Is Today Going to Be Good or Great?

Make today great!

Do it for yourself, your friends, and your family. It’s so easy to get caught up in a negative mindset and pulled into the minutiae of what is going wrong in our lives, or at the job, or in the world. Instead of focusing on the plight of all that is wrong, focus on what is going right! Live your life in the ‘Positivity Zone’.

Eckhart Tolle said “Every ego wants to be special. If it can’t be special by being superior to others, it’s also quite happy with being especially miserable”

Some people will try to pull you into their way of thinking, incessantly focusing on the negative. They may try to diminish you, your influence and impact. Stay the course. Here’s my solution. Choose to grow. Choose to inspire change. Expect those around you to be the best version of themselves and show them how by leading the way. 

Looking for a strategy to combat the chronic complainers? Consider the the “5-minute complaint rule” when talking to the “negative nellies”. Set a timer and at the conclusion of 5 minutes (a reasonable amount of time to vent) ask them if would be okay to focus the conversation on what we can do to make it better. Even five minutes of complaining is generous. Focus on discovering solutions and resolve to grow, together. Less really is more. Time spent complaining is time you could spend transforming and growing. Your time matters. Coach your team and colleagues to keep the venting minimal and focus on generating creative win-win solutions. 

Remember what Eckhart Tolle said? “Every ego wants to be special. If it can’t be special by being superior to others, it’s also quite happy with being especially miserable”. We must be vigilant about who and what we let into our lives lest we become it. You will quickly find that some people will appreciate that approach. Other people will not because they don’t intend to make anything better. They thrive in the “negativity zone”. Yes, that’s where their “best life” is.

We all know them, right? Minimize your interaction with those people. They aren’t "in it to win it", encouraging others to change the world, being their best version of self, or planning to embrace the Carpe Diem mindset anytime soon.

We only have one choice to make. Today will either be good or it will be great! There are no other options. Live in the ‘Positivity Zone’ and don’t let anyone change the plan!

If you want to learn more about living in the "Positivity Zone" and the 5 Powerful Practices Model created by Lisa Imel. Join her for Joyful Educator Lab and create your own plan to reclaim the joy in your life! 

About the Author Lisa Imel, M.Ed.

Lisa Imel, M.Ed. is the Founder and Chief Educational Consultant of the EDSolutions Group where she serves as a school strategy consultant, digital course creator, leadership coach, and more! Lisa specializes in Human Potential, Workforce & Economic Development, and k-16 Education Strategy. Through her work with school districts, colleges and secondary and post-secondary leadership partners she develops business community partnerships, ideates, creates and implements systems and structures so that you can lead a more productive, meaningful, healthier, happier, work & personal life. Our work will  help you have a greater impact and influence more of your students to achieve brighter futures!  As a life-long educator, high-school, middle-school, and elementary administrator, teacher and licensed superintendent, she gets it. Reach out at [email protected]

Thank you for reading EdSolutionsChat (this blog) where school leaders come for inspiration! 

“Education is for improving the lives of others and for leaving your community and world better than you found it.” -Marian Wright Edelman