Stay Positive

 I am participating in #SOL19. Thanks to the twowritingteachersblog     team for hosting this wonderful event!

 

The ultimate source of happiness is within us. Not money, not power, not status…
We must look inside.  ~Dalai Lama

The internal dialogue we often have with ourselves is sometimes “I need to…” and “I can’t…” or “I won’t be able to…” rather than thinking about a positive way to approach a choice you are making. At first, it may feel like a very conscious, almost forced choice you are making; but with time, it  will feel more natural.

Of course, every day we have many choices to make. We can react mindfully, rather than instinctively, to life events. Reflecting on the choices we are making, we might ask this question: Do my choices and values align? Why or why not?

Recognizing our choices can give us much more control over where we are headed in both big and small ways. There are possibilities everywhere.  One of the best books I’ve read on productivity and managing your life is the book titled Fish: A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results. I took away many treasures from this book, but perhaps one of the most important mantras was the idea that every morning when we wake up, we may not be able to control everything about the day’s demands and events, but we can choose our attitude.  How empowering it is to wake up with that idea firmly planted in my mind!

Sometimes, staying positive only requires a favorite memory and the good feelings we associate with that memory. It can be a long-ago memory about reading a favorite book all by yourself or with your mom (Mom and I always had our own copy of every Nancy Drew book so we could both read each new mystery at the same time!), or it can be a recent memory like watching the snow change your backyard to a winter wonderland or celebrating a birthday with family and friends.

Fred Rogers once said, “If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet… there is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.” 

Think of all the positive gifts you can leave today just by being YOU!