Power of Positive Thinking

I was having lunch with a couple women friends the other day, and the topic of negativity came up.  We were discussing a new venture  idea for the Friends of the Ripley Library and how it was met with lukewarm enthusiasm at best.  I'm a go-get-'em kinda gal myself. When I have an idea, I want to act on it immediately.  So the lack of interest in this new project made me feel kind of down. But like my friend said, most people around here are negative at first.  You have to show them how it's going to work and how to get it done - THEN they jump on the bandwagon.

Do you know how hard it is to keep "your sunny side up" and remain positive amongst all this negativity?  It ain't easy my friend.  Sometimes I feel like I have a plastered smile on my face.  It's hard to stay positive when everyone around you is down.  But I do it!  And you know why?  Because I've been on the down-side of life.  I've looked at the world with a down and out attitude. I've been angry at everybody and everything. I've blamed everybody under the sun for my problems. And one day, it occurred to me how unhappy I was.  I didn't like myself very much and I decided I didn't want to be like that anymore.

Don't mistake me. I didn't change overnight. It took years to turn my attitude toward life around. I had an image of who I wanted to be and that's what I worked toward.  It came from a story my ex-husband used to tell about a great aunt of his, Nanny. 

Nanny came to this country from Germany, spoke hardly any English her entire life, but she devoted that life to raising her nieces and nephews while her sister worked. When those children grew, she helped raise her great nieces and nephews; and then cared for her aging mother and father. She devoted her life to caring for others; never marrying, never having children of her own. And she was always upbeat and positive. It was a decision she made every day, to look on the bright side of things, to make the most of everything that came her way. My husband told of taking her out for pie and coffee once a week, and no matter how bad the pie or how strong or weak the coffee, she would smack her lips and declare that she had never had better in her whole life.

I wanted to be like that; never complaining, always looking for the good. So I embarked on a campaign of positive thinking. I decided to ignore the negative things I saw. I decided to look for the good in everyone. I decided to forgive myself my shortcomings and faults and resolved to do better. I put little notes on my bathroom mirror, reminding myself that I was a worthwhile, valuable person. I stopped myself in mid-sentence when I started to say something negative. It's not easy to turn a sow's ear into a silk purse, but with perseverance it can be done!

I've learned to accept help and more importantly, I've learned to ask for help. As much as I'd like to think so, I can't do everything. My religious friends would say all things are possible with God. I prefer to believe God helps those who help themselves. If you want to wallow around in self-pity and misery, you certainly can, and God won't do a thing about it if you don't want help. I know people who don't want to be free of their depression or anxiety, because it's what they know and they know how to deal with it. Being any different is scary, because they don't know how to react to positive, good things.

If you want to change, however, it is possible through faith, hard work, and a positive attitude. I will start this new venture. I will be positive about its outcome. And those naysayers will hop on board eventually and it will be a wonderful thing.

Just you wait and see.