Pearl Nash
Some people seem to have an effortlessly positive vibe.
And they are quite frankly more enjoyable to be around because of it.
So how do they do it?
What is that sweet sauce that makes someone radiate positive energy?
Here are the traits that create the perfect blend of positivity…
1) Resilient
Often being positive is less about how we behave during happy times. It’s more about how well we deal with difficult times.
Some people manage to maintain a positive outlook no matter what life throws at them.
Others meanwhile can crumble over the littlest of things.
One of the keys to making sure you’re the former and not the latter is resilience.
Having faced and survived plenty of life’s trials, resilient people know they will be ok.
And so they can avoid catastrophizing every little bump in the road. Instead, they see it as simply a natural part of life’s journey.
Resilience helps you deal with adversity and stay strong and positive.
But it also helps you to keep things in context.
That way, you are less likely to sweat the small stuff in life — which helps you to keep you vibe high.
2) Optimistic
Optimism is one of the strong foundations on which positive energy is built.
Optimism is foundational as it helps so many other positive traits to grow.
It encourages us to build that all-important resilience rather than take disappointments and failures to heart.
That allows us to keep our motivation and enthusiasm for life — whether it’s in the projects we take on or the plans we make.
Optimistic people tend to feel more in control of their own lives.
They adopt a growth mindset that makes them feel like they are in charge of what happens next.
For that reason, optimistic people have better self-esteem and confidence.
Perhaps it’s this confidence that allows them to be themselves rather than be tempted to fake it…
3) Genuine
Hands down my absolute favorite trait in anyone is authenticity.
I often (half-jokingly) say that I don’t even care if someone is a bit of an asshole, as long as they’re authentically being one.
Because here’s the thing:
It’s almost impossible to really connect with someone else when they’re not being themselves.
Ultimately, they’re hiding.
And that’s usually because they aren’t comfortable enough with the vulnerability required to be authentic.
So in many ways, people who radiate positive energy are fundamentally good at vulnerability.
They make you feel at ease because they are being themselves.
This gives us permission to be ourselves too. And what a relief that is.
There’s no air of pretension. It doesn’t feel like they’re trying to impress you or win you over.
They are their genuine self and that sincerity changes their energy.
4) Humorous
It’s not that positive people have a special skill for cracking you up.
It’s more subtle that that. All I mean is that they have a sense of humor.
There is a lightness to their energy because they know how to look at the funny side of life.
Of course, everyone’s sense of humor is different. What’s more important is that they laugh, they smile, and they don’t take life too seriously.
Even facial expressions do have an impact on our feelings.
Research has found that something as simple as smiling really does make us feel happier.
I watched a documentary the other night about how powerful facial expressions are. Basically, we’re experts at reading even the most subtle movements in one another.
And as part of our species’ innate nature, we mimic these cues for greater social empathy.
Essentially it all boils down to this:
When we’re around people who look happy, it makes us feel happier.
5) Patient
Patience is one of the traits that help people who radiate positive energy come across as so zen.
Because the more impatient we are, the more prone to annoyance and anxiety.
When we have too tight of a grip on how we want things to go, it is bound to be frustrating when life doesn’t oblige.
Patience is the magic ingredient that helps positive people when they face delays or problems.
Rather than creating unnecessary drama or suffering, they keep their cool.
It also makes them far less likely to complain.
And let’s face it, chronic complaining is about as negative as it comes.
6) Enthusiastic
Some people seem to be naturally enthusiastic. Sadly, I’m certainly not one of them.
But my trick to tap into enthusiasm is passion.
Because we’re all capable of being enthusiastic when we feel engaged and interested in something.
People who ooze positivity manage to tap into their passion.
It also helps to try to focus on the positive instead of the negative.
It’s easy to pick something apart and find the flaws until all motivation has drained away.
Enthusiasm may be easier for people who radiate positive energy because they aren’t afraid to be playful…
7) Curious
We’re all very naturally playful as children. Sadly it’s a trait we all too often leave behind in adulthood.
But playfulness contains an innocent zest for life.
When we are playful, we are in essence incredibly curious and open.
This allows us to be creative, innovative, experimental, and adventurous.
People with a positive essence are eager to learn and they’re willing to give things a try.
Their curiosity feeds their imagination.
It also gives them an admirable lust for life that feels contagious.
8) Respectful
We all hurt people, often without intending to, and sometimes without even realizing it.
Cultivating greater respect is what can help us to minimize this.
People who radiate positive energy are often mindful of their words. They think before speaking.
This makes them less likely to kill the vibe or put their foot in their mouth.
They show their respect by listening to others and valuing their opinions.
The more mindful we are of other people’s energy as well as our own, the higher the positive energy is between us all.
9) Non-judgemental
And I don’t just mean towards other people either.
I mean the most positive people refrain from deciding whether something is good or bad. Because it’s often these mental labels that bring us pain.
As Budha said:
“Attachment is the source of all suffering.”
It’s strange to think that we create much of our own suffering. But we do.
We create it by attaching ourselves to how we think things should go in life. Then getting mighty annoyed when it doesn’t.
The most positive energy comes from trying to stay open and non-judgmental.
That way we can save ourselves from the burden of expectation — which is the cause of so much of our negativity and disappointment.
Positive people are good at accepting what is rather than creating negativity by fighting it.
10) Grateful
Gratitude is an attitude.
It’s not just about saying thanks. It’s more about feeling thankful.
That’s where its power lies — and what a power it has!
One that is so potent research has discovered it:
- Helps us feel more positive emotions
- Encourages us to relish good experiences,
- Helps us to better deal with adversity
- Helps us build stronger relationships
- Improves our health
No wonder it’s one of the number one secret weapons for positive people to keep their energy so high.
11) Kind and compassionate
It’s impossible to list the traits of people who radiate positive energy without including kindness.
Because kindness makes us feel better, and those around us.
Compassion gives someone a warmth that we can feel.
There’s almost a safety and comfort that radiates from their kindness.
Studies have found that kind people not only experience more happiness, but they also have happier memories.
I guess it really is true what the Dalai Lama said:
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
12) Generous
Of course, it feels great to receive. But when we give, we also feel good.
That doesn’t always have to be in the traditional sense either.
What I mean is that we don’t need to give money or material goods.
You could even say that people who radiate positivity are energetically generous.
They are altruistic and will give you their time, their skills, their talents, and their strengths.
Generosity is actually a learned character trait, one that involves both a generous attitude combined with action.
When we devote our energy to doing good, it takes on an undeniable positive characteristic.
13) Forgiving
Grudges can be toxic.
Often without realizing it, when we carry the burden of resentment with us it turns inwards and impacts our own energy.
We can be grumpier, more cynical, sadder, and generally heavier energetically.
And who can blame us?
Even though it’s meant for someone or something else, all that negativity is ultimately carried around by us.
That’s why those who radiate positive energy lighten their load by letting go.
They forgive themselves for their perceived flaws, as well as others.
