I Am Positive Day, January 22, 2016 I Am Positive Since I was 22 years old, I have been in and out of doctors offices due to a medical condition that caused me to develop blockage in my arteries. I had stents put in, rotor rooters done and more scopes than I will mention over the course of two decades. As a commercial pilot, I had to pass flight physicals indicating that I was healthy enough to fly airplanes and helicopters and since I loved flying, I chose to go through the protocols until I had enough. In May, 2006, (years after moving on from being a pilot) I went for my daily early morning run. During my run I experienced symptoms I had not experienced before; cold sweat, shortness of breath and chest pains. I knew it was time to check myself into the emergency room. Once there, the doctor performed a scope on me and after about 10 minutes of exploring the chambers of my heart, he looked at me and said we need to go to surgery and we need to go now. I laid there wondering if I would ever see my boys again, or if this was the end. I thought of a speech that I have given hundreds of times about living life full out. I realized in that moment that if this was it for me, that I had lived my life full out up until now. There was an incredible calm that came over me in that moment as I looked at him and said let s do it. I knew as they prepped me for surgery and a few of my team members arrived, this was another incredible opportunity to practice what I had been preaching for many years. I remained calm and positive as I gave them instructions on who needed to be called and how to take care of
scheduled events I clearly would not be attending. My team members began encouraging each other to stay positive. When we are dealing with a perceived negative circumstance or have a setback, we sometimes receive coaching from others to stay positive in what appears to be a tough situation. It is difficult to focus on or see positive when positive appears to be nothing more than wishful thinking. The greater the circumstance, the more the advice to focus on the positive seems unrealistic. I want you to know that every time unrealistic shows up for you, the only thing you have identified for yourself in that moment is your capacity to believe beyond what you know or what you see. I chose to be positive in the midst of a very tough situation and some thought I was being unrealistic. Once again, I had an opportunity to authenticate the benefits of choosing positive over negative. When I woke up from the surgery, I learned that they had performed a quintuple bypass on my heart. I was amazed because I had never heard of such a thing. Because I chose to remain positive and I surrounded myself with positive people, my recovery was smooth and quick. Eight months after quintuple bypass surgery, I ran the Houston Marathon. At the end of the 26.2 miles, my four sons were there to celebrate with me. Focus on the positive is sound advice, because whatever you focus on will expand for you. It is important to be aware that positive and negative are both available in every given moment. I realize that you may not believe that based on what you are going through right now, however, every time we make an assessment of positive or negative we are comparing what happened to our expectations. If things turn out
the way we wanted them to, we assess that as positive. If things do not turn out the way we wanted it to, we make an assessment that it is negative. Positive and negative are always a comparison to each other, which means they both always exist in every situation. As we experience life every day, we make assessments of positive or negative based on our belief system. Our belief system has shaped the lens we are viewing our experiences through. Our belief system, and consequently our lens, has been shaped and developed based on what we learned from other humans and our life experiences. Be aware that everything that you were taught and experienced had a positive and a negative component. NO MATTER what has happened in your life, positive and negative were both present in the moment you made your assessment of it through your lens. Every time you have made a negative assessment of something the energy and actions that followed were likely negative, which means the negative assessment likely never benefitted you and it likely did not produce a positive return. It is very important to be aware that pessimism is bad for your health. Negativity is toxic. There are several published studies that prove that optimistic, positive people are psychologically and physically healthier than pessimists. I am convinced there is a next level of positivity for you, no matter how positive or negative you have been up until now. I also believe that it is possible to re-shape your lens to be able to see the positive more often than you do today. This process is referred to as neuroplasticity or rewiring your brain.
All of the behaviors we demonstrate are the result of repetition. Your behaviors are not hard-wired to you; you have developed them by practicing them over and over again. It is possible to purposefully create new behaviors and reshape your lens to create more positivity in every area of your life. It will start with the affirmation, I am Positive. I have learned that two of the most powerful words are I am. I am has no past and it has no future, it is an in the moment declaration. Here are 5 steps you can take today to create a more positive you: 1. Develop a positive relationship with yourself. Listen to your selftalk. Catch yourself doing things right. Affirm positive things about yourself. 2. Focus more on what you want, rather than what you don t want. Frame your conversations in a positive, forward moving direction that identifies where you are going. Run to GAIN and not from PAIN. 3. Write down 5 things that you are grateful for in your life personally and professionally. (Example: I am grateful for a supportive wife, I am grateful for my four sons, I am grateful for Mondays) 4. Read something positive first thing every morning. 5. Affirm out loud at least 5 times throughout the day that you are positive (actually say, I am Positive ) and deliberately smile each time after you say it. This may seem silly to you, however, be aware that the only way you will become more positive is by talking yourself into it.
Making the choice to be more positive will allow you to be happier with yourself and the world around you. Being more positive will allow you to feel more fulfilled and healthier. I believe that one of the greatest gifts we all have is the gift of choice. Choose to be more positive today. Mike Jones, President Discover Leadership Training www.discoverleadership.com 713.807.9902