Happy Talk

When I was ten years old my mother picked me up early from a friend’s birthday party.

“Dad has to work late,” she said, “and we bought two tickets to a musical so I’m taking you.”

I didn’t know what a musical was, but I was happy to be going somewhere with my mom.

Our seats were in the last row of the gallery, far above the stage.  Even at that distance, I was transfixed by Mary Martin and Ezio Pinza performing Rodgers and Hammerstein’s South Pacific.

One of the songs. “Happy Talk,” resonates within me to this day. It ends with four memorable and catchy lines:

“Happy talk

“keep talkin’ happy talk

“If you don’t talk happy and you never have a dream

“Then you’ll never have a dream come true!”

I’ve always talked to myself, partly consciously but mostly unconsciously.  As a rule I believe what I say.  Since I can only trust others to the extent I trust myself, I’ve become rather careful in what I say, especially to myself.

As an entrepreneur and writer I’m always certain I can solve any business or writing problem that arises.  Even though I’m not always correct about this, I start by telling myself “I can” simply because my words of self-encouragement make a positive outcome more likely.

A former president of the United States campaigned on the slogan, “Yes we can.”

That’s an excellent place to begin. Today, as we return from our Labor Day weekend that marks the end of summer, let’s renew ourselves and face the future with the words, “Yes, I can.”

Happy talk — a great way to start the rest of our year.  We’re going to solve all of our problems and have fun doing it.

Alan