Positoovity

If you don't know where that word comes from, don't you fret. 

It's a pretty famous bird that sings a whole song about "Positoovity" and quite frankly it's easily becoming one of my favorite songs. 

Okay, okay, I'll tell you where it comes from, Disney's The Little Mermaid on Broadway. 

I'm including a video so that you can all be introduced to the beauty that is Positoovity. 

I'm blogging about it today because this morning was a "running" day. Meaning I ran this morning. (Just the thought alone of me FINALLY back out there are running makes my heart do a happy dance!)

Positoovity is on my playlist for what I think are obvious reasons. Let me explain. 

Scuttle sings this song and if anyone has seen The Little Mermaid, you'll know that Scuttle has quite an interesting vernacular for things. For example, a "fork" is a "dinglehopper" and is not used for eating but for combing one's hair, or in this case, "positivity" is "positoovity" and thank goodness they mean the same thing. 

He is a know-it-all bird who knows really "nothing" but is actually pretty wise. 

Wait. What?

Yeah, he may be terribly misinformed but he has good intentions and what he says helps Ariel develop her land legs, if you will. 

Now for the running part of this post. Usually the first 15 minutes of my run are energy packed. During the "walk" intervals, it's a brisk heart pumping walk that is almost faster than the "jog" intervals of the workout. However, when minutes 16-20 hit, suddenly I'm dragging my burning legs along at a pretty slow pace. That being said, I do try to pace myself in the first half of the workout so that this doesn't happen but clearly I need to keep working on that... Anyway, around minute 16ish my calves were BURNING. A good burn, but still burning. I was playfully debating with myself about calling it quits but then this song came on. 

The first line Scuttle says is "What's this? You giving up so soon? You gotta have a little gumption. Yeah! A can-do kinda attitude. Take it from a gull who knows."

It made me smile. "Okay, Scuttle, I'll keep going." Then. all of a sudden I could imagine this fluffy seagull tap-dancing next to me as I ran. It's silly I know but after listening to the song, can't you feel it too?

Something else I noticed is one of Sebastian's lines. He says, "Positoovity? Why there's no such word." Okay, Mr. Crabby-pants! (teheh) But Scuttle isn't deterred. He keeps going. And says, "'Course there is! In the dictionary between popsuckle and prehysterical. Believe you me, I've seen it work miracles!" 

How true is that? The power of positivity is SO much more than just positive thinking. It can work MIRACLES!!! Now, don't get me wrong, some things require positivity in addition to a health regime set up by a doctor or therapist etc. What I like to take away from this though is the idea that being positive, having the best outlook on life no matter what you're dealing with, can truly help you with anything you might be facing. School. Work. A baby who won't sleep. Depression. All of those things in one bundle. Bills. A crappy car. Burning calf muscles. A positive outlook won't make those things go away but it can help the situation not seem so gargantuan and help you through it. That is what I think the word "positoovity" really means.

Got it?

I don't really think the writers of the song thought, "Gee, Caitlin will need this song for running just as much as Ariel is going to need it for when she gets her legs and has to kiss Prince Eric!" but here you have it. So, here is my challenge to you via Scuttle:

Let that POSITOOVITY work for YOU!!! 

Happy positoovitying, friends!