Thank you Sweet Tea - read her blog on the subject.
I have always believed - well not always - but I've come to first learn and then chose to believe that life is about choices. We have the responsibility for each and every choice we make. We chose Jesus or no Jesus. We chose our friends. We chose how we treat them. We chose to be honest or not. We chose to follow our word or not. We chose who we put first and who we put last.
For better or worse our life and what we do with it is OUR RESPONSIBILITY AND NO ONE ELSE'S.
How we treat OUR SELVES is a choice too. (Now there are illnesses that may prevent this, but that is an exception to the rule - and for that you may need doctors, medicine, and therapy and then you can go forward). We may think that we have no choice - and give excuses and and buts, however that is avoidance of the truth - of the fact that the ultimate choice is ours.
I find people in one of four categories.
1. People are basically centered and know they have choices. Rare
2. People are given choices and they avoid.
3. People are given choices and they run.
4. People are given choices and while they don't know how to chose - they stay and find out - through hard work and struggles.
Thought their struggles they can become one of two ways:
1. Bitter
2. Better
That is my theory of life. There was a time I didn't believe this way - it seems like a lifetime ago now. I've learned living life happy or sad - is now my choice.
Some things I've done to help me change:
I could have listened to toxic people - read or listen to negative news all the time and moan and groan woe is me - the sky is falling or I could DELIBERATELY PUT JOY AND HAPPINESS in my life. It is WORK and takes TIME - a lot of time, but it does work! I am living proof.
I've kept a grateful journal now for some 15+ years. I always write five things a day down that I am grateful for - this changed my life.
A secret game I play is Pollyanna - ever hear about that game? In the movie Pollyanna played the Glad game - in the mist of a bunch of sourpusses she could take any negative they could dish out and think of a positive. By the end of the movie everyone loved her and played the game with her.
I keep a list of people to call and things to do when in need.
I used to read the encyclopedias and I did read a few in the encyclopedia days! Now I keep a list of things I want to check up on the Internet when I have time. Keep a to do list for things you want to do.
I would watch I Love Lucy and Everyone Loves Raymond.
I'd read funny books.
Basically I'd keep my mind busy.
I started helping others and that made me even better.
Groups, Bibles, new grocery stores, new foods, just kept my mind busy.
Now I feel happy. INSIDE. Not all the time, but more times then not. I have lots of times of stress, frustration, anger, confusion, and sadness - yes I do. I try to deal with it - think about it - and even talk the matter over with someone. Thank God for my sister. That's a whole other miracle story). Anyway - I deal with it - I do the necessary grief work - then I go forward - deliberately even if I don't feel like it - because my feelings will follow.
And if I can help just one person with my blog then I'm even more happy.
Do I ever cry - yes, but down deep - where I know who I am - I'm funny, happy, adventurous, and content. And I thank God for that, because I know . . . PART TWO TOMORROW!
FIND YOUR HAPPINESS AND HUMOR - IT'S FUN!
What do you do to find your humor?
If this doesn't make you smile . . .
34 comments:
oh, the video was too cute!
and yes, why does it take us SO long to realize that every day's attitude is a choice? why do we have to spend years wallowing in self-pity or anger or resentment before we realize we alone have the power to change that? :)
LOVED EVERYTHING about this post! I am going to practice the Pollyanna idea with negative people. I strive to be positive at all times, sure I have my moments but I know life is good and God is good. YOUR daily posts add a lot to my life!
Love to you! Carol
YEP!...we all got 'em,we all have had 'em...sometimes we've made the wrong ones{CHOICES}!
Now if we've learned from 'em that's all that counts.
GOSH after the Nnnnnnmmmmm!I need a snack!!!!
Have a great weekend!
~JO
LazyonLoblolly
As always, love your posts; and yes, your positive posts definitely help me to see things in proper perspective, so thank you!.. LOVE the num-num video!! Have a great weekend! ~tina
Great post! I try to be positive each and every day. I don't always succeed but more often then not I do. Humor helps and just finding the joy each day! love you! Linda
I loved the post and from the few comments to it one can gather you attract like minded people to you. I do find that positive energy draws in positive energy and repels negative energy. Thankfully those of us choosing to be positive in life seem to learn from life's lessons.
Thanks for a thought provoking post!
Hugs~
Thanks so much for this Chatty. Thanks for the reminder that happiness is something that has to be worked at. So many people are just too lazy to work at anything, let alone their own happiness or others. You are inspiring.
That video was so cute and funny...nom nom nom!
I so much agree with you that we do have choices in life. And I think we all have made the wrong choices at times - but that is how we grow, right?!
I have stopped reading/listening to the news - I don't need all that negativity. No matter how hard things get - it's always good to try to have a positive attitude - and kind of "push" through things. There's never any shortcuts in life, I'm afraid.
Live * Laugh * Love!
Have a lovely Saturday my friend!
Interesting, and true. We are a lot alike! It is so true that if we tell ourselves positive things long enough, we can kind of re-condition our brain and really believe that way! I just know that life is NOT all about me, and want to help as many people as I can and do my little part before I go.
