Too Much Negativity

I am going on vacation soon and have been watching the weather for my destination. Today it said "20% chance of rain". That struck me as odd--that it also means there's an 80% chance of 'not raining', right? So why the emphasis on the less probable and more negative possibility? Sure, it tells me I may need an umbrella but it fails to tell me I might also need sunscreen. (Yes--I am going where the sun does shine this time of year.)

It's also the beginning of baseball's Spring training. As I've watched the news and reports on players I've been awe struck by reports of some player who hit .325 last year being ridiculed for having a bad season compared to his prior. Whoa...there are players with lifetime batting averages way less than .300 that make millions per year. So why the focus on this guy's 'bad' year?

And staying on the baseball theme...why is Bill Buckner remembered for one error vs. his hall of fame caliber career?

Why is the goalie of the recent USA hockey team remembered for allowing one goal in overtime vs. the fact the rest of his teammates failed to score enough to avoid overtime?

You get the picture.

We're an inherently negative nation--we love a good failure story. We love it when stars are found out, say something wrong, athletes choke, on and on. But we quickly forget the successes--how athletes got to where they are, the hard work actors put in to become celebrities, the 'climbing-the-ladder' histories. Instead, we prefer to zone in on the bad.

Take work for instance. We've all experienced it...show up for work, on time, 364 days a year (no one says anything) and the one day you're late, OMG, the chatter, the complaints. Look at your performance reviews. Do they list 500 great things you've accomplished or focus on the few flaws?

My dad always said, "If you look, for people's weaknesses you'll quickly find them. So why look?" He urged me to look at the good in people and accept the flaws. I admit I am rarely as good at it as I'd like but these days I am committed to seeing the world from a more positive perspective. I am focusing on the good in my fellow man. And guess what? I am finding it in droves...

Wow. I feel better just recognizing all the good. Today's Chicago weather of 'partly cloudy' is really pretty nice!

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