HAPPY NEW POSITIVE YEAR!

My New Year’s resolution is to always remain positive. Last year, after digesting some phenomenal motivational and inspirational tools like The Secret, I felt as though I was going back to the way I’ve always thought.

The minute I resumed thinking this way, I not only got to see the miraculous positive results but the people being introduced into my life were also very positive and strong willed individuals. I’m currently putting together a comedy tour with one of them. He’s the epitome of positive thinking.

There’s been some progress with both my movie projects however it can be very frustrating playing the waiting game. Harold Ramis said that a lot of actors become waiters because this is mostly what they’ll be doing between projects and even on the set. It’s certainly been the case with me. Nevertheless, I’m convinced that the difference between success and failure is perseverance.

There’s so much negativity around us that sometimes it can be a little difficult to ignore. To help me with this, I’ve now chosen to discard many news stories on my homepage and I really don’t even bother reading newspapers anymore. Yes, it’s important to be informed but I think there’s a tendency to be inundated with all this dire news. Moderation is the key.

Unfortunately, the terrible news constantly garners the most attention. All you have to do is think of this: there are more wonderful people on the planet than there are evil people. As I write this, children are being born into families bringing great joy, Lord knows how many people were just told, “Yes we can do that for you!” Somewhere, a fireman has just saved a life. Somewhere else, a surgeon has just saved a life. A wonderful man just asked a phenomenal woman to be his wife… somebody with cancer, like my friend’s mother, just went into remission for the fourth time…you get the picture. It’s a shame the media doesn’t cover these kinds of stories.

One of my favorite motivational speakers and teachers is Jack Canfield. Are you reading this Jack? Let me take this opportunity to thank you for encouraging me to reach my goals day-to-day. I’m looking forward to the day I actually meet you. It’ll probably be at a movie premiere. Do you like romantic comedies?

Speaking of which, one of my favorite suggestions is the idea of a vision board. This exercise involves putting up pictures of all the things you desire. I put up a picture of a movie premiere and last year I ended up at a couple of them. Perhaps next time, I should superimpose or Photoshop a picture of me in there. ;-).

When you think about it, we used to do that when we were kids. It came instinctively. In our teen years we surround ourselves with pictures of all our heroes. My room had Bruce Lee, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rocky and Al Pacino plastered all over the place. Isn’t it sad how when we get older we take those pictures down because we think we have to grow up? I say leave them up!

Interestingly enough, whenever I look at all these motivational speakers of today, I realize that there were plenty of motivational speakers of yesterday. Jesus for example. No, I’m not going to get all religious on you. You have to admit that whether you believe in Jesus or not, his philosophy is unparalleled. “If you believe that you can move this mountain and cast it into the sea and not doubt in your heart you shall have whatever you say. Believe that you will receive whatever you desire when you pray and ye shall have them.” Tony Robbins is getting some of his stuff right out of JC’s book.

Whatever it is that you hope for this year, believe that you’ll get it and you probably will. Of course, just saying it is not going to bring it to you. You have to do the work. I guarantee you though that when you have a positive attitude the work certainly doesn’t feel like its work.

Stay positive, have an attitude of gratitude and watch all these wonderful things start entering your life. J