Thankfulness, In Vogue?
As this month began, I noticed friends posting they were going to use each day to post something on their Facebook pages that they were thankful for. I heard about this "movement" in years past, but I was either under the influence or not paying much attention cause I don't remember the number of people choosing to participate in this large of numbers.
It has been a long time since I truly enjoyed and felt inspired by the wallposts I woke up to every morning. The last few months my Facebook wall has been a bloody scene of former friends speaking in spiteful and hateful tones towards each other about one political issue or another. Thus, the last few days have been a true joy.
You know, I mention this to friends and they always think it is an impossible thing to do; but many years ago, I made a decision. I "chose" to be happy.
I grew up a very angry person. I blamed lots of people for my lot in life. I was "forced" to church by my mother and sat there angry at the guy hung on that cross even more than everyone else. I was just angry!
Over the years, with a little maturity, the incredible guidance of my wife who is the greatest optimist I know, and very positive people I surrounded myself with, I found anger fueled anger. Hate fueled hate. They were emotions of choice masked as emotions of circumstance. You don't "have" to be angry. You don't "have" to hate. You do because you can, and because it is so easy to do. But you don't have to.
And so, following the lead of someone whom I respected greatly, I made a conscious decision. I "chose" to be happy. People always ask me "are you really happy all the time? Doesn't life ever kick you where the sun don't shine?" To that I say "Are you kidding? All the time." If you think it's possible to "miss" a bad day, go ahead and try it. Bad days will come and bad days will go and they have a way of announcing themselves in a loud and public way. I am in no way immune to them. They suck for me just like they suck for anyone else. I guess in my instance, I choose to push through that bad day, never allowing the circumstances to steal the happiness I will not cede to it. Bad days are temporary. So are rough times. For me, the fastest and the most fruitful way to get through them is to remain in a spirit of thankfulness and joy. Even if it is just a little, even if it is a stretch. I mean the alternative is negativity, anger, distress. Those emotions just feed into themselves. They're like monsters that devour everything in their path if you let them. I refuse to let them.
Over the years, I have learned to be thankful each and every day for the things I have, and the things I don't. I try to place appropriate weight or importance on those things that matter most like family and friends, versus "things" that really don't matter. I mean yeah I want that Porsche 911, and maybe someday I'll have one. But if I don't is that really going to keep me from living a happy life? I don't think so.
So today, I am thankful for all the thankful people out there this month. When people are in a thankful spirit, they say such beautiful and inspirational things. I personally get a lot of motivation from seeing their posts and hope your group of friends writing on your wall are doing something similar to what mine are on my wall, making it a great place to be :).
You truly can "choose" to be happy. It is not easy. It takes a lot of work. But it is infinitely better than the alternative.
It has been a long time since I truly enjoyed and felt inspired by the wallposts I woke up to every morning. The last few months my Facebook wall has been a bloody scene of former friends speaking in spiteful and hateful tones towards each other about one political issue or another. Thus, the last few days have been a true joy.
You know, I mention this to friends and they always think it is an impossible thing to do; but many years ago, I made a decision. I "chose" to be happy.
I grew up a very angry person. I blamed lots of people for my lot in life. I was "forced" to church by my mother and sat there angry at the guy hung on that cross even more than everyone else. I was just angry!
Over the years, with a little maturity, the incredible guidance of my wife who is the greatest optimist I know, and very positive people I surrounded myself with, I found anger fueled anger. Hate fueled hate. They were emotions of choice masked as emotions of circumstance. You don't "have" to be angry. You don't "have" to hate. You do because you can, and because it is so easy to do. But you don't have to.
And so, following the lead of someone whom I respected greatly, I made a conscious decision. I "chose" to be happy. People always ask me "are you really happy all the time? Doesn't life ever kick you where the sun don't shine?" To that I say "Are you kidding? All the time." If you think it's possible to "miss" a bad day, go ahead and try it. Bad days will come and bad days will go and they have a way of announcing themselves in a loud and public way. I am in no way immune to them. They suck for me just like they suck for anyone else. I guess in my instance, I choose to push through that bad day, never allowing the circumstances to steal the happiness I will not cede to it. Bad days are temporary. So are rough times. For me, the fastest and the most fruitful way to get through them is to remain in a spirit of thankfulness and joy. Even if it is just a little, even if it is a stretch. I mean the alternative is negativity, anger, distress. Those emotions just feed into themselves. They're like monsters that devour everything in their path if you let them. I refuse to let them.
Over the years, I have learned to be thankful each and every day for the things I have, and the things I don't. I try to place appropriate weight or importance on those things that matter most like family and friends, versus "things" that really don't matter. I mean yeah I want that Porsche 911, and maybe someday I'll have one. But if I don't is that really going to keep me from living a happy life? I don't think so.
So today, I am thankful for all the thankful people out there this month. When people are in a thankful spirit, they say such beautiful and inspirational things. I personally get a lot of motivation from seeing their posts and hope your group of friends writing on your wall are doing something similar to what mine are on my wall, making it a great place to be :).
You truly can "choose" to be happy. It is not easy. It takes a lot of work. But it is infinitely better than the alternative.
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