Would you describe yourself as developing or having a positive attitude…a negative attitude…or a neutral attitude? You and I can’t afford the high cost of negative thinking or negative talking, the kind of negativity that taxes and zaps your energy, focus and achievement drive. “Contrarians” listen to negative-news talk stations…”merryians” tune in the positive-attitude talk stations even though doing so takes more work. Are you a negative talker or person who says “no” to life? A positive gal or guy who just says “yes” to life?
PASS UP THE EXPENSIVE LUXURY OF A NEGATIVE THOUGHT
In life you get to choose: “Do I prefer to take the easy road of a negative attitude or the high road of a positive one?” One is not better than the other; just different with different results. Typically, a person using positive psychology principles feels both more happy and sad, more optimistic and pessimistic, more hopeful and hopeless, more depressed and upbeat. In fact, with a positive attitude, more of EVERYTHING is felt and experienced afresh in life.
WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONADES–BE GLAD YOU DON’T SUCK
Quite literally, a positive person sees everything more vividly and in bright colors instead of in grays or stark black-and-white hues.
Why not dare to care? These are Dr. Dennis O’Grady’s “10 Ways to Walk the Talk of a Positive Person:”
- Dare to care
- Refuse to swim in a pool of pity
- Sing positive songs in your mind
- Walk away from gossipers
- Play “the angel’s advocate”
- Look through the fog of mistakes to the miracles
- Talk positively about personal travails
- Pass up the expensive luxury of a negative thought
- When life hands you lemonades–be glad you don’t suck
- Don’t hide under the couch when fear comes knockin’
PLAY THE ANGEL’S ADVOCATE
Well, I wrote in a previous article that singer-songwriter Willie Nelson is “a merryian or merry man”…“an optimist”…“a positive person”…”a cowboy with a positive attitude.” Although I may not personally know you, I suspect you’re not always a cheery camper, either. In fact, you may feel frustrated that you can “see the solutions to problems a mile off” but not be able to make them stick. Now, you don’t have to do something 100% perfect to do something well, do you?
LOOK THROUGH THE FOG OF MISTAKES TO THE MIRACLES
Optimist groups meet around the country to try and instill positive attitudes in people who can’t afford the expense of a negative thought. According to The Optimists Creed, that means you and I would try positively:
“To be so strong nothing can disturb your peace of mind.”
“To make all your friends feel that there is something in them.”
“To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater achievements of the future.”
“To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble.”
“To give so much time to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticize others.”
“To think only of the best, to work only for the best and to expect only the best.”
REFUSE TO SWIM IN A POOL OF PITY
Are you an optimist or a pessimist? Do you work to have a positive attitude or a negative attitude? Are you a merryian or a contrarian? Do you “dare to care” or are you too scared to “dare to care?!” You get to choose what to do at this change crossroads: Do you prefer to take the easy road of a negative attitude or the high road of a positive one?
Dr. Dennis O’Grady is the founder of New Insights Communication, an executive coaching and “Leadership Talks” communications firm in Dayton, Ohio. He holds a B.A. degree from Michigan State University, an M.A. degree in Behavioral Counseling from Michigan State University, and the Doctorate of Psychology degree from Wright State University. His communication handbook, TALK TO ME, answers the question “Why can’t we all just get along?” Dennis believes that four minutes a day is all that’s required to keep your attitude positive even when life sucks pears. Can you spare the time, brother? You can NOT afford the expensive luxury of negative thinking that drains your life energy.