A few years back I was in Vegas—and as they say, when in Rome…
So I was gambling—craps, to be precise. The first table I played was not working out—for anyone there. Everybody was losing. The more we lost, the more miserable we became. The more miserable we became, the more we lost. It was a vicious 
cycle of negativity and defeat. Then something caught my attention from a few craps tables down: people jumping up and down, high-fiving and hugging. Naturally, I moved tables.
As soon as I moved to the other table, I felt it: positive energy; it was contagious, down to the dice. Unlike the negative cycle from which I’d just extracted myself, this one was just the opposite. Something about the vibrant energy being given off at that table resulted in good fortune.
While some may find it hard to buy into the notion, I believe it to be true: the energy you put out there is the energy you receive.
I’ve noticed this to be the case in my life. When I go into situations with a positive approach, positivity follows. When I approach something with a more negative mindset—you guessed it—negativity follows. I’ve noticed this phenomenon too many times in many of my own circumstances for it to be anything but legit. Try a simple experiment: smile at someone and see what happens. I will venture to guess they smile back.
The energy you give off is a product of your attitude. A positive attitude can make things happen, while a negative attitude will steer the ship in the wrong direction. But here’s the challenge: we may be hard-wired to go to that negative place. It’s our brain’s natural physiological reaction to the fight or flight response; it’s a preservation/protective tactic. So, I guess that means we’re doomed, right?
Wrong.
Fortunately, the human brain can be trained to adopt more positive thought patterns. “Fake it until you make it,” plays well here. If you can fake it until you believe it, whatever it is will eventually become true in your mind.
How do you fake it? Posing like Superman is a good place to start. Stand in front of a mirror, feet a little more than shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips—like Superman. Take a deep breath in and imagine yourself in a cape. (Bear with me). Take a few more deep breaths—in and out—then smile, and notice. How can you be negative after that visual? You are Superman; you can conquer whatever the world throws at you!
Hokey? Maybe. But I’ve tried it, and it works. (This, from a former skeptic.)
For the most part, I am a pretty positive person, but I’m also human. Every so often things go sideways—and when they do, I find this small hack helps me get past it.
As I mentioned a few months back, 2018 started out on a rough note for me personally. Business-wise, we were firing on all cylinders—but on the personal front, I found that I oftentimes needed a boost. When I find myself in this place of negativity, as I did during that time period, I turn to meditation, a brisk walk or even a picture of my smiling niece or nephew. Other times, I reach for a good cigar which, truth be told, is my primary go-to for relaxation. That’s what works for me.
As we approach the weekend, I encourage you to find what works for you. What does it take to change your own mindset so that you’re giving off that positive energy that will help you course-correct?
If the energy we give off is the energy we get back, shouldn’t we all try to be positive as much as possible? That’s certainly my goal.
“In order to carry a positive action we must develop here a positive vision.” — Dalai Lama
Have a great weekend filled with positivity!
Vijay