A friend shared this yesterday and as I’m rather at a loss for a topic tonight, I thought it would be a good place to start.
Staying positive it a choice, but that doesn’t mean that sticking to that choice will always be easy. Maybe that’s the beauty of it.
The last couple of weeks, as I battled fever, nausea, aches and finally, ear infections, I can tell you that I was definitely challenged to follow this pledge, but, for the most part, even with missing a couple of nights of dancing, I think I did fairly well.
Confined to quarters, as it were, I got some writing done, some organizing done, and my cats got lots of cuddles. When desperation struck (like needing chicken soup and cough syrup), I chose the lesser of two evils and walked to the store which gave me some much needed fresh air and exercise. It also got me out of the house before I went stir crazy!
I have learned that no matter how bleak things might look, I can always find a few things to appreciate in my world. It is certainly essential to find those things for which to be grateful, in my experience.
A few years ago, things were pretty dreary at work and with other life stuff going on, I started to get pretty down. At the time, I was taking a philosophy class at the local college, and as it started at 7, it didn’t really make sense for me to go home for 1/2 an hour or so, then retrace my steps to school. One night, I was feeling particularly down and ugly, so, upon arriving at school, I took out my notebook and proceeded to fill both sides of a piece of notebook paper with things, both large and small, serious and silly, for which I was grateful. Before I was half way through my self-appointed task, I had found the positive energy and was feeling a lot more hopeful about finding my way out of my latest set of challenges.
Staying positive isn’t always easy, but then, nothing worth having really is!
Even now, six months and then some into my new career as a writer, my book isn’t quite finished, I have yet to set up a website or do anything else to promote my first book, I haven’t decided on a title, and I’m not bringing in any money from the writing yet. But I’m happy, basically healthy, getting my house in order, taking care of old issues which have been neglected forever, and healthier than I’ve been in a long time (flu and ear infections notwithstanding).
I know I have things I need to do, and I’ve set myself some deadlines to accomplish them. I’ve signed up for a webinar on setting up the website, and have a few choices of folks to call should I need assistance (or should I say, “when”).
My world isn’t perfect, but whose is? And if it was, what would I have to strive for, to get up in the morning for?
I’m still planning to get back to the copywriting course, and have mail folders full of examples. Even while I’ve taken a break from it, I read the emails I get a lot more critically now, and am certainly learning something from the experience. Some of them make me laugh, and some make me want to offer my services, but all will prove valuable at some point as more than just space hogs on my computer.
I’ve made a lot of commitments to myself in the last year, some of which I’ve achieved, others, need work. But the one thing I’ve stuck to is maintaining a positive, grateful outlook. To me, that is the single most important commitment I’ve made and kept for myself!
My gratitudes tonight are:
1. I am grateful for lazy Sundays spent cuddling the cats.
2. I am grateful for all of the things which have come off of my weekly To Do lists.
3. I am grateful for always having enough to do, should I choose to do it.
4. I am grateful for completing several of my weekly chores this week.
5. I am grateful for a new week with challenges both expected and not.
Love and light.
