Thursday, April 7, 2011

Counting the Good

I was reminded yesterday that if we celebrated happiness the way we do unhappiness, our lives would be much richer indeed.  This conversation came not long after a pretty bad couple of weeks.  It wasn't that one truly bad thing happened; no, it was one of those times when one thing seems to happen after another.  When you feel like you can't take one more thing, and then something else comes up.  Your refrain becomes "seriously?", and it feels like you will never escape.

After the fact, I tend to realize that part of the problem is my own reaction to stress.  After a few stressful events, it's like I start looking for more.  I get tunnel vision and only see the bad.  I think I could win the lottery during one of those weeks and only be able to think "Oh no, taxes!"    

So why are the opposite types of weeks so rare?  I don't seem to get tunnel vision for the awesome times nearly as often, though good things certainly happen in my life.  I suppose you could say that it is partially where I am on the pessimist v. optimist spectrum, but I refuse to accept that.  I'm not going to let myself stand in the way of my own happiness. 

As my friend suggested, I think I need to work on counting happy events as strongly as the negative ones.  Though this is not entirely natural to my disposition, I am not such a pessimist that I can't reverse my thinking.  I used to be an extreme pessimist; I was emo as a teen before emo was cool, but I've worked myself to the middle ground.  Now, it is just a matter of bumping myself a little farther along on the optimist side.

So let me start by saying that it has been an excellent week so far.  Kira has been extremely happy, and I've been in a good mood.  My family and friends are all safe from the storms that came through on Monday, and we didn't have any storm damage.  Ben had a good birthday dinner Tuesday night, and Kira was good the entire two hours at the restaurant.

What about you?  What good things have happened for you this week?

5 comments:

  1. Good things this week:

    1. I got to see friends and celebrate Ben's birthday with him (which was also the day after Sarah's and day before Lindsey's)
    2. My home is safe and undamaged
    3. I have plenty of tasty food to feed us
    4. My daughter is safe and healthy and showing me what a wonderful young adult she's become.
    5. I have a great support network in person and online.

    Speaking of which, on Ravelry, you should come to the forums for Bubbo's Pants. It's great people; you'd like them, and there are threads in there for just this very thing, like

    The Thing That is Awesome is:
    and
    Three Things Good and True:
    and even
    Today I Did: (to allow us all to focus on our accomplishments instead of beating ourselves up over whatever didn't get done.

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  2. I'm often reminded I focus on the negative more than the positive. We're all healthy today :) Thanks for the follow. Following you back.
    Debbie from nofiltermom.blogspot.com

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  3. This week has unfortunately been full of a sick kid. But I have been able to get to know a great new friend this week. Thanks for the follow. I am following you back now!

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  4. Great post! I'm in the middle of a long weight loss journey and sprained my ankle today so working out won't be happening for a while. Instead of being completely bummed I need to look at all the great things in life! Thanks for helping change my mindset.

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  5. Great writing!!!
    Thanks for following my blog! I'm now following you back :) Hope to see you again soon!

    Thanks...Misty
    Misty's Thoughts Too

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