(And all the pessimists rolled their eyes…)
I am NOT Little Miss Sunshine.
not me
I’m actually deeply sensitive, empathic, and prone to melancholy. I worry and I fret and I dwell. My heart breaks and aches like everyone else’s. I get frustrated when things don’t go my way, and I get mad when people don’t understand me. I’ve suffered loss, abuse, neglect, grief, separation, chronic pain, abandonment, scary health diagnoses and treatment, and a mental breakdown. I have never had the privilege of being a Pollyanna.
But, I am here to tell you, in most “Shit Happens” situations, it is virtually impossible to stay sad, frustrated, angry, or worried if you stop to take a moment of gratitude, to focus on the positives, to delight in the way things are going. I know, it sounds hard, and it does take work at first, although after a fair amount of practice, you too can be a positive person. I’ve taught myself to look on the bright side.
See, you’re allowed to have a bad day, if you really need it. But after one bad day, do you really need another bad day?
Tomorrow will always be better. And you can let things get you down, because maybe you need a little comfort, or some sympathy, but all the time you spend being upset about something that’s already happened keeps you from enjoying what actually is. And sometimes, you just need to comfort yourself, because only you know what you really need.
By all means, you shouldn’t ignore your troubles. Certain things take longer than others to muddle through. But how you come out of it, and back to yourself, is completely up to you. It really is all in how you look at it.
I know it to be true, because I’ve lived it. Once you start building a negative spiral, you keep going deeper and deeper down, and yes, you will have to climb all the way back up on your own. If you haven’t scared off all your loved ones with your negativity, you may well have some people to help you along the way.
(Those people are keepers.)
It’s crucial to reduce the amount of negative people in your life. Negative people tend to deplete your happiness, and you need all the happiness you can get. Also, many of them are just waiting for something bad to happen to you, so they can feel better about their own lives.
The optimist can shrug off the negativity of others for quite a while, but it’s better to limit the time and energy spent.
Hang out with people who make you feel good. Do things that make you smile and laugh. Count your blessings. Expect joy. Move forward. Don’t let the bastards get you down.
Be optimistic.
joeyfullystated 
Couldn’t have said it better myself 🙂
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Thanks 🙂
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I had two mental breakdowns (lots of climbing out of my own negativity!) So glad to find someone who understands because they’ve been there, and who is striving to be happy in the aftermath 🙂
Fondly,
Elizabeth
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I strive with you 🙂
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Thanks for reminding us that there are alternatives out there…we just have to choose them!
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🙂
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Snap!!
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🙂
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“It’s crucial to reduce the amount of negative people in your life.”—This is so true. Life is too short to be around toxic people, at least any more than we have to. Wonderful post!
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Thanks, Carrie 🙂
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I’m glad you’re not Pollyanna. She’s boring and everyone secretly hates her.
Thank you for trusting us here to share so much. This post is the very first thing I read upon returning from work and it made me really happy. Optimism rocks but not more than you.
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Aw, thanks 🙂
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“Expect joy” = stealing that!
Yeah… “don’t let the bastards get you down” those bastards! 😀
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Glad you like it!
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truer words never spoken as they say. I had a FB “friend” whom I don’t know personally who was negative all the time…Moaning and groaning all day, every day. When she went ballistic because some website didn’t give her a free coupon after she met their “endorsement” requirements, I tried to make a joke of it. She got so mad that she sent me this long public tirade about all she had suffered in her life and then unfriended me. lol…I figured I got the best end of that deal…Only people who have been through a lot know how true your words are…Have a splendid weekend! Hopefully with some good weather.
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Always optimistic here.
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