Think positive not personal

I've spent much of the past 3 years focused on the tanking economy, the busted real estate market, lawsuits, foreclosures and unscrupulous individuals. That's what I do as a newspaper reporter. It's my livelihood.
But after all these days and weeks and months of pondering the negatives (which are the reality of the business world, folks), my mind is in a bad warp.
That's why I'm committed to focusing on positive thinking, inspirational people and funny business. Yes, funny business like funny movies and books and people.
My health has taken a hit after spending the majority of my time stressing out about deadlines and job demands, mostly related to the very unpleasant happenings in the business world.
But now I have about six weeks, while I recover from knee replacement surgery, to regain a more balanced perspective. I don't want to waste a single minute.
Last night I pulled out two books written by a Phoenix area author that I purchased months ago but never had time to read.
Steve Chandler is a coach, motivational speaker and author. Yes, he could be described as a self-help guru, but I think he has something unique to bring to a marketplace that has been tainted of late by charlatan James Ray.
In Reinventing Yourself, Chandler challenges the beloved idea that our unique personalties are the end all and be all of who we are. In fact, our "loyalty" to our personalties is often counterproductive.
When we believe that we just don't have an optimistic personality, we are buying into a lie. In fact, Chandler says, personality is an illusion that can be changed at will in a second. Consider how our whole persona changes when we meet a celebrity or are stopped by a cop.
Based on research by Dr. Martin Seligman, Chandler posits that optimism makes us more effective and can be learned.
"People who have figured out how to access and own this optimistic spirit soon become less interested in their personalities than they are in their purpose," Chandler writes.
That alone is worthwhile to contemplate.
Those who still insist on worshipping their own personality ala I've gotta be me , Chandler says, are positioned to reap tremendous misery and confusion throughout their lives. Maybe there's a Lindsay Lohan connection here.
I always thought my personality was the essence of me, but maybe not. Chandler has provided me with a great idea to contemplate. I'm positive there's a jewel of wisdom in this, and I want to master this lesson.