There is an inspiring man, who is a very successful businessman, speaker and author, named Skip Ross. He has created a full day seminar he has been delivering for many years, called the Dynamic Living Seminar. Straight away I was interested. I mean is there anyone who truly doesn’t want to live a dynamic life? I know I surely do. I devoured the audio series and listened to it time and time again. One of the things Skip said, that has stuck with me over many years was this; ‘You can choose to be happy or you can choose to be unhappy. It’s always better, it’s always wiser, it’s always smarter to choose to be happy!’
The last week was an amazing week for me. As you may have heard me say, or write about, my determined mission is to create a wave of wellness all around the world. I have been working very hard, with the release of my latest book, The Wellness Puzzle, to get my message out though; radio interviews, book sales and speaking opportunities. So, as a result of this work, in just the last working week, I have done; two radio interviews, two book launches, spoken three times for two companies, and spoken five times in three schools. I have spoken to well over 750 people from Monday to Friday last week. It has definitely been a wonderful week, living on purpose.
On Tuesday, I was arriving at a school to speak to their year 9 students. I had spoken to the year 7’s and 8’s in previous weeks, so I was starting to know the school and some of the students. As I walked to the main office to sign myself in, I walked past a group of students who had obviously been in one of the previous sessions I had presented. As I got closer, I overheard one of the students say something about me. He said to his friends, ‘Hey, there is the positive man.’ As he said it, I smiled, I turned and said hello, and, I kept walking to the reception area.
As I was signing into the school, I was still smiling, and deep down I felt really good. Why? Well, If I am going to be seen in a certain way, and if I’m going to be called anything by a group of teenagers, ‘the positive man’ is better than many of the other ways they could have described me. I like being known as ‘the positive man’. It sure beats the alternative! That comment was gratifying in several ways. Firstly, it was an indication of how I was perceived by a group of people, and, that I was authentic in what I was telling them. Secondly, it was evident that my message was getting through, because it was several weeks after I had presented to this particular group, that the comment was made. Thirdly, it made me feel happy and proud deep inside, because being ‘a positive man’ is something I have been working on for many years, and, I haven’t always acted or been referred to that way. It was recognition that all of my hard work and focus were paying off, and, it was another reinforcement to me that we all need to be recognised on a regular basis.
The benefits of positivity…
I don’t know where you are currently sitting on the positivity spectrum, but I would like to encourage you to work and strive become known as ‘the positive man or woman.’ The moment you can start to swing over to a more positive outlook on your life, and the things that happen in it, is the moment your life will change for the better, forever. I want to share with you just three reasons how being ‘a positive man’ benefits me, and why being ‘a positive person’ will help you in your life.
You will live a longer & healthier life.
I have spoken many times, ad-nauseum to be precise, about the impact our emotional state has on our physical health and wellbeing. When we are happy and more positive, our immune system, DNA and brain capacity improves, and, our body produces hormones that lead to better wellbeing. I have previously mentioned the study that was done on 50 people who lived happily and joyfully beyond 100 years of age. The common thread, to their healthy longevity, was not sensible eating or regular exercise, as many would have expected. Instead, it was; gratitude, positive thinking and forgiveness. Positive people live longer, happier and healthier lives. That’s not a bad place to start!
You will have more friends and impact more lives.
Think about this; who would you rather hang around, happy people or cranky people? Now, think about this; which type of person has a more profoundly positive impact on your life? I’m sure you came to the same conclusion I did. I would much rather hang with positive, happy and encouraging people than those who criticise, complain and make excuses. My mother has been dead for more than 15 years yet she continues to have a positive influence on my life, every single day. Her attitude, as she dealt with a life-threatening disease, inspires me every day. As a result of her positive and solution-minded focus she outlived a two-year death sentence by 15 years. I will forever be impacted by her and my life is better because of her. Can you think of people who have had that same inspirational impact on your life? Would you like to be that person for others? I know I would.
You will overcome challenges and create more in your life.
A positive person has the attitude that; things don’t happen to them, instead, things happen for them. They believe challenges come to help them learn, change and grow. A positive person doesn’t see a problem, instead, he or she sees a gift. Once solved and unwrapped, the gift is there to be enjoyed… the bigger the problem, the greater the gift. My mother was faced with secondary cancer in her liver and a life-expectancy, from the time of diagnosis, of two years. She looked at her problem and decided it would be a gift. She found solutions, she learned valuable lessons, she made significant changes, developed powerful habits, became a happier, healthier person, and, if that wasn’t enough, the gift she received was an additional fifteen years of joy, love, inner peace and travel. I know for a fact that I have overcome more, learned more, persisted more and achieved much more in my life because of the positive outlook I have chosen to nurture.
Honestly, I could list many more benefits of choosing to be ‘a positive man or woman’, but then, you already know them, right? You just need to make the decision that you will start to change the thoughts you create in your own mind. It will be the best decision you will ever make. I will carry the label of being ‘the positive man’ around with me with pride, knowing that as a result of my own positivity, I will live an extra abundant life and have a far more profound impact on the lives of others. I like being known as ‘the positive man’!