Trying to develop a better outlook on life.

It’s been an interesting week. As the semester gets closer to the end, I am eagerly awaiting the chance for a change. I find myself, as I do each year, going back and forth with my eagerness to complete the task at hand and move on, and coming to the realization that it’s going to be another closed chapter in my life.

Earlier this week, I came to a humbling realization. I need to develop a better outlook on life. It’s funny how life changing things can be so simple, and yet, if you haven’t really been in tune with yourself, you can miss the forest for the trees.

The other day, I was in a class that I take on leadership. And we were talking about stressful situations that we all find ourselves in, and how to deal with them. When the topic came around to me, I went on about my job, as I am prone to do, and then went on a rant about various things I don’t like about my job. Whether it’s the people, or the environment, but when I was done, I realized that I went a bit too far, and perhaps needed to stop, and reevaluate my situation before I proceed even further.

I want to have a positive outlook on life. However I fear based on past experiences that I may be quickly devolving into someone who is not at all pleasant to be around because all he does is find reasons to bitch about one thing or another. I find this to be a trait in others I personally cannot stand, and yet, I fear I could be one of those people. (A truly humbling thought)

I am sorry for the tirade in class the other day. I’m sure the other students may not even give it another thought, but I went too far, and didn’t intend what I said. I really love my job. I love working in radio. It’s an interesting job in which we can entertain, inform, and provide all kinds of information to people. Quite a versatile medium, and where I work, being locally owned and operated has provided me with more freedom to work on the craft of radio than you would get in a corporate setting. (Being locally owned and operated is a rare thing these days)

I don’t know if I’ll always work in radio as it’s not a very profitable position (at least where I am now) and that’s just a fact of life. But I do enjoy it, and like working with the people, even if I forget to remember that some days.

Several friends of mine at the University of Findlay are working on a positive message campaign, and what they are doing is promoting the message of Keeping Positive and then passing it on. The idea being that if you are positive, that can rub off on others, and the message spreads, much like ripples on a pond. Is it cliché? Who cares? It’s a good message that needs to be told these days.

I really don’t want to be the guy people avoid because he’s always on about one thing or another in a negative way, so I’m making an effort to curtail some of my attitudes which have developed over the past, and finding a more positive outlook. I would encourage all of you to do the same.

I don’t usually hawk things, but if you read this, please follow @UF_Keepositive on twitter as they could use the feedback, and make an effort to find some positive insight. A beautiful sunrise, a weird squirrel, a letter from a friend, or an interesting story. Tag #keepositive on twitter and share stories on Facebook. 

It can’t hurt. You’d be surprised how something so small can mean so much.