I’m trying something new these days, along the lines of acknowledging things for which I’m thankful.
I like to think of myself as a positive, optimistic, glass-half-full kind of gal. But, honestly, I have a Grumpy Gus living in my head. And his favorite activity is to see how quickly he can get me to spiral out of control and into the negative. He’s kind of a jerk that way.
Hey, Gus. Shut up, man. No one wants you here.
Enter The Upside. I’m spinning myself back into the positive. Good attracts good, bad attracts bad, and all that jazz, right? I get to choose my thoughts. I’m in charge here.
So, when Gus starts to shove me down that negative path, I use The Upside to catch myself and turn my thoughts around to find the good.
When I think, “Poor me. My kids have been sick for nearly three consecutive weeks.”
The Upside jumps in and says, “You’re all getting plenty of rest. Your kids just have a nasty virus. But they also have good medical care. This is just temporary. They will get well.”
When I think, “We’re stuck at home. I can’t take this any more.”
The Upside says, “At least you have a home. A nice one. And because you’ve been home, it’s clean. And the laundry is done. Score!”
And when I think, “We’re missing out on summer.”
The Upside says, “But you’re not rushing around, getting exhausted with too many commitments. You’re cuddling your kids and reminding them how much you love them by being present and helping them get well.”
Embracing The Upside is my small detour into the positive, but it’s helping. Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out, GUS.
While at first glance, meerkats appear to have nothing to do with this post, just know they make me smile. Which is what The Upside does. See? Totally related.
