Life just seems better when you find something to smile about. Especially when you choose to love everything you find yourself doing...

This week when I was at work, on a day when I am not usually scheduled to be at work, I noticed how dejected and miserable some of my colleagues seemed to be. Every workplace has the sour apple that hates their job, for whom nothing ever seems to go how they want, but there was, and usually is, an overabundance of negativity in my workplace.

It is interesting to see how my coworkers that focus on smiling and being positive are actually positive and those who don't smile, at least not genuinely, are extremely negative.

There have been multiple studies done that offer evidence that smiling can make you more confident, happy, and positive, but to focus on people and see first hand the difference between those who smile and those who don't is rather interesting. I have many wonderful things to think about that bring me joy, but I can think about just as many negative things that I could focus on if I chose to.

It made me think about how life just feels better when we make attempts to smile and find joy in what we are doing. All these thoughts hurdled down a road to where I thought of a passage I memorized many years ago about how we [Christians] are to think on good things.

A very dear friend of mine who took this passage about focusing on good things to a whole new understanding, passed away recently. She always found a reason to be positive and dwell on the good things about life.

Never once did I hear her say something negative about anyone or anything; she always had a positive response and a wonderful smile. She was incredible and one of the most positive people I have ever known. In my life, I have met many positive people, but never before anyone quite as positive as she; she is a life goal.

People desire to be positive, and truly our life goal should be to become positive and encouraging people to all those around us. We must choose to find something positive to say about everyone and everything we encounter, even if our first response is not to do so.

No matter the task, whether big or small, mundane or exciting, we must choose to be positive and find a reason to have joy in what we are doing. If we choose to accept this challenge we will have a better effect on those around us and we will be memorable people.