Acting Positively

Acting positively is not the same as being positive. Being positive is about having certainty, while acting positively is about seeking creative, productive ways of addressing problems, rather than assigning blame and dishing out insults. Have you noticed that people who say they're positive about a better way to do something are often the least willing to act positively on solutions?

Negative action tries to fix a perceived problem by subtraction: just eliminate the new change that instills fear or is inconvenient, and things will go back to the way they were. But positivity understands that change is inevitable and can be beneficial: have a clear vision of a desired future and then harness the forces that caused the perceived problem and redirect them toward that desired future.

Acting positively is always harder and more complicated than choosing immediately "obvious" or "common sense" solutions. It values expertise, but expertise that knows its own limits as well as its strengths. It relies on experience, but only when paired with the wisdom to apply that experience appropriately to future conditions. And like any successful strategy, positive action demands conviction and determination, but only when they are based on factual evidence and shared values.

Acting positively is the goal and standard I set for myself in all my endeavors, especially in representing you for over five years on City Council. I don't believe you should have to settle for anything less, which is why I'm asking for the honor to continue working for you.