Good Vibes, Great Mood, Better Day

My favorite mantra for when you’re feeling stressed or frustrated: It’s a good thing I’m in such a good mood.

A few years ago, a woman in my church small group shared this mantra with me and I became obsessed. The whole concept is that you look at situations that would normally frustrate you and simply do not let them. When you get cut off in traffic, or your email goes down, or any other little thing that could dampen your mood happens, you look at it and decide it doesn’t have power over you. Not today, Satan.

From The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale to present day research, experts have found that staying positive can improve mental and physical well-being.

Lisa R. Yanek, M.P.H., Assistant Professor of Medicine at Johns Hopkins found positive people were 13 percent less likely than their negative counterparts to have a heart attack. “Dispositional optimism” – a term coined by researchers to describe the mindset of expecting good things to happen – has been linked to decreased feelings of loneliness, reduction in physical pain, and increased quality of life.

There is a lot more to unpack in this research than just positivity v. negativity (a lot more factors are at play in all of these studies) but for today, we’re keeping it simple. When it comes to minor daily inconveniences, focusing on the good in a situation or choosing to ignore the negativity creeping into your mind has proven benefits. That’s why I love this mantra.

If I was in a bad mood, I may be bothered by this negativity. So it’s a good thing I’m in such a good mood.

Are you more of a pessimist? That’s okay! This mantra isn’t really about being an optimist, and it certainly isn’t something that will help us navigate challenges bigger than minor inconveniences (we should always always always allow ourselves the space to feel big emotions). It’s simply about not letting the small things take up space in our mind or dictate the rest of our day.