Would you like to enhance the joy in your life in 2013? Freely give your time, talent, support and appreciation to the world around you? Me, too. Let’s do some easy things together and encourage each another to amplify our goodness this year.

Amplify your goodness

Your 2013 marketing strategy

This will be the basis of my marketing blog this year. Amplify Your Goodness. You have done great things. You’re on track to do more. You have the ability to influence others to do great things. Let’s celebrate your greatness and find and celebrate it in others. Let’s encourage the authentic goodness in each other. It is the best possible marketing approach, and it’s a fine lifestyle choice as well.

The basic steps to amplify your goodness

Create

First, let’s agree on a basic truth. Life is about creating goodness. Life is about thoughtfully stewarding the resources entrusted to you – family, perhaps; friends; pets; talent; material wealth, in whatever form. Life is about taking advantage of the opportunities to help other people and to do a right thing when given the chance.

Appreciate

Life is about appreciating the goodness that enriches your life – those resources you steward, like the aforementioned family and friends. Music. Nature.  Your own talents and achievements. Whatever you love. Whatever brings wonder, light and joy to you. Whatever adds to life without subtracting from someone else.

Challenges that interfere with amplifying the good

In 2012, we embraced the idea of a zero sum game, which is a flawed concept. It’s based on the belief that there is a fixed set of goods available in the world. So, no one can gain anything unless they take it away from someone else. I eat, you starve. I win, you lose. I’m right, you’re wrong.  A zero sum game ignores the ability to create.

So, because we opted for this zero sum game outlook, we estranged ourselves from each other in 2012. When we expressed our opinions on the presidential election, we willfully polarized ourselves. In our reactions to the shootings in Aurora, Colorado and Newtown, Connecticut, we’ve opted to wrangle about gun control vs second amendment rights. In every aspect of our lives, we’re lining up on definite sides: conservative vs liberal; Democrat vs Republican vs Libertarian vs “a pox on both their houses;” pro-choice vs pro-life; rural vs urban; and on and on.

If we had chosen, instead, to have a positive dialogue, we might have ended up creating something new and good – taking steps toward a better society.  We each have ideals that cross these various party lines. Yet, we insist, in public, that people choose a side, a label, and stick (and be stuck) with it.

Enough.

Agree

Let’s agree that we share common ground. Let’s agree that regaining and extending that common ground is more interesting and infinitely more valuable than encouraging the divisiveness that was so popular in 2012.

Commit

Let’s commit to looking at issues from both sides. Let’s arrive at a balanced truth for our most pressing issues, priorities and concerns. Let’s base these conversations on mutual respect.

Open up

Let’s see sarcasm, cynicism, snark, and disrespect for the copouts they are. They allow us to avoid direct confrontation, the uncomfortable and necessary direct conversations with those with whom we disagree. We can veil our true feelings and obscure any uncertainty we might have. We can, instead, take the easy way out, distancing ourselves from taking any personal responsibility to find common ground.

Find agreement

So, let’s try to find where we agree. We’ll end up, together, in a better place than we would if we each pursued our individual and divisive agenda. Let’s live appreciatively.

You probably remember the old saying, “If you cannot say anything good about something or someone, don’t say anything?” Even that is negative, isn’t it?

Be intentionally positive

So, this year, intentionally try to say and write positive things. Use only positive words to the extent you’re able. That is, see how far you can get using “Yes.” “And.” “Agree.” “Respect.” “Possible.”  “Create.” “Appreciate.” “Grow.”

Post positively

If you post online, post positive feedback.  If you challenge, do so with respect. Acknowledge your friend’s viewpoint, then ask, “Have you thought about…” “Have you read…”

Avoid negativity 🙂

As the last negative, avoid words like, well, “negative” and “avoid.” “Not.” “Can’t.” “Won’t.” “Or.” “Difficult.”

Expand respect

See what kind of respect your opinions eventually engender, as others realize you respect their thoughts. See if you can gain agreement on one topic with one friend with whom you disagree. See if you modify your opinion in that case by opening yourself to understanding the other person’s concerns.

Be aware

Side note – I have a friend who is resolved to live positively in 2012. One of her friends posted on Facebook that her way of living positively was to “reject intolerance.” The conversation deteriorated quickly into a scathing critique of those the posters viewed as intolerant – completely unaware that they, perhaps, were showcasing some mighty fine intolerance themselves.

So, self-awareness is a great help in living positively, as is the ability to recognize group think. So is humility. So, too, is the cheerful willingness to acknowledge you’ll likely make an ass out of yourself on occasion. (Or be sanctimonious, as this essay arguably is.) Mistakes are fine and dandy and expected.

Amplify your goodness in 2013

Being sincere and positive is a courageous and difficult way to live. You will have a valuable and positive impact on life around you. You’ll create good feeling and the world will be a better place, simply because we like and respect each other. We look for the good and create more. We remember that the ties that unite us are stronger than those issues that divide us.

It’s so easy to see the good in everyone, when you look. It’s easy, too, to be the good, eat least every now and then – if that is your intent.

Happy New Year!