by Eddy Parham, SPHR OD Guy

A friend of mine recently posted to her Facebook status this quote by someone named Ann Bradford, “Tell the negative committee that meets inside your head to sit down and shut up.” Now I don’t know Ann Bradford (a Google search resulted in a plethora of Ann Bradfords) but I do like the way she thinks. It is easy to forget that regardless of the challenges faced there is always someone who is facing even tougher challenges.

I remember running an annual 8k race with my son in the late 1990s. My son was young and just starting to run distance races. In the last few kilometers he experienced a cramp and began to complain – endlessly. Just then we heard a clicking sound coming up from behind. As the sound got closer my son and I turned to see what was making the noise. Much to our surprise was a double amputee running the race using specially developed prosthetics. Not only was this guy running the race, he was passing us and we had been holding a pretty good pace. All of a sudden my son stopped complaining and I saw a great resolve come over him to not only finish the race but to finish strong.

What I have found is that while I may not always control the challenges with which I am confronted, I do control how I react to those challenges. I can choose to be negative and complain about them or be positive and do something about them. A negative attitude will only serve to create a downward spiral for not only me but also for those around me. The opposite is also true – if I am positive and surround myself with positive people then the challenges I face never seem quite so bad.

Something else that I have found is this – attitude is not based on things such as socioeconomic status, intelligence, or standing within an organization. I know people who dropped out of high school, aren’t financially set, or are in entry level positions who are some of the most positive people around. Likewise I know plenty of “C” level types who seem to constantly complain. A negative attitude serves no purpose. It wastes time and quite often resources.

So here’s my challenge to you: for the next week erase the negativity from your thoughts. To help with the challenge, here are a few suggestions:
•       Make a plan for dealing with the negativity that is bound to come into your life. Do you need to leave the water cooler complaint department and surround yourself with more positive people?
•       Read inspirational quotes, devotions, anecdotal stories, et cetera on a daily basis. Post some around your desk. Commit them to memory.
•       Notice your own thoughts – think about what you are thinking about. If those thoughts are negative change your thought process.
•       Volunteer – I found that some of the greatest satisfaction in my personal life has come from helping others. This simple act tends to put life back into perspective for me.

If you can erase the negativity for a week, you can erase it for a lifetime. But you must be vigilant because the negative committee is a standing committee that meets regularly. My hope is that you will decline the meeting invitation.