The way we deal with others is strongly affected by the way we feel about ourselves. Because of that, it is very important for business owners to have good self esteem. If your attitude is positive and dynamic, people you work with will reflect your attitude by becoming more positive and dynamic. If you complain and play the victim, you will find yourself surrounded by reflections of yourself. Your attitude will also affect the productivity of your business. When you develop good relationships with your employees and consistently project a positive attitude, they will tend to respond to that by being more productive.
No one can be upbeat all the time. Sometimes personal problems, health problems, and people problems affect our positive feelings and attitude. Try the following tips to help you keep your attitude positive.
• Engage in a regular exercise program. It makes you feel good about yourself and also keeps you healthier.
• Inject humor into your life and your workplace. Don’t get so serious that you forget to enjoy life. Don’t you enjoy being around people who are fun to be with?
• Break major goals into smaller, more easily attainable ones.
• Balance work and leisure more effectively.
• Join a networking group, chamber of commerce, or other organization to help you connect to other business owners and associates.
• Keep yourself looking professional in line with the type of business you own. Studies show that we feel good about ourselves when we look good. When we’re wearing nice clothes, have a new haircut or hairdo, are neatly groomed, or successfully lose weight, we feel good.
• Find someone you trust as a role model, confidant, and sounding board.
• Ask for help when you need it and when it is appropriate. Remember, you don’t have to know everything; you just need to know who to ask. It is always recommended that your business has an attorney and an accountant to call on if you need them or have questions for either.
• Spend time on a favorite activity or with a favorite person.
The most important rule in giving positive communication is to feel good about ourselves. Have you ever had someone tell you it is easy for you to tell others they need good self esteem but difficult for you to have it yourself? To deal successfully with others, we need to deal successfully with ourselves and overcome those things that get in the way. Take a step back and savor your better moments. You need this foundation of self praise to counter balance whatever negative experiences you may encounter. For many of us, that isn’t easy to do. We’re taught at an early age to be modest. We feel that praise, especially self praise, is unnecessary. That outlook completely ignores the feelings of you, a very important person. We need to get positive strokes when we deserve them. It’s our right and obligation to recognize our own personal achievements.
When we feel good about ourselves, we know that we can solve problems, maybe not immediately; but we can solve them. Just remembering that allows us to put the problems in perspective and to put them aside while we concentrate our efforts in more productive areas. Worrying over problems never solves them. It just makes them worse. The idea is to remember that we can solve them at the right time. That outlook begins by giving ourselves positive strokes. It gives us more self confidence, and we enjoy ourselves much, much more. A big measure of your success in dealing with others comes with success in dealing with yourself.
Feel good about yourself. You’re a very special person!
