I fully believe whatever you put out in the world, you will receive back. If you put negativity out, you will receive negativity back. If you put good out, you receive good back. Your day depends on how you choose to view the world. Your life depends on how you choose to live it. There are going to be ups and downs in every persons life. But, are you going to dwell on the less than perfect moments and let them take control of your emotions? Or are you going to learn from them, call it experience, and move on to make this day brighter? (If you want to learn more about that, talk to my mom. She's always joyful. No matter the situation, she is humming, optimistic, joyful)
I say this because I have lived on both sides and viewed the world and my days in both lights. Growing up and being abused on a regular basis by a figure that is supposed to love and care for you can really screw with the mentality of a child. By my teen years, I was diagnosed with major depression, an anxiety disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. I had (and still have) the ability to dissociate myself from any situation; I can literally turn my feelings off like a light switch and make myself go numb. I was labeled. I thought I was supposed to live my life based on these labels that someone who went through medical school gave me. It dimmed my vision. It dimmed my view on the world. It dimmed my view of myself. Here I was, an impressionable teen, with these labels of inferiority stuck to me with no hope of removing them. That's how I felt, at least. And if that's how I felt, then I thought that's how I should look. I felt inferior to the world, and should then look inferior to the world. So I ate. And the world darkened. And rock bottom became uncomforably comfortable. And I began to give up.
Rock bottom was quite possibly one of the best things that I could've experienced. Finally making that leap to better myself and begin to write a new life story is the absolute best thing that could've happened to me. If I didn't hit that rock bottom, I wouldn't have seen the light of hope in the future. Martin Luther King Jr said in on of his speeches, "only when it is dark enough can you see the stars." I first read that speech of his when I first hit rock bottom, and I can tell you that it is 100% true. I had to be in the darkest part of my life to be able to see any light that was available to me.
These days are much better. There are times where I still struggle. Depression is a fickle friend. But I no longer let my past define me. I cannot let any labels a doctor put on me define who I am as a person. I am uniquely me. Things happened in my past. They are experiences. I learn from them, I can't lean on them. Only I can make those experiences a lesson learned with a positive outcome. Only I can make the choice to not dwell on the past or any downfall I have. Only I can make the choice to be happy today...IN THIS MOMENT. I choose to have a good day. No one else can change that.
When I woke up this morning, I thought, "I'm going to have a good day today" (I even do that whole talking to myself in the mirror thing on occasion, I will admit). Then my phone rang at 7am with a call from a friend, which was very nice. Then I had good conversation with several people at the coffee shop. After that, 4 different strangers I walked past on my way to work this morning smiled and said good morning. Then, I ran into someone I haven't seen in a little while and had a nice conversation with him. It was a great morning! And, I am looking forward to a good yoga class tonight, and then making an awesome dinner. I woke up and told myself AND BELIEVED that I would have a good day, and that positivity came back to me as a good morning. I wholeheartedly believe that positivity attracts positivity. Your negative thoughts will attract more negativity toward you. If you're positive and BELIEVE the positivity, then more positivity will be attracted to you. I remind myself of this everyday. Sometimes, it's a struggle...but I haven't been happier than I have been these past 3 months (working out really helps with that, too, I know).
Try is sometime. I dare you ;) One week. For one week, wake up and tell yourself that it will be a good day....and believe it. For one week, focus on the light in people and in your environment. For one week, don't focus on the past or the future, just focus on one day at a time. For one week, speak joy and hope into the world and your surroundings. For one week, commit one act of random kindness per day. For one week, don't allow any negativity that may be in the world affect your view. If you live with a negative person, don't let their negative life choices cause any ill-effects on you. A wise man (and dear friend) once said two words that literally changed my life view: be unoffendable. For one week, be unoffendable. For one week.
Chances are, after that week, you won't want to have a negative attitude again.
To all of you, I wish you a good day and will end with this, by one of my favorite childhood authors:
How many slams on an old screen door?
Depends how loud you shut it.
How many slices in a bread?
Depends how thin you cut it.
How much good inside a day?
Depends how good you live 'em.
How much love inside a friend?
Depends how much you give 'em.
-- Shel Silverstein
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