Essay 101: Believing that life is good

Watch your thoughts for they become words.
Watch your words for they become action.
Watch your actions for they become habits.
Watch your habits for they become character.
Watch your character for it becomes your life!

Life is good!
When was the last time you thought that?
When was the last time you said that?

If it’s been a while, imagine how thinking and saying those words right now might impact your life. How you might act differently. How you might carry yourself. How you might interact with your world and the people in it. How you might feel.

Imagine what could become of your life, if only you paid attention to all that is good around you.

My daughter is a champion at looking at the bright side of everything. Once, I removed the top row of storage cubes full of toys from her room because it was constantly a mess. I did it while she was playing outside. I waited for her to come back in, curious about what her reaction would be when she saw that her precious bunnies and bears had disappeared. She paused at the door and, almost instantly, her eyes lit up. She ran to hug me and exclaimed: “Thank you mommy! Now I can reach the top of my shelves!”. I stood there, dumbfounded, murmured a confounded “You’re welcome” and tried to process what had just happened.

I had been fuming inside as I put away all the toys. I had wanted to punish her for not being tidy. I had been bent on teaching her a lesson. I was the one who learned that day.
She taught me, once again, that perspective is everything; that what you focus on will determine how you react; that you can always find something good even when things appear bad. She hadn’t focused on the missing toys. She could touch the top shelf now and that, in her little mind, had given her instant “big girl” status. Could it get any cooler? She didn’t think so.

I don’t naturally lean towards delight but I try hard to channel my daughter’s buoyancy. Life’s simply nicer when you make light of things and don’t take everything so seriously. I’ve trained myself to look at my circumstances in a way that lifts me upwards instead of dragging me down. I don’t always succeed but I try and try again. Whenever I forget, it doesn’t take long for my daughter to do something that reminds me.
I watch and study her and exert great efforts to emulate what comes so naturally to her.
Her joy is a beautiful sight to behold and I want it too. I want to cultivate it and let it expand until it overtakes every inch of my mind, heart and soul.
It will require diligent work, patient work, but what else could be more important?

Life is not always easy, but Life IS good. What’s the point of living, if I am blind to this simple truth?

My eyes are wide open. I hope yours are too.

Three ways that have helped me focus on the good in my life:
1: Exercise.
Exercise is the foundation of my well-being. When I don’t exercise, everything else crumbles.

2: Cultivate an attitude of gratitude.
When I put my daughter to bed, I ask her to tell me three things for which she is grateful. I also have a small notebook near my bed in which I write what I am thankful for. No matter what happened that day, I can always find something to write. And last, but not least, every night, I write something nice about my husband in a special journal (I started this practice this year.)

3: Be a ruthless censor.
I am very conscious of the words I use for my internal dialog and to communicate with my spouse and child. I also strive hard to not criticize others. If I don’t have anything nice to say, I don’t say anything. ( I’m not a saint yet, so I still do think ill thoughts sometimes but I do my best not to empower them with words.)

4: Work your own magic.
Anytime I catch myself complaining, whether in my head or out loud, I reframe immediately. It’s like waving a magic wand that transforms my burdens into privileges. Anytime I start feeling sorry for myself, I think of others less fortunate than me. Anytime, I envy someone’s else’s blessings, I count mine.

I hope these tips help you just as they’ve helped me believe that Life is good.

Thank you for reading. Please “like” and share if you liked this essay.