30 Day Challenge: Positive Thinking

[simplystephen]

Life got a hold of me for a while and I haven't been very active on the web or this site but I'm back. After contemplating some financial, health issues and a variety of personal life choices I have felt there was no better time than to kick of April with a bang.

I've been retooling my green ravine blog and web activities, taking an online course in simplifying, working with new clients and new challenges. Life really can be great...but I felt I needed some changes so I decided that the inaugural post for my newly converted blog would coincide with my life changes and have been ramping up for an April Challenge.

But I don't just want to change myself, I want to see if we can all make a difference so....I'm challenging each of you to stop complaining for THIRTY DAYS. I figure if we can do this then we can change our lives to be positive in a world filled with such negativity. I am also challenging each of you to pay this forward to everyone you know. I hope the result is a positive one but feel free to leave your comments on my blog or here at this forum to share the results with everyone.

30 Days - No Complaints - One Day At A Time!!!

[Joely]

I'm way ahead of you there - I'm doing something almost exactly the same this month

Great minds...

[maxdof]

I personnaly never complain.
This is a direct consequence of my investment to masterize the first habit of the Seven Habit of Highly Effective People, which is Be Proactive.
When you achieve to be definitly and totally proactive by the definition of the book, you cannot complain anymore.
Every mystake is nothing but an opportunity to learn, every conflict is an opportunity to find a win-win agreement, anything - everything - a 'reactive' person would complain of becomes an opportunity to grow proactivly.

[kthdsn]

This is just what I need to do, thanks!

[maxdof]

I am glad to help in any way, consider to google Seven Habit of Highly Effective People to know more. It has been two years I was aware of it, I bought the book only a few months ago and now every day is an interesting challenge (and this is only the beginning )
This book has 10 years old, Steven Covey wrote another book a few years ago, the 8th habit, to challenge the always changing world we are facing, while the latter is not absolutly needed (because The Seven Habits is a whole system, and the seven habit + the 8th is a whole system too), I know I want to buy it too because it will help me grow through even more ways.

[simplystephen]

Joely...excellent, it sounds like you are on a really interesting and enlightening path.

Max...complaining is something that is all around us and a hard habit to break. It has been a long time since I read Covey, the book must be 20 years old because I read it when I was working at GE and that was 19 years ago. You certainly get to the crux of it...my life has certainly been reactive, looking for the win-win would certainly resolve that. Easier said than done at times but I am putting the effort out once and for all. It's time to make positive my middle name.

Thanks.

[maxdof]

Dear simplystephen,

or the greatest stephen?

Being positive and thinking positive is I think a consequence of being proactive. Or being realistic but knowing always, whatever happens, how to deal with it, and therefore, become positive.

I first read the book a few years ago, listened to the audio book etc... I loved it but wasn't really advancing, even if recognizing that I need to change, evoluate, was already a big step.
I realized that I naturally (from my life, my education, etc etc) had a little of the Public Victory habits (4,5,6), and I was happy for that, and unconsciencly thinking it was enough.

I wasn't proactive enough, I was appearing proactive, but now I know I was reactive. I decided a few month ago to work from scratch and read again and again, understand, appply, and be the 1 habit: proactive.

Then I realized that the first habit, Be Proactive, is not the first by hazard:
- it requires self-awareness, which "enables us to stand apart and examine even the way we "see" ourselves - our self-paradigm, the most fundamental paradigm of effectiveness" p67
- and to train to be proactive, live "the power to make and keep commitments to ourselves", it "is the essence of developping the basic habits of effectiveness" p92

Which means it is the most important, the one that should never fail, the one habit that should be the fuel to our lives, and that will gives power to masterize one by one all habits.

I am saying that because you certainly need to work on the habit win-win, if you feel so, but I would advice you to be sure to have a very powerful 1st habit, masterize it.

Cheers,

Max

[TDRock]

Hmmm.... I think I'll go re-read that one. I'm dealing with some situations right now in a less-than-optimal way. That might just be the mental re-jog I need. Thanks.

[simplystephen]

Thanks Max,

The idea was simply put out there as a starting point to "put away all negative thoughts", something simple, baby steps one day at a time. Many people have a hard time focusing, perhaps because they are reactive, constantly putting out fires.

Looking for a win-win is a great way to achieve this and a method of putting a constant effort into something makes it become an intricate part of your life. This smaller step is my first stage of "redemption" to a life of peace, happiness and fulfillment. You sound like you are well on your way to many great changes - something most of us avoid. I am too. I wish you success in your journey.

One of my life purposes is to share my ideas and experience with other people to help them find a greater piece of themselves and avoid any suffering they may inflict on themselves or others. Hopefully, I will inspire some people to take the challenge.

peace

Simply Stephen

[simplystephen]

Hey TDRock,

Good for you. Whatever you choose, ask questions and may it bring you to the optimal place you seek.

Simply Stephen