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 . . .
