4 min read

The Power Of Positivity

Oct 27, 2017 6:30:00 AM

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Tammy Boetsma, CEO of Hacienda Mexican Restaurants, LaSenorita Mexican Restaurants, and BarBici Italian Street Food. We hope you enjoy Tammy's wisdom and perspective.

Tammy Boetsma blog - FB.jpgThis summer my husband Mark and I rode our motorcycles from our home in northern Indiana to the Pacific Ocean and back. Riding to the west coast on my bike is a trip I’ve wanted to make for many years. In taking this trip, I was attempting to reach a personal, long-term goal of mine!

I took the lead on travel planning and wanted to cover 500 – 600 miles every day. Our first day we traveled almost 600 miles landing in Omaha, Nebraska for the night. Over dinner we talked about if we were going to make it all the way to the Pacific. We were tired after one day and had several miles and days of travel ahead of us. I agreed with Mark when he compared our trip to a marathon and I realized the pace I set was too much. We revised our initial miles per day and rode about 400 miles the next day to the west edge of Nebraska. Being able to adapt our travel plans due to weather, traffic, and/or road construction, and doing it with a positive attitude, fostered flexibility in attempting to reach the first part of my goal, riding to the Pacific coast.

As you may imagine, when one rides a motorcycle for any length of time, you have some time to think. Mark’s analogy of our trip and a marathon was on my mind for several days. Although we had the same overall end goal of riding to the west coast and back safely, the details of how we would accomplish it were different. My goals are different than your goals. An individual’s goals are different from his employer’s goals. Maintaining a positive attitude helps people to reach their goals. Keeping a great attitude and having a lot of flexibility would ultimately help Mark and I reach our end goal. As a matter of fact, a positive attitude and being flexible have been a successful combination for me both personally and professionally.   

I recently attended a seminar where part of the message the speaker was sending to the audience included GREAT ATTITUDE equals FUN. Every day we make dozens of choices and I believe in the power of positivity when making choices. It was American philosopher William James (1842-1910) who said “the greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.” In my life there was a time when I was the type of person who often saw the glass half empty. I’m pleased to report that life is much more pleasant when seeing it through a glass that is half full. I’m also pleased to report that we achieved our goal, returning home safely after wading in the Pacific Ocean and our unplanned journey found us at an outdoor Who concert in South Lake Tahoe, Nevada along the way!       


What’s The Risk?

Making positive choices every day allows us to make progress toward our long-term goals. Projecting a great attitude does equal fun. People are drawn to and want to be around positive people. Positivity fosters an environment where people learn about each other, make connections and form relationships. If you don’t have a positive demeanor you are sharing negativity with others. It’s like Henry Ford said, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right.” See the glass half full ~ life is short, live it with a smile on your face!!!

 

This content was written and shared by guest blogger, Tammy Boetsma.

Tammy-Boetsma.jpgTammy Boetsma is the CEO of Hacienda Mexican Restaurants, La Senorita Mexican Restaurants, and BarBici Italian Street Food. Prior to her role as CEO, Tammy served as CFO for the company where she managed the finances for 20 restaurants. Tammy is no stranger to drive and determination; while raising her son as a single mother, she worked full-time as a server to pay her tuition at Bethel College, where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Accounting in just 2.5 years. Tammy enjoys to workout, ride her motorcycle, travel, and spend time with her grandchildren. She is the Board Treasurer for the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County and Family & Children's Center, Inc.

Connect with Tammy on LinkedIn. Connect with Hacienda Mexican Restaurants on Twitter and Facebook, La Senorita Mexican Restaurants on Facebook, and BarBici Italian Street Food on Twitter and Facebook.

Topics: Executive
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Gibson is a team of risk management and employee benefits professionals with a passion for helping leaders look beyond what others see and get to the proactive side of insurance. As an employee-owned company, Gibson is driven by close relationships with their clients, employees, and the communities they serve. The first Gibson office opened in 1933 in Northern Indiana, and as the company’s reach grew, so did their team. Today, Gibson serves clients across the country from offices in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Utah.