Staying strong through the power of positive Published May 28, 2014 By Tech. Sgt. Matthew T. Wood 90th Munitions Squadron F.E. WARREN AIR FORCE BASE, Wyo. -- From gravity bombs and cruise missiles to Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, the U.S. nuclear arsenal is incredibly diverse. As Nuclear Weapons Warriors, it is our job to inspect, maintain, repair, modify and test every aspect of our arsenal. It takes cool nerves and extreme mental discipline to do our jobs. These weapons are a major component of our national defense that simply cannot fail weighs heavily on us all. If not kept in check, the mission itself will grind us into the ground. That's where "The Power of Positive" comes in to play, a concept based on defeating negativity in all aspects of your life and staying positive, no matter the task at hand. It's a simple concept that goes a long way by smoothing out the rough patches that Airman may face at work and at home. The first choice you have to make when you start your day is whether you are going to be positive or negative. No matter what your circumstances are at work or home, it is your choice on being positive or negative. Think about which one is going to enhance your life. A negative attitude will not help make your day go by faster or any easier. A positive attitude is the only mental state that sets an upbeat tone for your entire day. You either drag your fellow Airman down with a negative attitude or you raise them up by neing positive. I get that staying positive isn't easy, in fact, it takes a few components to keep a postivie attitude fueled and flying, and that's where motivation comes into play. Motivation is a key factor in job performance and satisfaction. You have to motivate yourself and others around you. As long as you remain motivated, you are going to be excited to work and excited to learn. I know what you're thinking, "How can I get excited about work? It's work." I know how having the excitement to tackle the day's tasks is contagious and will spread to co-workers. The next thing you know, the work is done and you are on your way home. Another component to staying positive is realizing you have to give yourself time to recharge. If you live and breathe work, you will run your mind and body into the ground. It doesn't take much to recharge, but the key is to take the time to do it. Of course physical training is a good way to stay fit to fight, but don't forget about your mind. Constantly thinking about work will run you down. Try recharging your mind by reading a book or by diving into a hobby. If you have a family, find a hobby you can do together as nothing recharges the mind and body like some quality family time. For those who are single, don't just sit in your dorm room or off base quarters alone. Get out and socialize. It doesn't have to be the bar scene either. There are plenty of activities around the base or town to become involved in, just get out and get active to take your mind off work and recharge your mind, body and spirit. The third component to remaining positive every day is to set goals in your life. A big goal for many is recieve higher education. Whether you are enlisted or an officer, there is always something to learn. Take advantage of tuition assistance while we have it. I just finished my bachelor's degree, which, at times, was a goal I thought I would never reach. Trust me, if I can do it, you can do it to. There are many goals you may set in life as well. Create a goal and start working towards it. There is a focus and clarity which you will gain to help you succeed in life. What could be more positive in your life than successfully reaching your goals? Another huge component in staying positive is finding a mentor. No matter how much you think you know, you don't know everything. A mentor as the ability to share the knowledge they have and can help will make you successful, and once you have the knowledge, you can pass it on and be a mentor yourself. You don't have to be an NCO to be a mentor, I've seen plenty of Airmen who have the experience and job knowledge to be a mentor. Find the joy in helping others gain the knowledge you struggled for and watch them grow. Seize the opportunity to mold the inexperienced into productive Airman that will strengthen your career field and the Air Force as a whole. You will benefit more by sharing knowledge rather than hiding it. I would be remiss if I didn't mention one of the biggest Air Force core values, integrity. This may be one of the biggest components in remaining positive. Everyone knows right from wrong and it is your choice to do the right thing when no one is looking. Your integrity affects those around you. You know if you are hurting someone or yourself. You have to wake up knowing you are living the right way, after all, living with honor starts with integrity, which certainly leads to the Power of Positive. The last component in staying positive is to spend time having fun. Think about the times when you laughed so hard that your sides hurt. It felt good, didn't it? There is nothing like a good laugh. It goes without saying that this laugh should not be at the expense of others. We are all in this together. Having fun and sharing some laughs with your fellow Airman will strengthen the comrade you share as Nuclear Warriors. And that's The Power of Positive.