Relax, this is not about Basketball, it is about having a more AWESOME Life!

I love March Madness!  It reminds us of what could be if only…

Anyway, I also love Belmont University! Or should I say, I loved Belmont University, until about 2.2 seconds remained in their 1st Round Game against Duke. Truth be told, I’d never heard of Belmont University before; didn’t even know what state it was in and I certainly didn’t know that Brad Paisley and Trisha Yearwood were Alumni of little-known Belmont University. But… to say, "I Love Belmont University!" sounds so much more healthy than to say; "I HATE DUKE!" (Boy that felt good even though what I really did was say that I didn’t say it rather than actually say it… think about that?)

So, as Trisha Yearwood says it best for both of us regarding our feelings for her Alma Mater, "I’m Talkin’ Love" and in the end, that is my point.  Love is better than Hate!

We can always make things more positive. My mentor Dr. David Burns, Author of "Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy" has taught me; thoughts and words are extremely powerful; they control how we feel about ourselves. Equally important, they often dictate how others feel about us as well. It is so much more positive to say; "I love Belmont University!" than to say "I hate DUKE!" (he he… Oops, I did it again! But, I didn’t say it, I referenced it as if I were to say it; there is a difference?)

Perhaps a better example is how we can tear ourselves down with simple "Should Statements." This is where we tell ourselves things like; ‘I Should lose weight’ or ‘I Should apologize’ and we basically whip ourselves mentally into doing the right thing. Then, having done the right thing we are left with the hangover effect of a negative memory for having to whip ourselves to perform. This simply is a "Shouldy Attitude!"

Lon Kieffer is an expert in Workplace Culture Change and Generational Conflict and I have learned how powerful this subtle change can be: Instead of having a "Shouldy Attitude" think and say things like; ‘I’d like to be more fit…’ or ‘I want a better relationship with….’ And set out to achieve these things. No negativity!

Instead of Hating Duke! Love Belmont; and hope that Belmont thoroughly whips Duke! In the final 2.5 seconds of the game Duke, as always, got a questionable call in their favor and won the game. A part of me wants to view my brief love affair with Belmont while watching the game in the words of Brad Paisely as "Time Well Wasted!" but I am reminded also of the immortal words of Sir Alfred Lord Tennyson that, ’tis better to have love and lost than to never have loved at all’

In the end, I am left with "I HATE DUKE!"

But thanks to my flitting love of Belmont University I was a better man for ooohh, 59 minutes and 57 seconds. That’s progress!

UPDATE:  I wrote this on Friday…. and I watched the Duke vs. West Virginia game on Saturday.  Let me say this; "I love West Virginia University!"  I would like to give Bob Huggins a big ‘ole Hug.  One more day and an entire off-season where I have no need to say, "I hate Duke!"