I have a Facebook account. The same account I've had for probably 10 years. I really keep it to stay in touch with family, since mine are spread all over the United States, and old friends. Once in awhile I gain a new friend and they get added to the mix. Do I talk to all of them? No. Some of them I haven't seen in years. Some of them I've never even met in person. But I like them and what they have to say, and what they contribute to my life so I keep them. If I don't then they probably aren't my friends anymore. I really try to avoid negative energy.
In the last few months I have made it a daily habit to post as many positive things as possible. They help me keep pushing forward even though sometimes I'd rather just climb back in bed. As I mentioned before, I have been told by some people that I post too much on Facebook which is why I write on my blog so much now. Where else am I going to empty the thoughts in my head? It's my virtual diary. I share positive things that slide through my feed on Facebook to encourage others to have a brighter day. I know what struggles a lot of my friends are going through, and suspect struggles on those who do not mention it. I have had some of my friends tell me that they appreciate my positive posts so I know I'm doing the right thing.
SO, my helpful post, as part of the Blog Challenge, is a few positive messages that have touched my heart and helped me when I needed it most.
Every morning I try to start the day on a happy note. Reading through positive quotes on Facebook is one of the ways I do it (avoiding the icky). It's my morning "newspaper." I don't just jump out of bed right away either (unless the dog is insistent on it). I wake up slowly, perusing through my mail, Facebook, the dumb dating sites, and I play a couple of games of Dice With Friends. This is my wake up time and it usually starts at 8:30am. The slow rising time also gives me time to think about the experiences I had the day before and to delete from my mind those that might have upset me a little. I think about those things that made me smile and laugh, and who I might have also helped to smile and laugh. By the time I'm up and getting my breakfast together, I am ready to start the day. If the sun is out, and sometimes even when it's not, I sit out on my porch in my little lawn chair and drink my morning caffeine. It is there with the dog that I listen to the birds, look at the trees and my rose bushes, and just "chill," listening to my thoughts, breathing in the gratitude deeply. I used to hate working afternoons at my job because it ate up so much of the day. Lately I've been enjoying these slow, conscious mornings. Sometimes my son will wake up early (rarely) and he'll come out and join me, and there we will chat about his experiences and bond for the day. Beginning my day this way is more "sparkly" than jumping out of bed and rushing through the day. I find that I enjoy my day and my job more.
This one says it all. "Just breathe." I know I personally forget to breathe. I come from a family of women who breathe shallowly. If you hear me suddenly let out a sigh, it's not because I'm tired or annoyed. It's because I have forgotten to breathe and suddenly I'm remembering. I sometimes rush throughout the day helping guests at my hotel job, helping customers at my craft store job, teaching a painting or drawing class, doing homework, running errands, cleaning the house, take care of the dog...GASP! I forgot to stop, listen to my heart, count my blessings, and. Just. Breathe.
I love this one especially. I like to believe that this is me. That this was written about me. I've been through a lot of trials, errors, and experiences but I feel like those have helped me grow into the more happy, loving person I am today. I have learned from them. I have learned that I want to be happy. I have learned what I don't want to be anymore. I was tired of being angry. My boss told me a while back, "We love the cheerful, peppy Sheri. We don't want the old cranky Sheri to come back." I had kind of left my hotel job back in May to work as a manager of a sandwich shop. I technically went on "pool status" which means that they call me when they need me. When I left the sandwich manager job (because my boss was toxic), I needed a full time job again. I went back to my manager at my hotel job and asked them if I could have my job back. That was his reply. Old cranky Sheri was not welcome. He said that even if I wasn't rude to guests, my mood was toxic to my co-workers. What a wake-up call. I wasn't in a bad mood every day but it was enough for them to almost not take me back. Is that the person I want to be?
I have figured out that happy people aren't just happy on the outside. I can fake being happy. Sometimes I do. It's just the nice thing to do. But I'd prefer to be happy in every inch of my body. In "Eat, Pray, Love," Katut asks Liz if she is happy, even in her liver. I want to be happy even in my liver. It's amazing how that affects other people. They notice you more. They notice your smile. The sparkle in your eyes. They want to talk to you, they are drawn to you. AND, BONUS HERE: You have made them happy. You might even have made their day. Can you believe that you have that much affect on another person!? The power you and I have over another conscious being. It's amazing.
You can fake a smile but it doesn't go all the way up into your eyes. We earned those smile lines, ladies. I have been so happy lately, even into my liver, that I have actual smile creases around my mouth. Seriously! I'm so proud of all of the lines on my face that have been brought on by smiling! Because before, I had creases between my eyes from anger, and frown lines on my face from being sad.
What do you want to project to others? That you are crabby, angry, rude, hateful, mean, blah blah blah? Is that the power you want to pass on to other people?
OR do you want to use your power for good? With great power comes great responsibility. How are you going to use YOUR power?
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