Peter Positive. That’s what Peter’s friends call him.
The glass always seems to be half full to Peter. When I talk to him, I believe that he actually looks at the world this way because he exudes his positivity through his words and actions. He doesn’t complain. When I’m feeling down or anxious, I always feel better after I talk to him, as he is able to help remind me of the good things about me and around me.
What I’m also learning from my interactions with Peter is that being a positive is a choice that he makes every day. He has plenty of things in his life that he can complain about (COVID-19 restrictions, gaining weight, etc.), but he makes the choice not to complain. Me, on the other hand, I tend to share my negativity and complain to others when I’m feeling down or anxious.
But, I’m wondering now, is it helpful to share my raw, unfiltered emotions if they impact others in a negative way? Maybe not. Maybe there is a benefit to being brutally honest with myself in terms of how I feel, while at the same time considering how best to interact with others in a way that is helpful for them.
Peter frequently reminds me of Stephen R. Covey’s metaphor that we each carry our own weather. We may not be able to control the weather around us, but we can choose if we show up as sunny or stormy when we interact with others. We can choose to smile or frown when it rains outside or when we feel anxious.
Kindly,
David