tend to lead ourselves to believe?
• What if it all boils down to reframing each negative situation in a positive light?

It may sound difficult, or it may sound plain ridiculous, but it’s amazing what the power of positivity can really do.
 

It’s not always sunshine and rainbows with The Reman Runner… or anyone. Knowing what triggers the clouds–and the sun–is the key to going beyond just making it through your day. Comment below or reach out to Rani directly.