In light of recent events, I thought this message was necessary. What happened in Orlando is a horrific tragedy that brings sadness and anger to all who hear of it. It is hard to be positive about a situation like this, but it is a perfect example of why we need to be. I’m not saying not to mourn or be upset about the lives that were lost, but I am saying that there is a brighter side to this. There are survivors, the gunman has been arrested, and a community is working together to help each other heal. From this darkness, came a light. People all over, not just in Orlando, are coming together to help each other cope with the mass shooting. The coming together of a people, albeit from a tragedy, is greater than the tragedy itself.
In the world we live in, it is very easy for us to be unhappy. However, no matter what bad things have happened around us, to us, or to someone we know, we can’t let that define us. We are greater than any negative experience. In a world that’s full of pain, injustice, and sorrow, we have to choose to be happy. It’s a difficult choice, but it is possible.
Choosing to be positive (which leads to being happy) is a bit of a process if you’re not used to seeing the bright side of things. It all starts with a thought. Just a simple, positive thought can help change your entire way of thinking.
I admit, I haven’t always been the best at trying to find the good in bad situations. It was just so much easier to complain and be unhappy about whatever was happening at the time. One day, I decided I had had enough of it all. Life is too short to be unhappy. We all have a limited amount of time here on Earth. We need to make the best of the time that we have and we shouldn’t spend it as whining Debby-downers.
Seeing the glass half empty all the time can not only be bad for your mental/emotional health, but your physical health as well. Scientists have proven that consistent attitudes and feelings of negativity not only upset your brain’s hormone balance, but it weakens your immune system, also. Basically, if you’re a more negative person you are more likely to get sick than a person with a more positive mind set.
With this in mind, there are a few ways to help keep you on the sunny side of life. The first (and one of the easiest things to do) is to smile when you first wake up. Smiling, even if forced, kicks your brain’s happy hormones into gear and it boosts your mood. If you start your day off happy, the rest of your day is bound to follow. Even if something doesn’t go according to plan, it’s easier to shake off if you started out happy.
Another way is to simply make a list of what you’re grateful for. Once you start a list, don’t stop adding on to it. Then, when you’re feeling a bit down, you can look at your list and be reminded that even though you’re having a bad day or moment you still have plenty to be happy about and thankful for.
The last is to look in the mirror and tell yourself that you’re enough. This is something that can help everyone. If you’re worried about how you look, or if you have an interview that you’re nervous about, just look in the mirror and try to remember this motto: You are enough, you are so enough, it is unbelievable how enough you are. I love this motto. It’s a reminder that even when someone tells you that you aren’t worth much, you are. To not think, for a single moment, that just because others are blind to value it means you don’t have any. You are enough, just as you are, and that is something to be proud of.
In conclusion, choosing to be positive, whether it’s during a national tragedy or your own personal storm, is important. It gives you the strength you need to carry on. Being happy in a sea of doubt and hardship will set you free. So, try to be positive. Start the day with a smile, think happy thoughts, accept yourself, and live on the sunny side of life. Do this, and it will lead to your inner joy. You deserve to be happy and don’t let anyone or anything make you feel otherwise.
