I am exceptionally good at being negative, especially in my current rather downbeat mood.
Being negative is probably the one thing I excel at more than anything else. In fact I am capable of putting a negative slant on almost anything.
You have won £7.5 million on the lottery? Oh dear, there are lot of negatives associated with winning such a large amount of money. Let me tell you some of them...
You are going on a all-expenses paid trip to the Caribbean? Not good, let me take you to one side and present you with a few crime figures...
You have inherited a fabulous grade II listed building? Now, there are a few things you ought to know about town planners and alterations ...
You see, I am a kill-joy, no fun to be around, which is all very... er... negative.
Thankfully, I am not normally like this. I am normally upbeat, positive and driven, which leads me on to the point of all this.
Today I nearly gave up and decided to quit.
I'm talking about my driving lessons.
I got into the car and told me my very patient instructor that I could not drive and thought it best to abandon all hope of ever being able to do so.
She took a deep breath (again) and told me to start the car.
Then I drove perfectly for a hour and managed to reverse round a corner so well she said I would have passed me test with that. In fact, I have never driven better and I ended the lesson with a renewed air of confidence, not just about driving but life in general.
My instructor pointed out that I can drive and I drive very well. She wanted to know what on earth made me think I couldn't.
I had no answer of course except to say I was just being negative, so negative in fact that I had convinced myself I was completely incapable.
So now I'm not giving up an I will have my next therapy session driving lesson next week.
My new motto: Think positive!