I remember being around 12 years old and having a particularly unpleasant day.
Nothing was good enough, I was hard on myself and others and just genuinely unpleasant to be around. I remember my Dad taking me aside and sharing with me a seemingly simple concept that had a profound and permanent effect on my life.
The effect was so strong that many people still tell me today that I’m one of the most positive and energetic people they know.
So what was my Dad’s advice? He told me that when I enter a room I could either make it brighter or darker.
Every time I entered a room, met someone new, or ran into an old friend, I could choose to positively impact the situation with a smile, a kind word, and a positive outlook, or I could poison the room with negativity and leave everyone feeling worse than before.
The question was, did I want to be known as a bringer of joy, or a bringer of misery? I was either able to make the room a better place to be, or make it worse.
The choice was mine.
Ever since that day I’ve always done my best to bring light, and not darkness into my interactions with others. Sure we all have rough days and circumstances that leave us feeling a little less bright than we would like, but we never want to be the negative person that walks into a room and makes everyone scatter. We all know that person and they’re not a lot of fun to be around.
This isn’t a case of optimism vs pessimism, but rather making a conscious and concentrated effort to be a source of positivity rather than negativity. We each have to make that choice, and we have to make it often until it becomes a habit.
With a conscious attitude of positivity and the intention to improve and increase the energy level of any room you’re in, you’ll find it brings with it a rapid increase in both business and personal opportunities.
The benefits far outweigh the effort, and it can be as easy as smiling and not complaining. People are naturally drawn to positive people and enjoy being around them. The opposite is true of negative people, complainers, whiners, who we all try to avoid.
Choosing to bring light with you instead of darkness costs nothing, and can provide massive returns personally, professionally, and financially.
This one small piece of advice has brought me countless opportunities and experiences and I’m sure it will do the same for you.
