Keynote
Address
Address
Charlotte, North Carolina
Keynote Address
Living a Positive Life in Perilous Times
Alfred L. Forbes
It is indeed my privilege to be here with Brother 2 Brother celebrating their Annual Day. I invite the spirits of our spiritual guides, ancestors and friends and loved ones
to be present with us. Giving honor to the divine creator, father mother god the divas and Orishas for bringing us to this place of celebration at this moment in time. I
thank the universal energy for the continued wisdom, which has guided Brother 2 Brother in their efforts to improve the quality of life for African American brothers and
pray they will persevere in their efforts to positively impact North Carolina.
Living a positive life is made easier in times of peace, prosperity and tranquility. In the world that we live in there are numerous challenges to living a positive life. We
may find ourselves confronted by negative people, places, situations or events that threaten our ability to obtain or retain our positive outlook.
Positive Living in 2004….Not 2005, but today. Make a commitment to start here and now to increase the positivity in your life.
Today I want to discuss some characteristics with you that exemplify a positive life. These characteristics can be invoked to assist us in overcoming the negative
challenges that barrage us. Before we begin, I must warn you that creating and maintaining a positive life entails a commitment of time and personal resources.
Tranquility is not recommended for the faint of heart: It requires work!
.
What impacts or endangers one aspect of being impacts the entire being. “The greatest love of all is happening to me. Learning to love yourself is the greatest love
of all.”
Keynote Address
Living a Positive Life in Perilous Times
Alfred L. Forbes
It is indeed my privilege to be here with Brother 2 Brother celebrating their Annual Day. I invite the spirits of our spiritual guides, ancestors and friends and loved ones
to be present with us. Giving honor to the divine creator, father mother god the divas and Orishas for bringing us to this place of celebration at this moment in time. I
thank the universal energy for the continued wisdom, which has guided Brother 2 Brother in their efforts to improve the quality of life for African American brothers and
pray they will persevere in their efforts to positively impact North Carolina.
Living a positive life is made easier in times of peace, prosperity and tranquility. In the world that we live in there are numerous challenges to living a positive life. We
may find ourselves confronted by negative people, places, situations or events that threaten our ability to obtain or retain our positive outlook.
Positive Living in 2004….Not 2005, but today. Make a commitment to start here and now to increase the positivity in your life.
Today I want to discuss some characteristics with you that exemplify a positive life. These characteristics can be invoked to assist us in overcoming the negative
challenges that barrage us. Before we begin, I must warn you that creating and maintaining a positive life entails a commitment of time and personal resources.
Tranquility is not recommended for the faint of heart: It requires work!
 | Live with Flexibility. Articulate your values, vision and dreams. Flexibility leaves room for the universe to intervene. Look for the road-signs of life –The | |
| growing/learning moments –Epiphanies! |
| Values speak to the core of your being. Practice Patience and personal integrity. Know who you are. |
| In the midst of the storm, you will be able to stay on course, grounded in your values. |
| Job was a true believer and through devastation and insurmountable loss he remained faithful. |
| Goals Vision Dream: Dreams without substance are a fantasy and Dreams without a plan are a nightmare |
| Recognize Accept and with grateful humility Rejoice in your blessings |
| Honor the cycle of life – Don’t block the blessings |
| Be Proactive. Blaming others gives away our power. Take Responsibility and be Accountable for the life you are creating – Take personal Inventories –Self | |
| Awareness. Realize that you don’t have to become perfect. |
| Hold on to the past and use past lessons to understand the present and prepare for the future. But don’t let the past hold you! |
| Seek first to understand then to be understood, Stephen Covey The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People |
| Use Humor to reduce stress and promote health |
| Avoid negative thinking and Negative thinkers |
| Avoid malicious judgments – Assuming negativity in others |
| Don’t waste your time maintaining negativity |
| Keep Breathing – Stay Focused |
| Visualize yourself surrounded by positive energy, to block out the negative sludge that threatens our serenity and positive living. |
| Respect and own the power or your words. |
| Find a positive saying. When asked how you are doing, how can you be angry if you respond, “Blessed and highly favored.” If you don’t believe it at first, the | |
| more you say it the more positive energy you bring into your life –eventually you will recognize that you are truly blessed |
| Think of a song that invokes power and positive energy |
| When things go wrong --as they will, find the good. So often people have no problem finding the problems in life, but the person living a Positive Life focuses | |
| on solutions. |
| Take care of you! You are a miracle of life comprised of Mind Body and Spirit. Mind (Education), Body (Exercise) and Soul (Meditate). Love you! Protect and | |
| maintain all three aspects. |
What impacts or endangers one aspect of being impacts the entire being. “The greatest love of all is happening to me. Learning to love yourself is the greatest love
of all.”
