Negative Talk!
Let’s play a game. Every time you encounter someone, time how long it takes for them to say something negative. Anything counts; “it sure is cold” or “how about that traffic”. You will be amazed. It is as if we are all preprogrammed to talk about negative stuff. Watch the news on CNN, crazy stuff, war, disasters, violence, fire, political mayhem, and the list goes on. We are inundated with bad news.
Then you go to work and guess what everyone talks about, that’s right all the bad news they saw on the news! Well good morning!
Even in casual conversation we focus on problems, illness, car problems, slow internet, work colleagues, etc. In fact, it is almost taboo to talk about good things that are happening to you. Are you kidding! Life is amazing and exciting and fun. Enjoy, share the good times and embrace your successes! One of my New Year’s resolutions was to refocus on avoiding negative talk. To become aware of it and eliminate it. When others around me become negative to point it out, and/or change the spirit of the conversation to a positive. Sounds good doesn’t it. So I am telling this guy about the idea and the first thing out of his mouth was, “good luck with that”. Ah yes we have some work to do.
Join me in a New Year of focusing on being positive and avoiding the negative. Now to be sure this is not an easy goal. Life constantly throws you a curve ball so you have to stay on your game and constantly be aware.
New Year’s resolutions themselves are tough. Only 1% of people actually make it the entire year and 93% blow it by January 12th! So game on!