Ada-tudes | Amway

By: Gary Mougalian

Back in August when Amway launched the Positivity Project, our goals were really pretty simple: We wanted to inspire people to spread the positivity message by sharing their positive stories with the world.

I’m still astounded by all of your responses. Whether it was a random act of kindness, or a public display of happiness, or even your lifelong passion for a specific charitable cause, you’ve shown us – and the world – the power of positivity in so many ways.

Last night, the ten Positivity Contest finalists, along with a handful of Amway employees and Amway Independent Business Owners, were the special guests of composer (and Amway spokesperson) John Tesh during his traditional annual Christmas concert in Hagerstown, Maryland.

The concert itself was wonderful. Seeing John perform his exceptional music live in concert is amazing.

But the highlight for all of us was when John invited the ten finalists to stage, and announced the winner of our Positivity Contest – Caitlin B.!

Caitlin’s positivity experience actually began on a particularly bad day. She decided to turn it around by doing something nice for a stranger. “I wrote ‘You Are Beautiful’ on a sticky note and stuck it on a bathroom mirror,” she said.

Sounds too simple, right?

But Caitlin’s note went viral, and OperationBeautiful.com was born – a site dedicated to spreading positivity and hope through random messages such as the one Caitlin left on that bathroom mirror. Thousands of notes have been sent to the site, which is now an international movement.

Caitlin plans to use the $10,000 Positivity Contest “pay it forward” grant to combine her message of positivity with the need for girls to have a healthy body image. “I plan to donate the money to Girls On The Run, which helps girls ages 8-10 build self esteem through running,” she said.

Caitlin says the $10,000 will help provide funds for more than 75 disadvantaged girls to participate in the program, which culminates in girls showing off their new mental and physical strength by running a 5K.  I participated in Girls On The Run two years ago and I am looking forward to running for the 2nd time with my youngest daughter next spring.

Sometimes, as in the case of our Positivity Contest winner, the simplest idea is the best.

Like positivity itself: A simple, yet very powerful, idea.

Neha G. was motivated by her grandfather’s positive-attitude philosophy to start her own non-profit organization to help orphaned and disadvantaged children in India. So far, she’s raised $55,000, which was used to build three libraries, a computer lab, and a sewing center there.

Desiree H. knows firsthand the challenges of being in a wheelchair, yet she is on her way to earning a Master’s Degree – in occupational therapy.

Caitlin B. decided to turn a horrible day into a better day by writing You Are Beautiful on a sticky note and stuck in on a bathroom mirror at school. That note went viral, and OperationBeautiful.com was born.

At the tender age of 14, Kaylee Marie R. began sending donated, used, and new CDs, DVDs, and books on CD to troops serving in combat zones. To date, her organization, Tunes 4 the Troops, has sent over 759,000 donated items worth over $13 million dollars!

These are just a few of the amazing semifinalists we’ve received in the Amway Positivity Project contest. And, now that we’ve narrowed it down to these 25 entries, it’s your turn to choose a favorite. Vote every day between now and November 14, and encourage your friends to join you.

Read, watch and learn about all the ways people and positivity are influencing communities and personal lives around the world. You’ll be inspired, motivated, moved to tears, and yes, encouraged to start your own positivity project in your world.

I think the most difficult job of all will be choosing a favorite. Because fundamentally, every single entry – every single person who entered this contest – is a winner.

Such is the amazing, sustaining, far-reaching power of positivity!