# If Work Doesn't Kill Him, I Might



## kwflatbed (Dec 29, 2004)

Overcoming negativity

*MICHELLE PERIN*
*Police Life Contributor*

_Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A word of optimism and hope. And you can do it when things are tough._ -Richard M. DeVos

A healthy marriage is positive. Negative things exist, but the positives heavily outweigh them. In a police marriage, the nature of the occupation, the side of human nature the officer sees on a regular basis and the internal conflict of the bureaucracy all create a mountain of external negativity which affects many officers deeply. Police spouses have the task of trying to make home a safe haven full of positive energy where he feels safe and can refill his coffers. By following a few steps, this task can be simpler.

*Little Issues* 
He left his uniform in the middle of the bedroom floor. She's sleeping on the couch fully dressed with his dirty boots on. He rushed in after shift, ate your breakfast so fast he couldn't have possibly tasted it and ran off to court without so much as putting his dishes in the sink. Marriage is full of little things which aggravate. The unpredictability and unusualness of an occupation in police work adds to the little annoyances. When a spouse understands these things will happen and especially that his or her partner did not do it just to aggravate, it is easier to let go of the negative emotion. Turn the situation into a positive one by visualizing what you are grateful for. You have a spouse who works hard in an honorable profession. He is responsible and honors his commitment to the citizens he has vowed to protect and serve. He came home safe. Looking at the positive aspects will make the walk to the sink with his plate a bit easier.

Full Article: http://www.officer.com/web/online/Police-Life/If-Work-Doesnt-Kill-Him--I-Might/17$39640


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