A Year of Positive Action: Week Five

Stop complaining! If you catch yourself complaining, STOP! Find a way to reframe your comments and thoughts. Look for solutions. This does take practice so be patient with yourself. Journal your progress for the week. Reward yourself when you go 24 hours without complaining, then repeat this again for the next 24 hours. You'll be amazed how good you feel...and yes this is contagious! 

Engage a partner, friend or coworker. Work together to raise awareness of complaining and reframe negatives into positives! It is amazing how this simple exercise can transform an individual, a relationship, a classroom, a workplace.

“Don’t find fault, find a remedy; anybody can complain.” 
~ Henry Ford

A Year of Positive Action is shared with permission by www.positivitynation.com ... one of my favorite websites to support positivity in our lives!

I recently did a series of trainings with teachers and students during which I used kinesiology to demonstrate the impact of positive and negative thoughts on an individual's personal energy. I also presented a couple of techniques that help provide protection from the negative energetic influences in our environment.

Despite a few skeptics who come out when I do presentations like this, the response was great! However some feedback I've gotten over the past couple of days has been even more wonderful!

One boy, an eighth grader, thanked me for showing him the power of energy and for explaining how negativity might show up in our lives. He also thanked me for teaching him how to protect himself.

I asked if he was willing to share more specifics about how it had helped him.

He explained that he lives in a pretty challenging family environment. His Dad drinks alot. He doesn't get along with his Dad at all and is frustrated with his Mom for the situation. Almost every night there is conflict. The boy explained that now, when the conflict begins and sometimes before he walks into his house, he protects himself using one of the techniques I demonstrated. He has noticed is that he no longer reacts to his Dad. The situation hasn't changed, but his reaction to it has. No more sarcasm. No more arguing. And no moregrounding or punishment. He now spends more time relaxing in his own space with his music and connecting with friends over technology. He knows he can't change his Dad although he would like to, but  he is learning small ways he can change himself.

The second story comes from a sixth grade teacher who experienced the training. He decided to present the demonstration to his class to set the tone of positivity for the new semester. I ran into him on a chairlift at a local mountain. He told me that the activity has transformed his classroom. Students are holding each other accountable for negative comments telling offenders that they only want good energy in their classroom! They are helping each other reframe negatives into positives and helping each other turn complaining into finding solutions!

Yesterday, I presented a similar training to a group of health care professionals. We talked alot about the power of negativity on health and wellness. The science behind this is exciting and I predict it will have huge impact on the way we deliver health care in the next five years.

In the meantime, trust me with this ...

Thoughts become things ... so think the good ones!
~Mike Dooley, www.tut.com