About a year ago as I strolled around town stopping at various places: the Post Office, a local health food store, a grocery store, the high school to drop of a letter of recommendation, the bank and a few other local spots, I began to look at people's expressions...no smiles, no upbeat prancing, no laughing, giggling, singing, humming or happiness or if they were happy no one was showing it except for one man who smiled and said,"Hi, how are you doin' today?" I thought to myself; Where's that happy to be alive attitude, time to smell the flowers wisdom, dance like no one is watching attitude...where was it? It was buried deep down in the hecticness of life. I am a firm believer that the diamonds you look for are usually right in your own backyard (Russell Conwell Acres of Diamonds) Everything you need to be positive and happy is in your own mind or right in your own life. When a door seems closed, usually another opens when you least expect it.
So, after the crazy hectic day I had yesterday...a bank overdraft...not one, but two, and an encounter with a crazy person, where I became the example for everyone, a computer brain lapse, where I could not remember how to use a PC because I am so accustomed to MAC, my grandson going to the ER for a knee injury and all the other everyday dilemmas that occur in one's life...BTW I am retired and life is supposed to be all relaxation, calmness, bliss, daydreaming, ahhhh the retired life...NOT YESTERDAY!!
Ok so...I am going to share just one short story from yesterday...just so you see where I am going with this crazy day thing! I went to the bank quickly before I was helping a friend give a workshop to the district from which I retired, and the teller stated that my account was overdrawn..."What I replied...wait Say what?" He repeated your account is overdrawn and again I am like..."Wait there was money in there yesterday!" Now you have to understand that this account is a small account that has been compromised at least 5 times...no exaggeration...at least 5 times in the past 3 years...I mean the teller at the bank sees me waiting in a chair to chat to someone laughs and says "Oh no not again!" So, as a result, I don't keep a lot of money in this account for that reason. So, I was shocked because I knew exactly how much money was there and exactly what I had spent. So I smiled calmly, made a joke of it and said...okay...let's see what happened this time!! As he checked through my transactions, he said, Did you go to yadda yadda restaurant the other day?" I replied, "Yes, it was $21.00 including the tip...$17.00 plus a $4.00 tip!" He smiled calmly and said, "Well, according to this statement you spent $417.00 there and you have $70.00 worth of overdraft fees!" "Whaaaaaat? OMG are you kidding me?" Long story short...we transferred money from one account to another and all was fine with the bank...this time round. However, I still needed to get my money back so I took a chance at calling the restaurant explaining my dilemma and the owner looked back into his transactions, explained that they put the tips and transactions into the credit card companies by hand and accidentally added too many zeros on the tip!!! So instead of a $4.00 tip...The sweet waitress gave herself a $400.00 tip...by mistake...??? I stayed calm, positive laughing here and there fuming on the inside, panic attack mode, ready to explode...but I stayed in control...things could be worse....it is not a life or death situation....it is only money...NBD (no big deal). The owner explained he would refund all my money including my lunch and he would also take care of my next meal at his establishment. ( I never went back and if I do I am paying CASH!!) Okay money problem solved...but I still had to explain this whole bizarre situation to my husband...OH NO! That is another story for another time.
So, here is what I needed to remember and felt it was worth repeating in my post... I call it Mimi's Mini List of Ways to Stay Positive Everyday.
1.
Count your blessings and there are many. Everyday before you go to work or get your day going, think of 4 things you are happy about. It can be a small as I woke up this morning and am able to enjoy this beautiful day! Maybe for me it might be my bank account has some money in it and no one stole my bank card number!
2.
Look for the positive in everyone you encounter and give them a smile and a kind word. A smile and a kind word can go a long way and you never know just how important that smile may be to the person who noticed it...show those pearly whites!
3.
Find something positive in what life's journey brings everyday. Even a negative situation can have a positive twist. My dad was an extremely fast paced type "A" personality kind of guy. He never stayed in the same spot for more than 5 minutes and in fact, if he had something to deliver to my house, he would beep the horn and toss it on the lawn...no joke! At age 66 he had a stroke, this negative situation was turned quickly into a positive. He was not able to pick up and move around too much after this unfortunate situation, but I got to know him better than ever because he could only sit in his wheelchair and talk. Sitting and chatting in his living room created some the fondest memories I have of him. He expressed his feelings and I really began to develop a friendship with my dad that may not have happened if it were not for this illness.
4.
Don't take anything personal. If someone snaps at you and you respond in a negative way then you will feel that negativity long after the incident, but if you respond with a smile and kind words...you will spread positiveness and maybe even make a friend.
I know these ideas seem simplistic, but....why not give it a try? You may just change the way you think and...According to Aristotle: Happiness depends upon ourselves. Be positive...think positive...stay positive...you have nothing to lose!
So, today I look back on yesterday smile in the mirror and say,"Today is a new day...a chance to turn negative situations into positive memories that I will laugh about, tell stories about and smile about later!" ENJOY your day and share your story in the comments if you would like!
I just found this article today that piggybacks off of my post...It is definitely worth reading!
Want to be Happier? ENJOY and think one positive thought everyday!
