Tools to help you stay more positive after Thanksgiving week

During this week of Thanksgiving, I think of a motor-coach driver I know named Gary Bays.

As you can see by the picture, he is a character. Very professional and a heckuva driver for many years, Gary has always been positive and he looks for the fun in life. One time when the charter he was driving was in New Orleans on St. Patrick’s Day, he bought the beard and Irish hat above! His customers loved it. He has always been upbeat and ‘shiny.’ At one point I went up to him and had this short conversation:

Charlie: “Gary, you are always positive. What is your approach there?”

Gary: “I just have an attitude of gratitude.”

There it is. I could write 322 newsletters, but if you want to cut to the chase about staying as positive as possible in this stress-filled world, then listen to Gary. If you have an attitude of gratitude each day you have a tremendous foundation for your positive attitude.

There were two farmers. One was very positive while the other was all negative. When it came time for the crops to grow the negative farmer moaned about how they wouldn’t get enough sun. The positive farmer reassured him that things would be okay. Sure enough, there was plenty of sun. Then that ol’ negative farmer grumbled about how there wouldn’t be enough rain or too much rain. Again, the positive farmer talked about good outcomes and the rain was fine. After awhile that positive farmer decided he needed to do something for his crotchety friend so he took him out duck hunting. They were out on the lake in the positive farmer’s boat where they got a few ducks. The positive farmer smiled as he couldn’t wait for what was next! “Watch this,” he said to the negative farmer. “This is my new Labrador Retriever!” He then sent the dog off the side of the boat to get the ducks. The dog ran ON TOP of the water out and back! It was amazing. The positive farmer turned to the negative one excited for what had to be an upbeat response….

“Just like I thought,” the negative farmer said with a surly look on his face. “Your dog can’t swim….”

Now that’sa negative fellow! Hey, it is all about how we look at every situation in life, including challenges. There was a little boy who loved baseball. He had a dream of being a great hitter in the Major Leagues. He went out behind his house one day with a bat and a ball and he tossed that ball up in front of himself with intentions of hitting it far! “I am the best hitter in baseball,” he said as he took a mighty swing at the ball as it came back down. “Whoosh!” He missed the ball. Still optimistic, he picked it up and did it again. “I am the greatest batter there ever was!” he said as he swung so hard he lifted off the ground. “Whoosh!” He missed it again. This went on and on with him missing fifteen times.

On the fifteenth miss and for every one after that he said, “I’m the greatest PITCHER of all time!”

This youngster started out thinking hitting was his gift. It sounds like throwing the ball was his future. He looked at things differently. What is something in your life you could look at from a different perspective?

– Charlie Adams is an inspirational speaker and author.