The Daily Reminder - Day 21: Spiritual Health + Find Positive

I have written several posts on the ability to find positive in each day. I truly believe it is a SKILL to find the right perspective to keep your head above water sometimes.We all become stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. We all have bad days. And I am not undermining folks who really are struggling with a history of trauma, loss of a loved one, substance use, medical problems, etc.But in all of my years as a therapist, hearing some of the deepest secrets, I am constantly in awe of the human ability for hope. Even people with the darkest story, come to therapy and believe in the possibility of something better. They find the slivers of hope beyond the darkness to focus on that keep them moving toward that something better.I truly am honored to step alongside these folks in their journey and what we always find to be the most helpful is a solution-focused model of thinking.  In other words, rather than focusing on (and complaining about) the problems - we find solutions within those problems.

• You are often stressed? A solution-focused person reflects on times when they are NOT stressed -- and tries to replicate those moments.
• Having arguments with your spouse?  When were the times when you were NOT arguing? And how can you re-create those times again today?

There are not always simple answers. But sometimes, it takes practice to sharpen our skill of finding a positive perspective.Let's try to find the positive today. Get a dry erase marker and write some of the positive things on your bathroom mirror for when you wake up tomorrow! Or write in a journal to remind yourself of three great things today.