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Tag: negativity

Yikes, don’t be drama queen! That’s all this positive psychology is about

Published November 17, 2009 by Jo Jordan

Positive psychologists are too polite!

No one is telling you to be cheerful all the time.  People are just mildly suggesting that you might like to

  • Be positive when the circumstances call for you to be positive
  • Be negative when the circumstances call for you to be negative

and conserve energy when the circumstances don’t call for a response from you at all.

Defending our right to negativity is such a good example of energy wasting!

Much of the time we are not required to make a response, and we respond negatively!  Stop wasting energy!  No one asked you what you think!  Just do nothing.  I assure you, if they care what you think, that will bother them a lot more.

If you are going to burn energy, why not have fun?

As they don’t care what you think, and as you aren’t required to respond, why not do something that’s enjoyable?  Like smile?

You are so politely being told to stop being a drama queen!  That’s all.

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I’ve cracked the ‘whinging’ pom!

Published October 9, 2009 by Jo Jordan

Whinging poms

Have you ever seen a psychological study of why the English complain about the weather?  Or why the English complain .   .   .

We all know the English talk incessantly about the weather.  The Aussies remind us that poms whinge.  Or rather, the Aussies dismiss “whinging poms” with a frisson of superiority!

Folklore has it that poms whinge about the weather to make small talk.  That smirk of satisfaction begs explanation in turn.  Why is it considered polite to whinge about something we can do nothing about?

If  a South African is talking, they would advise you what to do about the weather. The focus would be on action and the focus would be on the battle of life fought successfully against willful, unhelpful and unbiddable elements.

If an Australian is talking, they would be proud of Australian weather.  I’ve never deciphered that either.  Proud of something you had nothing to do with making???

I know how to treat with a South Africa.  They want to “do”.  They want to be competent.  So simply ask to borrow their umbrella!  They will make sure you get back to your car dry – and probably get your shoes cleaned for you to.

I’ve cracked the English whinge.  You say sweetly:  “I like English weather.  Everything changes so fast.  If you don’t go out for a single day, you miss the daffodils, or a tree that has changed color”.

The English man or woman is left in a dilemma.  Continue whinging and imply England is not up to scratch?  Won’t have that!

So they start being informative.  You’ll hear all about the plants they love.  Your walk to work, or your previously insalubrious train ride, will take on a fresh look as they point out all the best bits of scenery to look out for!

And it works on other topics too.  The English are as volatile as their weather.

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Grittiness is happiness . . and prosperity

Published September 26, 2009 by Jo Jordan

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Image via Wikipedia

“It’s about survival, not ego”.

So said Techcrunch about Pandora’s founder.

Hmm. Losada used Lorenz equations to find 3 factors to distinguish successful business teams from unsuccessful teams.

  • Sincere requests for information slightly outnumber proposals for action
  • Positive comments outnumber negative statements by 5 to 1 (83% in other words)
  • Talk about the outside world slightly exceeds talk about the team.

So sometimes the team is complaining that the team is shite.   Inactive, negative and internal.  That’s fine.  As long as later in the day they are talking about what their customers like and the positive points they will push off from.

Unsuccessful teams get stuck in a place of gloom, or, in a place of self-congratulation.

Successful teams swoop gloriously around the whole emotional space like a happy butterfly tracing its own shadow and colouring in the outline in 3D technicolor.

Being in touch with reality in all its forms, good and bad, is what it is all about.

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