For those of you living in Wisconsin, I’m sure you have noticed that it has been raining...in January... I wouldn’t go as far to say this is an early spring, however, because this rain is not any ordinary soft droplets from the sky. We’ve been forecasted freezing rain. It falls from a cold and overcast sky. It chills a body down to the bone. It freezes as soon as it lands creating treachery as it comes. We tip toe over the Earth now, being careful not to slip and fall, in fear of getting hurt or feeling pain. We take caution in driving because this powerful type of precipitation can blind us from seeing the very road set before us. We wear raincoats and winter jackets in an effort to guard ourselves against the presented dangerous elements. Who would have thought that something so seemingly simple, could be such a feared downfall? Upon grumbling and contemplating all of this, probably analyzing the weather far too deeply than truly necessary, it made me stop and think. What is my very own, personal, freezing rain? What chills me to my core? What makes me slip and get hurt, or tiptoe to avoid feeling that pain? What is blinding me from seeing the path ahead of myself, and why do I so defiantly put on a metaphorical coat to protect myself from uncomfortability?

NEGATIVITY. Like a big old cumulonimbus cloud looming over my head, I let negativity fall on me like freezing rain. How sad is that? It is much easier to be drenched in my own negative thoughts, rather than try to look at the sunnier side of things.

Think back for a moment. Have you ever had an awful day or you are just really down in the dumps and you go to tell someone about it all and they just say, “Cheer up!” or “Think positively!” and become angry at their all too sunny response to what feels like your own misery? You might even want them to join in your misery and just cannot believe that they would have so simple of an answer for your pain. Be patient, and think for a moment. In many cases, if we would be truly honest with ourselves, and actually go and try to look at the positives, we would live a much happier, sunnier lifestyle.

As for me, I have decided that at the age of 19 I have spent far too much of my lifetime absolutely drowning myself in my own freezing rain of negativity. I think that it is high time for me to stop and I encourage you to join in my efforts. As many life lessons go, I know that I will need to relearn this, maybe even over and over a few times. That is okay. My life, as well as yours, is worth the effort to see the sunshine, and to be sunshine to others. A little rain can’t hurt us anymore.