NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020 | TAMPA BAY MAGAZINE 123
People, now it’s up to us.
With the confusion from
the medical and political
scene, it’s time for us to use
our heads and get positive. It’s hard
when you hear negatives to the point
that you think positives have died
a slow death with everything else.
Not so. It’s all in the mind.
I am a great believer in positivity.
I firmly believe that we are what we
think we are. I believe a golf shot will
have a good chance of going where
we see it in our mind. I believe life is good
if you make it good with your attitude and
look forward to new challenges and new
adventures.
This time has been tough on everyone,
but like we have been in the past, Americans
have always been resilient, and there is no
reason to think this country will not be
now. The biggest problem seems to be
those who look around and see what’s
wrong, rather than being thankful for what
is right. In our case, we live in a beautiful
area that enables us to get outside and
enjoy living, while many others elsewhere
don’t have those same options.
In sports, the teams are now hiring
mental coaches to keep the players focused
on positive imagery. For instance, a football
quarterback can just go into a game and
go with the flow, good or bad. But a
smart quarterback envisions the results
of different scenarios in his mind before
the game. When one of those situations
comes up, he’s already been there. He has
seen in his mind just how he wants it to
play out, which gives him the confidence
to make the play happen like he imagined.
It’s pretty much the same for the rest
of us. If we choose to see things in the
negative, then the negative will live on.
But the same applies to the positive. If
you dread getting out of bed because of a
certain situation, it is probably not going
to get better during the day. If you can
look at the problem and see the solution or
challenge in your mind, you can actually
turn things around.
Using imagery is not something that
happens out of the blue. It is something
you have to intentionally practice. Practice
makes perfect with piano lessons, and
it’s the same with imagery. The more you
practice using that movie projector
in your mind, the sharper the picture
and the better the result. You do not
need an instruction book.
Try using imagery. Take five or 10
minutes of meditation time during
your day and just sit and “see” the
problem and the solution. Do the
same thing at night as you are about
to go to sleep. That will firm things
up in your mind, and when you
awaken, you will not have to worry
about getting out of bed because
things are getting better. You “saw” it.
What’s great about this is that we
influence those around us. If we approach
life with a smile and positivity, others see it
and start catching it. They might even ask
you how you do it, and you can tell them
about imagery. It works for you and me,
and it will work for them. Imagine, if you
will, how great this country is and can be.
Do you “see” it? 9
EDITOR’S NOTE: Dick Crippen, a staple
in Tampa Bay broadcasting for more than 40
years, is a senior adviser for the Tampa Bay
Rays, and works extensively with the military.
He is active in the world of charity fundraising
and sits on numerous boards for nonprofit
organizations.
COMMENTARY
LET’S GET POSITIVE
By Dick Crippen
Dick Crippen