Positivity
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Look for the helpers
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” ~Fred Rogers As Mister Rogers reminded us, there’s always hope and healing wherever you find the helpers. Late last week, for instance, I had two minor emergencies (one more critical than the other) that sent me in search of medical help. Despite the stress of it all, I was amazed at how quickly two of my doctors were able to see me — almost immediately — when I called their offices for advice. I can’t begin to express…
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What if …?
“You’ll never get anywhere if you go about what-iffing like that.” ~Roald Dahl I’ll never forget the time a local yoga teacher began her class with a talk about managing stress and anxiety. Most of us focus on negative outcomes or worst-case scenarios when we’re frightened or worried, she explained, which only makes us twice as anxious. And then she posed the question: “What if we focus instead on what it will be like when everything turns out OK?” By changing our perspective, we could alter the tone of our day. Waves of fear and anxiety have been eroding my peace of mind lately, and I need to practice that simple…
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Have a little hope
“Hope is a renewable option: If you run out of it at the end of the day, you get to start over in the morning.” ~Barbara Kingsolver Have you ever had a long conversation with a chronic complainer or a critic who finds fault with everything? If so, you know how easy it is to return home feeling deflated, exhausted, drained, or pessimistic. Negativity is as contagious as the norovirus — so it’s wise to avoid exposure if you can. Today’s quote reminds us that we can choose to steer toward a better outlook. Have a little hope — and a wonderful weekend! ~CL
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How to brighten your dark thoughts
“I once had a garden filled with flowers that grew only on dark thoughts, but they needed constant attention, and one day I decided I had better things to do.” ~Brian Andreas To prepare yourself for disappointment, do you usually expect the worst rather than the best outcome? Sometimes it’s not a bad idea to lower your expectations. But if you’re not careful, pervasive gloomy thinking can become a habit or a way of life. And when you lower your expectations along with your mood, sometimes your standards get lowered at the same time — which is never a good thing. Negativity is lazy and self-destructive. Positivity takes tremendous effort, which is why so…
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Luminosity
“Look carefully around you and recognize the luminosity of souls. Sit beside those who draw you to that.” ~Rumi Other people’s moods — and viewpoints — are contagious. In fact, there’s a clinical study suggesting that we become like the five people with whom we spend most of our time. (This might explain why so many married couples and lifelong best friends actually resemble each other.) According to this theory, if your spouse and peer group are serial pessimists and complainers, you might be one too. It’s also likely that you share the same political views. Psychological studies aside, I’m always drawn to folks who spread their sunshine and draw…
