Why be positive about Obama’s speech?

Or one could conclude that President Obama is a true friend of both the Jews and Israel and was willing to speak to the Muslim world about their morally indefensible and irrational anti-Semitism in a way no one has ever spoken to them before. Both conclusions may be reasonable. (By the way, I couldn’t help but enjoy the picture of the Jew, and son of Israeli former Irgun memeber, Rham Emmanuel sitting in the Saudi Royal palace with a cheeky grin on his face).

While not ruling out the former implication, I insist on dwelling on the latter positive conclusion. Here is why. We have been in a recession for a year-and-a half and it shows. America is not the same place it was when I moved here in 2005. Over the last 18 months a subtle but tangible feeling of gloom has set in.

People still smile—but they seem to do so less often nowadays. People are still friendly—they just don’t seem as friendly as they were a few years ago. The changes are slight but noticeable. Whenever I mention this people seem to know exactly what I am referring to. Everyone feels it and it must to change no matter what the economy or the president does.

We have over a 90% employment rate. Wealthy people have lost a large percentage of their net worth but they are still wealthy. The vast majority of people still have a job, food to put on their table, a roof over their head, a car to drive etc. Most still have an immeasurably higher standard of living than the majority of other people on the planet. We have a lot to be incredibly grateful for. The heady days of free and easy money may be over but most people are still thriving. Let’s count our blessings and be thankful for what we have.

Dwelling on the good  

According to the Kabbalists a positive outlook is vital for a positive outcome to occur. A step change is needed in the way we perceive things. We need to begin to look at the cup as half full rather than half empty. And we cannot allow a perceived lack of materialism to make us smile less often. The Kabbalists remind us that positive energy begets positive consequences. But let’s not forget that the opposite is also true.

This does not mean that we should stop being realistic about the economic situation or about Obama’s speech. However, it does mean that we must begin to look at things in a more positive light, dwelling on the good.

Focusing on the positive aspects of Obama’s speech does not make you either a Democrat or naïve. It simply means that you refuse to allow a negative perspective to color your outlook completely.

In these challenging times we need in infusion of positivity and happiness. We can leave the gloom for others. Do the following with me. Resist the urge to focus on the negative and force yourself to see the positive Instead (if you think there isn’t any positive things to focus on you’re not looking hard enough). Compel yourself to smile even if you don’t feel like it. Instead of criticizing, find a compliment to say. Doing this will make you happier and it will create a healthier and more positive atmosphere in you environs. And—as the Kabbalists taught—good things will start to happen all around you as well. Try it; you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Rabbi Levi Brackman is author of Jewish Wisdom for Business Success: Lesson from the Torah and Other Ancient Texts