Promoting Positive Psychology

Imagine being unhappy with our personal and team positivity. What concrete actions can we adopt?

• Group reading, “The Positive Dog”
• Caught in the Act - BOLO (be on the lookout for positive actions)
• Assignment - call on a player
• Stories of positivity 
• Gratitude challenge (write out three nightly examples for 21 days)
• Video plays of the week

How positivity helps us? Positivity boosts confidence and raises energy.

How negativity defeats us? Negative attitude tends to reinforce doubt and drain energy.

Use AI to complement your 'volleyball brain'. 

Prompt: We cannot craft a positive life with a negative attitude. Please suggest five ways to dial up the positivity scale on a sports scoreboard, there are more reasons to stay positive.

From Claude.ai

Here are five effective ways to boost positivity on a sports team:

**Create celebration rituals for small wins.** Develop team traditions that acknowledge effort and improvement, not just victories. This could be special handshakes after good plays, highlighting a “hustle player” each practice, or sharing three positive moments from each game during team meetings. When players feel their contributions are noticed and valued, it builds momentum and confidence. A.k.a. "celebrate small wins." 

**Implement peer recognition systems.** Give teammates structured opportunities to acknowledge each other’s efforts. Whether it’s a weekly “teammate spotlight” where players nominate others for specific positive behaviors, or simple shout-outs during huddles, peer recognition carries tremendous weight. Players often value praise from teammates even more than from coaches. Be creative as a team. 

**Focus communication on solutions, not problems.** Train the team to reframe negative situations into learning opportunities. Instead of dwelling on mistakes, encourage language like “next time we can…” or “what if we tried…” This mental shift helps players stay forward-focused and maintains confidence even during challenging moments. Become a problem solver.

**Establish team goals beyond winning.** Set collective objectives around improvement, effort, and team chemistry that everyone can contribute to regardless of skill level. These might include defensive communication standards, supporting bench players, or community service projects. When success isn’t solely defined by the scoreboard, there are more reasons to stay positive. Communication is a force multiplier. 

**Model enthusiasm from leadership.** Coaches and team captains set the emotional tone. Demonstrating genuine excitement about practice, maintaining composure during setbacks, and consistently expressing belief in the team’s potential creates a culture where positivity feels authentic rather than forced. Energy is contagious, and it starts from the top.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ "Make every day your masterpiece."