Don’t get caught in negativity; pay it forward

Kaity Holtman

Let’s face it, folks — we’ve been absolutely spoiled by the weather this last week.

Actually, we’ve been spoiled by the whole winter. It’s been fairly mild, all things considered. We’ve had decent temperatures and little snowfall. Overall, this winter has been a best-case scenario for northwest Missouri.

I was happy to make the most of a 70-degree Saturday and a week full of above-average temperatures.

And even as we stood outside in the sun, I noticed that people were apprehensive about getting used to such nice weather.

They were sure we were going to be getting snow in March, April — I even heard May. They were glad to have the day, but so many seemed scared to let themselves enjoy it to the fullest.

And I’ll admit, the nice weather even made me think, “Watch, we’ll drive to the hospital in a snowstorm to have this baby in April.”

But if you asked any kids that day, they weren’t thinking about having “consequences” for a beautiful day in February. They were just playing outside, running, laughing — without being bundled in winter coats.

I think being afraid to just “be,” to just appreciate is something we lose as we grow older. We assume that there is always a negative hiding behind every positive, instead of just enjoying the positive while we have it.

Now, I’m not saying in business or life that we don’t need to prepare for the bad when things are good — that is usually just good business practice.

But we as adults assume that everything must be too good to be true. I’ve always had this fear of becoming jaded and negative.

I can see that with time and experience, it can be easier to fall into a trap of negativity than to fight it tooth-and-nail to stay positive. But staying positive is so much more rewarding.

I think it can be hard to toe the line between being a realist and a pessimist.

How do we keep others’ negativity from weighing us down?

How do we stop bad experiences from assuming all similar experiences will be bad?

How do we continue to keep expecting the best from people when we we seem to get let down so often?

Those challenges alone are difficult enough, but we have to keep going.

How do we help others stay positive when everything seems to be going wrong?

How do we be the shining light that gives others hope?

How can we keep from being part of a bad experience that makes someone else become more jaded?

It’s not easy, but it’s worth it. I personally like the Mahatma Gandhi saying “Be the change you wish to see in the world.”

If you want to see more good, let it begin with you.

If you want to see a difference, make a difference.

We show love and kindness through our actions more than through our words. And it becomes a “pay-it-forward” chain reaction.

Pay for someone else’s meal. Send someone a card. Offer a silent smile. Go the extra mile to make someone’s day. Or even simply make sure you’re doing your part.

No matter how you make the change you want to see, make it positive, loving, and genuine.

Start a chain reaction, and pay it forward — today, and every day.