Finding the Good
Find the good in a person by always looking for it.
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Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you cannot find a single good thing about it? What are some universal good things that we can always find? At the times when things seem bleakest and you feel the worst, what blocks you from being able to shift your perspective? Have you ever actually enjoyed focusing on the worst aspect of the situation? What is to be gained, if anything, by seeking and finding something good when everyone else is normalizing seeing the bad?
Perspectives
We Were Made For These Times, by Clarissa Pinkola Estés, author
"Over and over again we have been the living proof that that which has been exiled, lost, or foundered – can be restored to life again. This is as true and sturdy a prognosis for the destroyed worlds around us as it was for our own once mortally wounded selves."
The Case for Optimism on Climate Change, by Al Gore, Founder and Chairman of The Climate Reality Project
"Paris really was a breakthrough. Some of the provisions are binding, and the regular reviews will matter a lot. But nations aren't waiting, they're going ahead. "
How to Deal with Negative Self-Talk, by Jack Canfield, entrepreneur
"There's a positive side and a negative side to pretty much everything, and since you get to choose what you're going to focus on, why not choose to focus on the positive? I promise you, it will have a much better impact on your life and your health if you do."
Action
Seek and find the good in a person you intensely dislike or a situation that seems to have zero good.
Focus on someone you either: 1) have an extremely difficult relationship with, or 2) dislike intensely. It could be a relative, friend, colleague, celebrity, politician or someone else. Maybe you dislike them because you never seem to be able to reach agreement, or they're unkind, abusive, a serial liar, or even a sociopath, or for some other reason. Sit down and write down 6 things you actually like about that person. If you cannot think of anything at first, set it aside for a few hours and come back to it. Take your time, and continue until you have 6 things you sincerely like about the person.