Positivity: The Truth About Positivity
StrengthsFinder Theme / CliftonStrengths Theme: POSITIVITY
What Is the POSITIVITY Theme
Enthusiastic. Transformative. And, rejuvenating. People with positivity have a contagious view of life that feels like a breath of fresh air to most people. Their message is simple and consistent, “We find what we look for: So, let’s look for the positive.” Ever-aware that there is more than one way to view a situation, they are constantly scanning for the positives, the highlights, and the exciting parts of life. For them, positivity is not simply synonymous with ‘happiness’, nor is it mindlessly ‘looking on the bright side’. No, true positivity has nothing to do with dawning a pair of rose-colored glasses, instead it is the ability to find meaning in all of life’s events and adventures. In the ups and downs, these are the people who are able to naturally identify the greatest points of value, even in the darkest times. They often see what others cannot: opportunities instead of predicaments. They help shift our perspective, our consciousness, and the course of our lives. Positive people are, in so many ways, enlightened—the keepers of the flame.
Why Should We Care
Folks with the strength of positivity are forward thinking, open-minded, and willing to temporarily suspend their own comfort to dig for the gemstones in an otherwise glum situation. And, importantly, they are sincere. These are the people who we like to be around—their energy is healing, their words are genuine, and their presence is reliable. They are the ones we call when we are feeling discouraged, demoralized, and defeated. We can look to them for perspective, honesty, validation, and affirmation. We can also look to them to celebrate the good times with us; they are genuinely happy for others in their successes and they love to celebrate wins. For them: Shared joy is double joy.
Ten Things to Know About People with POSITIVITY
1. Growth Opportunities. Don’t be surprised if positive people see every moment of life as a chance to grow, even in the midst of tremendous hardship, grief, and struggle.
2. Feeling Responsible. Folks with positivity might feel perpetually and personally responsible for the vibe in a room. They may go to great lengths to elevate or brighten the mood at a social gathering.
3. Choosing. It can be easy to overlook an element of conscious discretion in their outlook. That is, just because they choose to focus on the good in the world, it does not mean that they don’t see the rest.
4. Naïveté. They hate being thought of as Pollyannas, because these folks are anything but naïve. In fact, they are emotionally evolved in such a way that has them seeing sides of situations that escape everyone else.
5. What It’s Not. Positivity is not saying, “The house is burning down, but at least it’s keeping my hands warm.” Positivity is about finding the value, the meaning, the big picture significance in life’s ups and downs.
6. Holding Back. Positive people can feel like the world is relying on them to be uplifting every second, which means that they may try to hide what they are really feeling inside.
7. Intrusive Thoughts. Negativity, violence, and injustice hit these people hard. They may find themselves privately replaying or obsessing about the ‘badness’ of the world. This can be stressful and isolating for them.
8. Sitting With Discomfort. Positive people may need to consciously practice sitting with discomfort, because their tendency or reaction is, at times, to try to control, steer, or restrict tense situations, even when for them to do so is unproductive.
9. Vibes. These people are ultra-sensitive and can feel negativity on a vibratory, cellular level. This means that they might physically hold on to it in their bodies; it can affect their health, sleep, energy, and lifespan. They may need to literally shake out their arms and legs after being in an emotionally negative space, or go for a run, or even scream.
10. Honoring Them. We may have been taught to dismiss positive people as out-of-touch or too idealistic, which is truly toxic energy to positive people. We can honor them simply by listening to their view, making room for their ideas, and not challenging them at every turn
.
If you are interested in reading more about your StrengthsFinder Strengths or if you’d like to support my work, I’ve got some books available on Amazon here.