This past week I met with a close friend for lunch at one of my favorite restaurants. Our conversation involved a lot of catching up, but toward the end of the conversation he looked at me and said;
“One of the reasons I wanted to meet with you is because of your positive attitude. I have recently realized that I have some very negative people in my life and I plan to avoid those people and surround myself with positive people.”
I consider this a major compliment! However, I’m not always positive, and I know life isn’t always sunshine and rainbows. Last year about this same time, I found myself in a spiral of negativity. I won’t go into all the details, but I was convinced there was going to be a major economic collapse last September. I found myself obsessively reading books and watching youtube videos that reinforced this thought and I continued the descent. When nothing happened, I snapped out of my stupor and began to focus on something positive. Now, I’m not suggesting that one should live oblivious to current events and believe everything the media tells you. In fact I believe it is wise to prepare for the worst then live every day life like nothing is wrong.
“Work as if you were to live a hundred years. Pray as if you were to die tomorrow.” Benjamin Franklin
You may not be able to eliminate the negative people in your life because they are family, but I suggest you find ways to spend the majority of your time with positive people and feed your mind positive messages. During orientation with new team members, I talk about what I call the “x-factor.” I tell them to pretend for just a moment that they have a twin and that this twin is identical in almost every single way. They look the same and they have the same IQ. However, there is one difference; there is a glass sitting on the table and one says it is “half empty” and the other says it is “half full.” I then ask them what’s the difference? Is this just semantics? No, the difference is that one has a positive outlook and the other a negative outlook. I then ask, who do you think I’m going to place my bet on that they will be successful in life. It’s obviously the positive one. I truly believe it is the “x-factor,” the difference maker…when everything else is equal, it is what leads to success.
I challenge you to ask those closest to you whether you are positive or negative. Regardless of their answer, find ways to surround yourself with positive people, eliminate negative influences and fill your mind with positive thoughts. Maybe you could start by making a list of all the things you are thankful for in your life.
Thankful for you and the positive influence you are in our lives ❤️❤️