Thoughts of Positivity

“Live, and be happy, and make others so.” Mary Shelley

I put the spotlight on Positivity, my seventh CliftonStrength, last week and WOW did it feel great! Leading with Positivity means that I have an inherent belief that it is good to be alive and that the best way to live that life…is through humor, celebration, and a glass half-full approach.

Having Positivity in my Top 10 Strengths explains the enthusiasm and excitement that I have for everything I do. This is the most natural thing in the world for me – to be able to find something worth celebrating in any activity. Because this is my immediate response, friends and colleagues often come to me to help them find the joy or the contagious energy to fulfill the more mundane tasks.

People exceptionally talented in the Positivity theme have contagious enthusiasm. They are upbeat and can get others excited about what they are going to do.

Living through a global pandemic tested the worlds’ durability and strength. Because of my Positivity, I despise negativity and it can easily bring me down. This past year of loss and sadness has not been easy for my desire to revel in joy and cheer. However, I also realized the true value and need that society has for this Strength of Positivity. Without any form of it, think of how much harder it would have been to survive and thrive in the past year. Communities around the world were able to (virtually) rely on their Positivity people who were still able to find ways to celebrate and share contagious joy.

Reflecting on Positivity last week reminded me how much I enjoy and appreciate relying on this strength as a source of energy and fun.  I can make an enthusiastic game out of any activity and find a way to celebrate it as well. Positivity is not just a Strength for me, it’s a way of life!