Give yourself a positive energy boost

Do you think in terms of problems or solutions? Lifestyle coach Frank Rutten challenges you to look specifically at the possibilities and shows you how to do that easily.

Let's start with a test: ask ten people close to you how they are doing. Keep track of how many people are doing well and who are trying to see the positive in this unpleasant situation. Also note the number of people who are less enthusiastic and mainly see the negative consequences of the coronavirus outbreak. Don't be alarmed if only two people feel positive while the rest feel hugely constricted.

These negative reactions are perfectly explicable. Stop and take note for a moment: all day long, the media floods us with information and news about the things that we can't and shouldn't do any more because of the coronavirus. Examples include meeting up with your friends, going to the theatre and dining out. We’re being deprived of everything, and that can be immensely irritating.

Or is it, actually? If anyone can break out of that negative spiral, it's you. In fact, it’s completely up to you to decide how you want to deal with it. Do you let yourself be led by all the negative news, or do you look for positive information? Do you allow the situation to drain your energy or are you drawing energy from it? Do you turn on the radio, or do you listen to news-free Spotify and see the same world from a different perspective?

I choose the latter, and I challenge you to do the same. It's much easier than you think to break that negative spiral. The following is a good example.

Lately, I've been hearing a lot of people say that although they're used to working from home now, they really miss genuine contact with their colleagues. This is quite understandable, because those conversations at the coffee machine, bouncing ideas back and forth for a moment, or having lunch together is just as much a part of your work. Instead, we see our colleagues remotely via Zoom, Teams or Skype.

Take out your calendar and go through all your appointments for the next three weeks. Change at least two appointments per week with a colleague from a meeting via Zoom, Teams or Skype to a physical meeting outdoors in a natural setting. One on one. You can still comply with government measures while meeting up with your colleague. Plan to do this at a central location to limit the travel time for you both.

So grab your calendar now, take immediate action and experience the possibilities for yourself. Do this first, before reading further...

Have you planned your physical meeting? Excellent. You’ve taken the first step, and now you can see that you’re the one with the power to determine how you deal with this situation. Keep this up for three weeks (that's six appointments) and then see how it feels. A little test: then ask yourself again how you are doing.

Author: Frank Rutten, lifestylecoach