Several months ago Hollywood studios released a blockbuster film that is currently up for several awards called Contagion. With heavy hitters like Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow and Laurence Fishburne as the main cast, they attempt to follow a web of infected individuals as a pandemic erupts across the world. This incredibly strong strand of flu virus that seems to originate from an animal spreads like wild-fire from the shores of Hong Kong, San Francisco, Chicago and everywhere in between. Day of our lives we are only a few steps from a disease that can take us out. In recent reports on news outlets we have witnessed firsthand the dangers of bacteria and germs that find their way into our homes and on our foods. This got me thinking about another airborne disease that gets very little ‘press’; the germ of negativity! It’s a scary thought that every person we meet could be a carrier of the disease of negativity. And worse, these infected could pass it on to travelers, hospitals, schools, churches and cause a widespread panic. Every sneeze is causing suspicion as to whether or not you are the next victim.

Negativity is defined as: an unpleasantness, lacking positive or constructive features. This can potentially describe most of the people we communicate with on a daily basis, or sometimes ourselves. All you have to do is look at a local news show and realize the ratio of positive and negative reports are grossly disproportioned. While we have done all we can with hand sanitizer and flu shots, we have neglected to protect ourselves from the deadliest disease of all. There are no statistics to show the amount of dreams, visions and potential that has been destroyed by the illness of negativity. Just as with any disease, knowledge, prevention and a little precaution will go a long way to keep you symptom free.

It’s that time of the year again! A feverish pace comes upon the sports world while all eyes turn towards colligate basketball in hopes of witnessing history. From Nebraska, to Gonzaga, Connecticut and Florida; everyone wants to know if they have their ‘brackets’ in order to track this year’s upset. You even see evidence of March Madness in stores and television commercials. We’ve all got the ‘fever’ and there is no relief in sight until the end of the month!

I found the term ‘On the bubble’ to be an interesting narrative mentioned by nearly all the analysts on ESPN. When I did a bit of research, I also found this to be an allegory of the potential we have inside. In fact, if we really look closely at the similarities, it will give new meaning to this whole crazy month of sports utopia.