WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. -- We've all heard the expression, "it's all about attitude", and that attitude begins with each individual. What kind of a person are you? Are you a positive person? Are you mostly happy? Are you pretty optimistic? If I asked someone who knew you, will they tell me about you, what would they say? Would they say, "he or she is mostly a positive person?" or would they say something entirely different?

One thing we can be sure of -life is more interesting for those individuals who have a positive and optimistic outlook. Dale Carneige said, "Most of the troubles of humanity are imaginary and should be laughed out of court. It is folly to cross a bridge until you come to it, or bid the devil good morning until you meet him--perfect folly. All is well until the stroke falls, and even then, nine times out of 10, it is not as bad as anticipated. A wise man is the confirmed optimist."

From your personal stress management to your physical health to your ability to do your job safely and effectively, a positive outlook is the key. Negativity at work or in our personal lives can be attributed to perceptions of our environment. It helps to weigh the facts against the "seems to be" feelings. Any fact-base negatives in your environment will require actions to change.

For most people being pleasant is probably the easiest to improve. But I caution you, most people will say they are very pleasant to work with; hence there is no need for improvement. Ask for frank feedback from your co-workers or discuss this with your supervisor. If you receive less than positive feedback then it is time to get started on being pleasant to work with. There are a few things you can do to improve this work attitude.

Smiling is one. Smile often even when the going gets tough. Try getting into the habit of smiling even when stressed. You will soon notice there is less knotted facial muscle and people will work better with you.
According to Zig Ziglar, "It is your attitude, not your aptitude that determines your altitude." In my experience, people who have a positive attitude at work make it really obvious to those around them because of several traits that they share. 

These people:
· Are considered to be stars in the company. They offer outstanding work and can be counted on to hold up their end of the bargain. 

· Appear to work hard and it is apparent that they actually care about what they do. 

· Are reliable. They know that talk is cheap. When these people say it, they do it. 

· May not always agree with you, but they aren't disagreeable. They don't disagree just for the sake of starting an argument. 

· Aren't whiners. They don't complain a lot. 

· Are more than just a dent in a seat cushion? In other words they don't just show up to work, sit down in their chair and start making personal calls and reading the newspaper. 

I would like to close with a quote from Dr Viktor E. Frank, "The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude to me is more important than facts...we cannot change our past...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you...we are in charge of our attitudes."

509ers keep that positive attitude as we continue to fight this war on Global Terrorism and prepare for the Nuclear Surety Inspection. Go Team Whiteman!!!