If you are like many of us, it is not difficult going through your day finding someone (or something) to criticize. There are many things in our life that frustrate us. So when we encounter something that does not meet our expectations (whether they are realistic or not) we complain. And sometimes that is not only okay, it is necessary.

The problem with this is a huge percentage of the population has taken this as their default position. They criticize constantly, without any suggestions on improvement. They complain without volunteering to help. We know we have all done it from time to time.

So today let’s shift that thinking.

In the book Appreciation Marketing, the author tells of a time that he took his daughter and wife to brunch only to have a very bad experience. He went home and started to write a scathing letter to the offending restaurant telling them how bad they were and how embarrassed they should be. But he stopped. Instead he threw that letter away and sent a card to his favorite restaurant. He thanked them for always going above and beyond to make his dining experience fantastic.

The next time he came to his favorite restaurant he was met by a smiling manager, and the owner came out and greeted him. To this day, he says, he is always treated like a king in this place.

So he took a bad experience and sent out postive instead. Where can you do that today?