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five ways to stay positive in negativity, by julie fuimano, easy to be positive in a positive environment. it s when things are emotionally draining and negative that you re challenged to behave differently. but you have the opportunity to be the beacon of light for others around you. by your actions and responses, you can demonstrate and teach others how to behave in an appropriate, positive and professional manner., positive energy catches on just as quickly as negative energy. sometimes people are simply stuck in a habit or pattern of behavior and are accustomed to acting a certain way. if the environment is really caustic, then it s what people are used to and may be all they know., it takes some time and effort as well as a commitment to do something differently to create sustainable change. you must be willing to identify and stop tolerating what s not working, do the right thing even if it s initially unpopular and then teach others to do the same., here are five ways you can be a positive force in your workplace ., first step is awareness, recognize the negativity around you. sometimes you can even feel your energy being drained by the words being spoken. if it feels bad or uncomfortable, then it s negative. these feelings are a form of intelligence similar to a tap on the shoulder letting you know something is not right. if you can identify what is happening, you can make good choices about handling it., it all starts with you, in what ways are you contributing to the negativity around you are you listening to gossip or participating in conversations where the only focus is to denigrate, diminish or criticize language matters. everything you say has an impact; saying something negative not only dishonors the person you re speaking about and the person you re speaking with, but it also makes you feel bad even if you don tsp realize it. learn to respect people s humanity and their right to be themselves. complaining without end does not focus on creating solutions; rather, it perpetuates and magnifies the problem, wasting everyone s precious time and energy., speak up, tell the other person how you feel by saying , this doesn tsp work for me. it s nonjudgmental, since you re making it about you, not them. also, people often don tsp realize they are being negative. point it out in a gentle, caring way: do you realize you are complaining just bringing it to their attention can be enough to shift the conversation. over time, people will learn what they can and cannot discuss with you, and it will stop being an issue. if you say nothing, your silence conveys permission to continue., be constructive , positive, meaningful and beneficial, what is the point or purpose of what you re saying is it to hurt or help and at the end of the conversation, is there an action step to take constructive conversations are empowering and leave people a little better off from having participated in them. become the kind of person who takes your time and words seriously., praise and acknowledge, amazing what a few words of praise and acknowledgement can do. you want to be the kind of person people gravitate to because they know they will be uplifted by you, not put down or drained of life-sustaining energy. in short, you want people to feel good after being in your presence., no matter what is going on around you , you control your inner environment and how you choose to respond to external events and situations. it s your responsibility to become the kind of person you enjoy being and with whom others enjoy being around., it takes a true leader to walk a path different from the crowd. so when others are negative, stretch your boldness muscles and be positive in spite of what others do or think. it s the only way to create a ripple of change. and if we all do our part, then slowly but surely, we will make a difference in our work environment and the larger community.

extra virgin olive oil, butter, eggs, ripe green tomatoes (or striped heirloom), italian seasoned breadcrumbs, parmesan-romano cheese mix, grated, fresh coarse ground black pepper, kosher salt (or to your taste , start small)

dry navy beans (or other dried white bean of your choice), rinsed, soaked and simmered anddrained, per package directions, onion, finely diced, bacon, uncooked, and diced, tomato sauce (about 14 oz or so), ketchup, water (add more toward end of cooking if needed), molasses, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, dry mustard, cayenne pepper(to taste..we like a bit of a kick to em, salt and pepper to taste, but start with a tsp, each, then add to taste, cus they re beans...they need

carrots, chopped (i often use the little baby carrots for quickness), green peppers, chopped, celery, chopped, green onion, chopped, green beans (i like french cut frozen or 2 cups fresh , but you could use 2 cans of green ), tomatoes, chopped (i prefer 3 cups of fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped if i have time), vegetable soup mix (optional, can be added toward the end of simmering.. more calories , carbs and sodium and may not be ), beef bouillon (optional... but can use vegetable flavor too), water (or to quantity desired), salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, to taste, oregano, herbs , and spices to your personal taste, red hot sauce (start with only a bit and add to taste!)