Well, we did, and he did. Actually, he was thrilled with it. And, by the way, 15 years later, that program, now led by other impassioned people, has raised hundreds of millions of dollars for breast cancer awareness. It would have been a real shame not to present the idea, or to do so poorly or halfheartedly.

And guess what? I found out later that, before I saw him that morning, my boss had just gotten a letter from the IRS telling him he was going to be audited. That’s not the end of the world, but it sure can make a fella cranky.

You might say, “OK, but what if my first interpretation was right? What if the person who doesn’t return my call or e-mail, or who looks at me funny, really is mad, or upset with me, or unimpressed with my idea?”

Well, what if he is? Then you’re right, and you’ll eventually deal with it and move on. But, in the meantime, why make yourself miserable? Why not just go with the positive interpretation? You’ve got nothing to lose except being unhappy.

Most of these instances are not life-threatening or even life-altering, but if you pile up negative interpretations day after day, they can make for a pretty discouraging existence. For sure, difficult and bad things will happen, but you get to decide what they mean. The trick is to interpret life’s events with optimism. Choose interpretations that make your heart sing, that give you the reason and the resolve to pursue your goals. An empowering interpretation is just as valid as a disempowering one. You get to decide what impact life has on you. Make it positive.