Life is short... Be happy! Published Nov. 1, 2017 By Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Minnifield 571st Mobility Support Advisory Squadron TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. – I had an opportunity a few weeks back to be a part of an Airman Speed Mentoring forum. While excited about the chance to meet Travis Air Force Base, California, Airmen, I was nervous about the questions I would be asked. I attended and quickly realized I overthought the intent behind the forum. The Airmen in attendance were outstanding and asked a lot of questions. The one question that came up numerous times was how to motivate an unmotivated or negative Airman. That was a great question, but also a challenging one. I answered the question, but without any background, I could not speak to specifics. After much reflection, I could not get past why a young Airman in U.S. Air Force would be unmotivated or negative. Is he or she unhappy with their job, location, or supervision? Are there other issues going on? Perhaps their negativity is driven by family, financial or mental problems. The reasons could be numerous. Hopefully, those affected use the support services available to them. A part of me would bet some of those Airmen are looking at the glass as “half empty”. The Air Force has a lot to offer: the ability to see the world, numerous education and medical benefits, job security and, most importantly, genuine friendships you make along your journey. Why, then, is there sadness? My belief is life is too short, so be happy. With all the problems we face on a day-to-day basis, do we really have anything to be truly upset about? Take a minute and think about what’s going on in the world around you. Within the last two months, the U.S. has experienced hurricanes in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico; a tragic mass shooting in Las Vegas; fires in Northern California and the unfortunate loss of life of four U.S. Army soldiers killed in action. Don’t lose sight of the true freedoms you enjoy each and every day. You belong to the greatest fraternity of Americans the world has ever known; a true band of brothers and sisters who support you, not because they know your name, but because this fraternity understands the sacrifices we all make as men and women in uniform. Once again, is there really anything to truly complain about? I think too often we get caught up focusing on our own problems without really appreciating how truly fortunate we really are. As I write this, I realize everyone is entitled to a bad day and no one should be classified as being negative or unmotivated based on one occurrence. But we all have those Airmen, non-commissioned officers, and senior NCOs that, for whatever reason, always seem to view things through a negative light. This problem is not limited to those within the military. On a daily basis, on social media platforms, people email, tweet, Facebook, message, and Instagram negativity out to others. I wish I had a solution for those individuals, but I do not. I would like to remind everyone problems are temporary and normally get better over time. Our attitude, emotions and judgment project our feeling out to others. So, please consider the men and women you influence on a daily basis. I appreciate every day above ground and try to find the good in all situations. The fact that you have supervisors, mentors and leaders within your organization willing to help and provide assistance cannot be overstated. Being unmotivated and negative is undue hard work on others. Who has time for that? I state again, life is too short. Don’t let negativity and lack of motivation prevent you from appreciating all the opportunities and freedoms we enjoy. Be happy and smile always, as it could make the difference between a good and bad day.