Hi Sandie....Great post. LOVED it. Can't wait for Part 11. Have a splendid Saturday. Susan
Great post for us again today, Chatty my friend. Yes, we do have choices, and the older I get (!), the more I realize that life really is too short to choose to be miserable or downhearted. Every day I could all my blessings, and realize just how fortunate I am. Obviously, we all have days when we feel low, but positive thinking really does work, AND not mixing with negative people, or people who always find something to moan about. That can be so debilitating to us. Hugs.
I love your attitude...and absolutely love this post! It is so full of truths and good things. Choices was one of the best.
Keep it up!
The upbeat attitude of most all bloggers is what I like about the bloging world. You don't see this in the real world...everywhere you turn there are negative people because life is so stressful for them.....to bad they don't know about bloggers isn't it...where everyone strives to be positive...I love positive. Trish
I have only learned this through Joyce Meyer in the last year. I didn't know happiness could be a choice and I didn't know how to control my depressed feelings. She taught me how and I am so glad. I love everything you said.
When I'm having a hard time I just look outside and think of how much I love where I am. Every single day I'm thankful for the beauty surrounding me. :-)
Great post, Sandie! And, so very true. We choose. Thank you for always being a good reminder of that. blessings ~ tanna
Ohhhhh---great post, Sandie.. I love posts which make me THINK... I guess we all make mistakes in our lives... I stayed in a rotten marriage for 20 yrs. I now have a fabulous marriage ---and realize NOW what life can be. I am running 100 miles an hour just trying to catch up with all of the joys in life.
I find my JOY in nature mostly... I don't read many cartoons or watch funny shows. I just look at a sunset or rainbow or a birdie ---and can tingle all over with JOY... That's ME!!!!
I love this post so much.. Thanks for making us THINK--while we laugh!!!
Hugs,
Betsy
Awesome post; so much to think about, thank you.
I'm usually a glass half or nearly full type of person, and work to be that way. But, I'm still (we all are) working on our grief from losing my grandson. We'll never be the same, but we're trying.
Haven't posted anything today, 'cause as you know there's a party over this way. LOL
God bless!!
Hello dear one! Lovely post, hope that you are keeping well. Will send you an email soon,
Jane
I read Sweet Tea's blog about it, Sandie; I liked it; thanks for linking it up with your thoughts about choice. You said some very good thought provoking things and you are right, if given the choice I rather be better than bitter (though these days I find myself drifting bitter towards people which I don't like, I'm going to have to follow what you did to get back on track again so to speak)
I look forward to part two tomorrow!
betty
Well for starters I read your blog! You always include something fun, inspirational and almost always I learn something I didn't know before. I try, try, try to not let the negative get me down and win, but some days it's so hard. I like your idea of a gratitude journal. One thing I've always been a big believer in is that if you need to feel better about yourself, do something nice for someone else - little things can make all the difference sometimes. Ann
Could there be such a thing as too much good?
Obviously you know what you're talking about. Nicely said.
I am drawn to Happy People - I need them to keep me balanced. I'm very thankful God has put these people in my life. Anger & bitterness cripple us but choosing joy, when at all possible, is they way I too, have chosen to live.
Looking forward to "Part 2" of this post from you.
I appreciate and agree with your thoughts. All the positive comments are just icing on the cake.
oh yes, we do think a lot alike! I try each and every day to CHOOSE happiness. No matter what is going on, there is good in each and every day!
thanks for following along!!!
I look forward to getting to know you better!
This is another example of the great posts you put here! I loved reading everything and watching the video. I like the Pollyanna attitude. It is something more people should practice. Hugs and Love Anne
those who are TOXIC
--- run from them,,,,
love
tweedles
num num num made me smile. great stuff here, and i beleive all of it, every word, do i always DO IT? no, but most of the time.
i find my humor and happiness in my husband and our dogs most of the time. we laugh together over their antics and often say to each other, if not for the dogs what would we laugh at.
a sense of humor is the best way to deal with daily life and sometimes the only way. that is the choice i make.
of course chronic pain changes the way we feel and has changed me a lot. pain changes things and makes it difficult to do what we know we should
Fabulous post. I think the key words for me here are "keeping my mind busy" If I don't too many things get me down. I have to fill my mind with the things that make me happy. When I have to deal with unpleasant things I tell myself "I'll just deal with whatever comes along in the best way possible"
Duke helps me a lot with my attitude too :)
Great post, Sandie! It's so true that we all have choices to make. Our attitude is so important. We need to keep a positive outlook. I enjoy coming here and seeing all the funny things you come up with. I'm sure you've heard of Chonda Pierce. She's a Christian and is so so funny. Cute video. :)
What a nice uplifting post. I used to write down 3 things each day that I was grateful for - then stopped doing it. Not because I wasn't grateful but just because I forgot. But this is such a good piece of advice. Thank you for reminding me.
Positive, thats the answer,
Praising God, for all things. xxx
Love Andy and Donald at the side > >
Humor is a wonderful gift - and yes, you're right, it's one we often have to consciously seek out.
I find humor with my friends - I love verbal bantering with them, being witty, and learning how to sometimes smile through our tears.
YOU make me smile on a regular basis - thanks for that.
xo
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