Dance to the Music

Yesterday I saw (and shared) a cartoon on Facebook, which gave me the idea for this post. It read “If you want to eliminate stress, turn off the news and turn on the music.” Great advice!

Many years ago, I made a commitment to myself to be happy and I’m determined to do everything I can to honor that commitment. No matter what! So, if that means missing out on the latest plane crash, mass murder or other tragedy, so be it! Terrible things have always happened and, unfortunately, they probably always will. My knowing about them won’t change that but it could put a damper on my day and my spirit.

 I don’t want any unnecessary stress in my life. Like most people, I have enough challenges in my personal life, things that could and would steal my joy - if I let them. I don't need to take on any more.  None of us knows how long we’ll have on this earth and I want to make each day the best I can make it. Here are five things I do every day.

1.      I start each day with a prayer, thanking God for all my many blessings. I look out my window and thank Him for the beautiful world He created.

2.      Then, I turn on the radio to my favorite station. Some days I dance and other days I don't but the music definitely lifts my spirits.  

3.      Throughout the day, I do my best to see the good things and the good people around me ( I am blessed with a supportive family and good friends who are always there for me) because I’ve learned that, if we focus on the positive, we’ll attract good things and good people but, if we focus on the negative, well, you get my point. Some days are easier than others.

4.      When a negative thought comes to me, I do my best to replace it with a positive thought because I know that what I think will dictate how I feel. That includes finding humor, smiling and laughing, wherever and whenever I can and taking things one day at a time. 

5.      I read! I love a good mystery and, when I immerse myself in the world of the fictional characters, my problems and the world’s problems disappear, at least temporarily.

If we want to be happy, each of us has to do whatever it takes to be (and stay) positive and we each have our own way of doing that.  What works best for you?

In my little corner of the world

I was talking with a friend the other day and she made the comment, “It’s hard to stay positive with all the negativity in the world.” She went on to say that she watches the news every morning to stay abreast of current events. I think that’s admirable. But it’s not for me.

I seldom watch the news but, every morning when I turn on my computer, the big stories of the day flash across my screen. I can decide whether or not to read them. Then, I sign in to Facebook and I’m inundated with what’s currently going on in the world. I can scroll past those posts or choose to read them. With few exceptions, I ignore all of the above.

Why? Because I think my friend’s statement is absolutely true and I don’t want any unnecessary negativity in my life. Like most people, I have enough challenges in my little corner of the world, things that could and would steal my joy - if I let them. I don't need to take on any more. Too much negativity affects my writing productivity. A happy writer is a productive writer. At least in my case.

Many years ago, I made a commitment to myself to be happy and I’m determined to do everything I can to honor that commitment. If that means missing out on the latest plane crash, mass murder or other tragedy so be it! Terrible things have always happened and, unfortunately, they probably always will. My knowing about them won’t change that but it could put a damper on my day and my spirit.

Each of us has to do whatever it takes to stay positive. What works best for you?