Seek Out the Positive

An old saying tells us: “If you can’t say anything nice about a person, then don’t say anything at all.”

That’s great advice, not only for your communications with others, but also with yourself. In other words, if you can’t say (or think) something nice about yourself, then don’t say (or think) anything at all … unless you can exert the discipline to turn it around to positive self-talk.

The practice of positivity—with others and yourself—is so important that it’s the first practice of the Discipline Without Stress model. The opposite, of course, is negativity. In building relationships with children and adults, negativity is the biggest enemy.

Don’t allow negative ideas that pop into your mind to direct your thoughts. Have the discipline to dismiss them or, even better, turn them around into positive comments. Also, don’t allow negativism for those who may work for you, your friends, or your associates. Don’t have anything to do with it. When you see or hear it, turn it and leave it be—or ask yourself, “How can I turn that negative thought around so that it will not affect me in a negative way?”

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