Episode 104: How to Stay Upbeat (Without Being Fake or Annoying)

You’re on Instagram, and you know the drill.

You stop to read a post and you’re quickly rolling your eyes at the contrived, fake positivity it’s selling. In this episode, we’re talking about when you’re in a sea of negativity and misery-loves-company trolls, just how do you stay upbeat without being over the top?

There’s enough negativity in this world. All you have to do is turn on the news, scroll thru Twitter, or read the comments (don’t ever read the comments….), and you’re smacked in the face with all that is wrong in the world.

On the flip side, some social media outlets — we’re looking at you Instagram — focus so much on the saccharine positivity that it screams fake more than a knockoff “Louis Vuitton” purse.

If you’re listening to this show, you’re likely NOT in the super fake or annoyingly positive camp (in fact, you may be in the full-on jaded camp), but this can still be a barrier if you’re worried about sharing or being more positive than normal.

We’re going to share how to stay upbeat without being fake or annoying, but really we’re going to share ways to stay upbeat when that’s the last thing you feel like doing.

Don’t pretend you’re never going to have a bad day:

• Don’t be afraid to share that. Just like there’s a thing as being too upbeat, there’s also a thing as being too negative. Sharing that you’re human and having a less than stellar day from time to time makes you relatable.
• Focus on the lessons — there are ALWAYS lessons learned. Instead of spiraling down, hit pause, and reassess what can be learned. There’s ALWAYS a lesson, no matter what. Even if you’re right.
• When the bad days happen, don’t sweep them under the rug, but DO put an expiration date on them. As a boss, you’re the BOSS, so act like it. Decide tomorrow that it’s over. Give it an hour.
• Get into action. Bad mood, bad day, whatever. Make a deal with yourself to not dwell and get going. There’s positivity in taking action, and you can shift your mood by not throwing that pity party.
• Be gentle with yourself. Bad things happen, and sometimes you just need to get through them.

Stay focused on your goals:

• Focusing on your goals reminds your brain what you’re doing this all for. It’s SO easy to fall into a pit of despair after dealing with a client from hell or a project that just won’t wrap up.
• Keeping your goals top of mind helps you see what it’s all for and can help flip the mood around to positive.
• We do this with our money goals almost daily.
• Get a handle on your vision and values. When you know what’s up with those, you can definitely stay on track with your goals and pull yourself out of your funk.

Daily gratitude practice:

• This is talked about SO much that it risks the stigma of being trite or cliche, but you know what? This shit works.
• It’s really hard to stay down in the dumps when you start truly recognizing how much you have to be grateful for.
• Gratitude that you’re even your own boss is one I know we can easily lose sight of. Daily or weekly reminders of what your grateful for keeps you in check.

Have a go-to list to ignite positivity:

• Gratitude list, moving your body, doing something FUN, taking a break, getting enough sleep, drinking enough water, etc.
• This can be good for getting out of a random funk or for pulling yourself out of a winter slump. Know what works for you so you can move through this phase.

Recognize your privilege:

• If you fear being “too” positive, you can certainly bring some perspective to the mix.
• Much of the saccharine stuff that triggers us has a complete lack of understanding of why it seems so “fake.”
• When you recognize that you do have privilege, that in and of itself fuels your own gratitude, but also keeps you humble and real with no fear of coming across as fake or annoying.