I was brought up on the principle my mother instilled in me, “If you can’t say anything nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all.”
This counsel grew into the first principle of my life’s practices: positivity—described in my book as the first principle to reduce stress.
In building relationships, negativism is the biggest enemy. You don’t want it in your mind. You don’t want it in your house. You don’t want it in your environment. You don’t want negativism for those who may work for you, your friends, or your associates. You don’t want anything to do with it. When you see it, either turn around and run the other way, or ask the person how the idea can be stated in a more constructive manner.
