“Why don’t we look at this differently, what did you do right?” This question was my response to a client who felt she did something “wrong” when reflecting on how she raised her now adult child. My whole life, I’ve been taught to see the positives and strengths in myself and others. I have my late mother, Sandy Pochapin Kohn, to thank for this perspective. As I responded to my client, I felt the words of my mother come through to help see the situation from a different viewpoint.
On this Mother’s Day, I’m honored to carry on my mom’s legacy by sharing her powerful messages. My mother passed away over thirteen years ago. She was the Executive Director of a large Girl Scout council in New York. My mother had a special way of empowering people to be their best selves. She did this by seeing each person through a positive lens that focused on their strengths and abilities and not their limitations. I like to think of her as a mirror that you could look at and see back the best parts of yourself. Since she passed, I’ve been committed to helping myself and others magnify the good in our lives and appreciate our gifts… while, of course, continuing to work on the areas we are not as strong in.
You can start incorporating this mindset in your daily interactions. Whether friends, spouses, children, or strangers – think about their good qualities. It’s easy to focus on the negative, but I encourage you to reframe your perspective. What makes these people unique? What are their talents and gifts? Celebrate the goodness in others and yourself!
One exercise for some self-love and appreciation is to write down five wonderful things about yourself right now! You can continue to cultivate this energy each day by tracking and celebrating your wins and accomplishments. When you focus on the good, you will attract more good health and happiness into your life!
