What does “Positivity” mean to you?

Given that we spend almost half of our waking hours working I discovered early on that staying positive within my workplace can really have a positive effect in my well-being. I find myself thriving when I am happier, experiencing less stress and fatigue; therefore I have to create a positive work environment for my team if we are to succeed. Encouraging communication and having an open-door attitude, making my colleagues understand that I am grateful for the daily effort they put in can really have a positive outcome on their morale. Even on situations that seem bad at first, I always try and add a positive little spin to dispose some of the negativeness it creates. Last but not least; I really pay attention to team spirit. We all succeed and fail as a team, therefore a strong & positive team spirit must be cultivated; get to know the person sitting next to you a little better, take part in volunteering activities as a team, plan one-day field trips once in a while or simply head out after work on a Friday evening.

What are the 3 things that you do to regain your positivity and your strengths after a disappointment at work/life?

Exercising (FYI: tennis, windsurf, running); setting training targets, completing them and even exceeding them is the best way by far to regain my confidence and become a believer; in a way I assure myself that I can accomplish everything personally and professionally.

Travelling; visiting a place I have never been before, alone or with company, no matter how far or close to me it is allows me to witness new behaviours, new ways to experience & understand life and ultimately different ways of thinking. Thinking of all those unexplored destinations I haven’t been yet, but sooner or later I will, makes me feel positive and yearning about future.

Stargazing; I always used to stargaze for hours. Even nowadays, as an amateur astronomer, I feel awe and excitement every time I look at the night sky. Compared to the vastness of the universe my problems & concerns seem infinitesimal and they appear to be much easier to be dealt with.

My all-time favourite quote is “If you are not satisfied with something, change it; see to it now, remain determined and do your best. If you want results you never had, simply try something you never did.”

How important is it to stay positive in achieving your goals?

First and foremost, I can’t even think of setting a target without willing to change, in order to strive for it. Therefore, I cannot even bother talking about meeting a personal and professional objective without being positive to change, right from the beginning. Achieving my goals means to be willing and to be trying to make an important change to my life, for my greater good. How do you expect to even start trying and fighting about your dreams without first being a believer yourself?

What “Positive Promise” would you like to give?

I promise to become a blood donor and give blood once this year.
I promise to greet everyone I meet with a big smile for one month.
I promise to greet warmly everyone at my work for 10 days.
I promise to volunteer at any NGO of my choice for one month as often as I can.