Sometimes, it surprises me to hear people think I'm a positive person. Mostly because I know what a negative creep I can be. Whenever I get to feeling all angsty I start to spin things in my head, taking things the worst possible way and jumping to negative conclusions. I know I'm not alone in this. I know it's why many of us take things personally when in truth, most things aren't about us at all.
I also think that once we get in a funk of a mindset, it's easy to forget all the good things about people and all the nice things they do and instead shift our attention on nitpicking the particulars ... which, if you don't already know, does more harm than good.
I am blessed with some amazing people in my life and want to spend my energy focusing on those blessings and the happiness they bring. It'll be nice to be a click away from remembering the good and thoughtful things when I'm tempted to be a negative creep. Meanwhile, I'm working on learning from Sam and jumping to positive conclusions and taking things the best possible way. I have a lifetime of "waiting for the other shoe to drop" to overcome, but I think shifting my focus, consciously, will help.
Just thinking about doing this brought up all these thoughtful things people have done but since I have just a few minutes before I pick Sam up from school I'll do the very most recent: an email from my friend April to confirm our lunch date tomorrow AND because she knows I'm stressed meeting this deadline she offered to bring lunch for the kids and for us as well as make a Trader Joe's run for me.
The old "oh-no, I can do it all myself" me would've politely declined the offer and then stressed over the details of what to make for lunch - (really? It's just food!) but now, I'm all over it. And so thankful for her thoughtfulness!
Thank you, April! xo
p.s. here's a free tip from my counseling days ... you wouldn't believe how much it cost me to learn this! Here ya go, on me ... TRUST that people say what they mean and, in turn, mean what you say! For some this is so obvious, for me it was another major breakthrough in becoming my favorite self.
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