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POSITIVIT SKILLS DRILLTHE ”POSITIVIT SKILLS DRILL” IS THE PRACTICE OF REPEATING ANY ONE OR FEW OF THESE SKILLS EVERY DAY. MOST PEOPLE DON'T PRACTICE ALL OF THESE SKILLS AT ONE TIME. CHOOSE THE FEW THAT WORK BEST FOR YOU. TRY A NEW SKILL FROM TIME TO TIME.

TAPPING✓ ‘’Tapping’ or EFT…Emotional Freedom Techniques…is a universal healing tool that clears physical and emotional blocks like stress, anxiety and depression by eliminating feelings of anger, fear, overwhelm and other negative mindsets within our bodies.✓ “Tapping” therapy is based on ancient Chinese acupressure and modern psychology. ✓ By tapping we can move from the High Zone or the Low Zone back to the OK Zone.To learn and practice “Tapping” go to the "Tapping for Freedom" YouTube Channel.

THINK OF 3 THINGS OR PEOPLE YOU FEEL GRATEFUL FOR AND WHY.✓ Each day think of three new things you're grateful for and why you are grateful. As you think of each thing or person, think for a moment why you are grateful for that person or thing.✓ Feeling grateful for something is not the same as recalling something that went well or something good that happened. When you feel grateful you are pointing to some person or group of people or a pet or God who have given something to you. This is an awareness that you have been loved! ✓ Writing 3 things in a journal each day makes the experience more effective.

REMEMBER GOOD THINGS.✓ If you are experiencing stress or anxiety it is easy to forget the "good stuff", the good and enjoyable things that happen every day in your life. ✓ Take some time each day to write in your journal something good or enjoyable that happened. Or you might remember something that went well or worked during the day. There are so many things that go well during a day! Remember more than one when you can.

DO CONSCIOUS ACTS OF KINDNESS.✓ This habit seems to be the most powerful activity we can practice to maintain our sense of purpose and well being.✓ Make a conscious effort to do something nice for someone for no reason other than to help.✓ You might be surprised how a simple act of kindness can turn around the day for both you and the kindness recipient.✓ The list on the next page gives some suggestions. There are many more things you can think of to express your kindness to another person.

ACTS OF KINDNESS

PRACTICE MEDITATION AND MINDFULNESS.✓ Sit in a comfortable position, upright but relaxed.✓ It usually helps to close your eyes.✓ Just notice the feeling of the weight of your body where you are sitting.✓ Pay attention to your breathing...in breath...out breath. Do this for 10 or 15 breaths.✓ Notice any sounds around you.✓ Return to your breath and notice it once again.✓ Open your eyes and return to what you are doing.Headspace and Calm are meditation apps available at the App Store. For free meditations, go to www.insighttimer.com

CHANGE SELF-TALK FROM NEGATIVE TO POSITIVE✓ Negativity is another name for negative mindset. A negative mindset can come in the form of many different thoughts. ✓ Practice being aware of your reality...positive or negative...by a gentle '"scan". ✓ Stop what you are doing and quiet your mind. Notice if your thoughts or your "self-talk" are negative..."I can't"; "I won't pass this test"; "They don't like me"; "Why can't I do better?" ✓ When you are aware of any negativity...worry, fear, criticism, self-doubt…gently move your thoughts and "self talk" to anything you can observe that is positive, for example, "The blue sky is beautiful" or "I'm grateful for my breath". This takes practice but it does work!

GET AT LEAST 15 MINUTES OF EXERCISE EVERY DAY!

ENJOY YOUR PERSONAL SPIRITUAL PRACTICE✓ Think about God as you understand God sometime during the day.✓ If you feel grateful to God for something, express your gratitude in a short prayer.✓ Read something from a spiritual book or the Bible or the Spiritual Book of your family's religious tradition.✓ Pray✓ Listen to inspirational music✓ Tell someone you love them.✓ Connect with the Creator in the beauty of nature.✓ Send the heart frequencies out from your heart's desires to people or places in need of love and compassion.✓ Love yourself.•

CONNECT WITH PEOPLE✓ Connecting with another person, or with yourself, by responding to your body’s signs of stress, triggers calmness. Calming yourself allows you to think clearly and process your difficult circumstances — which will further resolve stress.✓ During Covid 19, you may not be able to go out with friends because of practicing social distancing, but you can FaceTime a loved one or have a meaningful conversation with someone you’re isolating with. Establishing a sense of safety and connection with someone — and making eye contact, even over a Zoom meeting — can cue your body to relax.✓ If there’s no one to socialize with, or if blurry, online interactions just aren’t cutting it, you can visualize someone you trust — even a pet — and imagine feelings of safety and connection.✓ Or you can just hunker down in a relaxing room in your house. These things bring your body back to the present moment, which may feel safer to your nervous system than the potential negative scenarios of the future.

There are many other positive skills that create emotional balance...yoga, listening to music, dance, art, engagement in creative activities, etc. If these are your ways of staying in balance, continue them to maintain your emotional balance and well-being.