Anything Positive?

Yesterday as I was doing laundry, a lady came into the laundry room. (I live in an apartment building with the laundry room on the 4th floor.) During the course of our conversation, the subject of pain came up. It usually does since I use crutches. Come to find out this lady also suffers from back pain. During our conversation, I mentioned my philosophy, "Create a positive day!". In so many words, she didn't believe it is possible to find something positive EACH day.

Can you REALLY find something positive EACH day? I say YES, YES, YES!!! But it's UP TO YOU! I can't make you see the positive, and neither can anyone else. I can share the positives I experience, but it's up to you to enjoy them with me, and find your own. 

"I just can't be positive. I'm negative by nature." That's just plain HOGWASH! Being negative or positive is a choice. If you want to be negative, you will be. If you want to be positive, you will be. You can change a negative to a positive.... by just doing it. The choice is yours. 

Steps to be Positive

1. Make the choice to be positive. 

2. Look around you. Find 1 thing which you can be positive about.
(And don't say there isn't anything!!).
 It could be that you have internet access.
Maybe the sun is shining.
Or you are enjoying a cup of tea/coffee.
Find 1 thing. 

3. Now, you are on your way...continue LOOKING for the positive.
The more you LOOK for it, the more you will find!!!

Okay, some of you are thinking, I have internet, but it's not fast enough. Or it's raining here. Or my tea/coffee is cold. HELLO, those are NEGATIVE. Let's look at those examples. 

1. Internet. If you aren't satisfied with your internet speed, is there anything you can do about it. If not, be thankful you have internet...it at any speed. Just because the TV commercials say you need the "extra super duper out of this world speed"...you really don't. While you wait for something to load.... look around for a few positive things!

2. Weather. It's either too sunny, too wet, too cold, too hot. You can do something about each one! Too sunny, wear sunglasses, or a hat. Shut your blinds or curtains. Too wet; wear a raincoat, or use umbrella. Or change your perspective: Rain is Liquid Sunshine! Plants can't grow without both sunshine and rain! Too cold/hot: Put on sweater. Turn on a fan.

3. Drink. Too cold, warm it up. Too hot, put an ice cube in it.  

Each of these examples have one thing in common: Contentment. It's that simple. When we are content, we happier and have a more positive outlook. I live with chronic pain. Not an "ouch" pain... an screaming, unrelenting, intense pain. Am I content? Yes, even in my pain. How? Why? Let me get one thing straight, I'd love for my pain to be less. But I can be content regardless of my pain, because I know 1. God is in control. 2. My Doctors and I have done what we can do lower the pain level. 3. That there is more to life than just pain. 4. If I'm not content, I miss too many blessings! 

Create a positive day is vital to my contentment. When I create a positive day, my focus is on the positive things, not my pain. When I choose to focus on my pain, I'm creating a negative day. I have a choice. And I'd much rather choose to find the positive each day. And yes, it is possible.