“WE are all doomed. Life is bad. Others have wronged me. Life is so unfair.” Sound familiar?
In our lifetime, we have, and will, again and again, come across people who are oozing with negative vibes, who make others uncomfortable and depressed. Motivational experts and life coaches categorise these downers as those who always see the glass as half empty.
Those in Putrajaya, including Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak, have had their fair share dealing with naysayers, who continuously run down the country and the economy for their own political agenda.
On Tuesday, the prime minister said negative remarks about the country's economy were not in sync with what was analysed and reported by third parties, including the World Bank and Fitch Group.
Najib told a crowd of hundreds at the Malaysia Exposition and Convention Centre (MyExpo) groundbreaking ceremony that the Asian Development Bank, for instance, has revised Malaysia’s growth forecast from 4.7 per cent to 5.4 per cent.
The crowd applauded in approval. On this note, the prime minister called on everyone to ignore the naysayers’ pessimistic views, especially about the country’s economy.
To counter negativity, it is only logical to do so with positivity.
The amazing video of Mandarin-speaking Perlis Road Transport Department (RTD) officer Nur Syafiqah Azaman helping two Chinese students to do a car ownership transfer should be an inspiration when it comes to having the right attitude.
I’m sure when she was helping the two students from Shandong, the 23-year-old enforcement assistant was not thinking of the “likes” she would garner on social media, or that she would even receive an excellence award from her department soon after.
She was just doing her job in assisting the foreign students.
Nur Syafiqah’s professional deed certainly echoes British statesman Sir Winston Churchill’s belief — Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.
It is refreshing to read such heartwarming news amid disturbing and grim reports of incest and violence.
Researchers have explored the health benefits of having a positive attitude and they have discovered that it can lower depression, help people cope with stress, and may even better resist the common cold.
Being the federal administrative capital, Putrajaya is considered a prime example when it comes to the quality of public services.
Whenever there are long queues at the service counters or technical glitches affecting the delivery system, people are always quick to blame civil servants.
Yes, there are undoubtedly areas where our government departments and agencies can improve on, but I believe each one of them are earnestly pushing themselves towards better delivery.
Having worked here for several years now, I can vouch that there have been many times when I personally witnessed civil servants extending a caring and personalised service to the people.
The attitude towards high-quality service should not be expected from the civil service only. It must also include the private sector and their services.
More so when we are paying for these services and there is always competition to provide alternative choices.
I am compelled to relate my personal experience as a customer. It has been about two months since I first sent my cat to a veterinarian close to where I am staying.
At the time, I did not know what my 6-year-old domestic short-haired tabby was suffering from, but he had a few open wounds on his limbs.
After a quick browsing online for reviews on the clinic, I felt confident enough to take him there. The first visit was routine and emotionless — the vet cleaned the wounds and gave the cat some antibiotics.
After two weeks with no sign of improvement, I sent the cat back to the same clinic despite the vet’s nonchalance during the first visit. The vet was again aloof and she did not even recommend a blood test or conduct a thorough diagnosis.
To add insult to injury, she raised her voice at me and my husband — two worried cat owners — for things that were beyond our control. She kept harping on how the cat could lick its wounds despite wearing a protective collar.
Safe to say, we took our cat out immediately and went back to our previous veterinarian, who, although was some distance away, offered us a level of service that was miles apart from the previous one.
The vet and his wife were very professional in treating my cat. They cared for him daily for more than a month.
Finally, the time came when the good doctor recommended that we “let him go” because he was not recovering.
We sadly agreed, knowing it was the best for our cat. Yet, as I write this column, the kampung cat is still alive because the veterinarian couple themselves were not willing to “let go” of him.
As the vets try their best to find a cure for our cat’s ailment, I believe that it is professionals like them who truly epitomise John C. Maxwell’s remark that “people may hear your words, but they feel your attitude”.
With more than 15 years in journalism and a masters in counselling psychology, Azura Abas is always drawn to the mystery of the human mind and its behaviour. She can be reached via azuraa@nst.com.my