At this time of year, most people are trying their best to be happy, feel the season of good will and all that. Other people still struggle to plug into that feeling, and it’s not necessarily even a seasonal thing they just struggle to feel good, maybe even smile.
I often wonder why people seem reluctant to smile these days. It costs nothing to smile. Yet it carries such powerful effects, so come on people let’s start looking a bit happier.
This article is all about this and about having a more positive outlook on life which will bring positive results.
A male acquaintance told me this story not long ago:
‘’I am somebody who used to, not always, but definitely far too much, think in a negative way, I have now managed to stop this, and my life has improved no end.
I now like to be around positive people, as these people tend to be more happy, emotionally stable, and in a lot of cases more successful, however you want to define that. In my opinion there are too many people who are always moaning and groaning and are seemingly depressed.
Growing up I had many things to be negative about, I had a stutter, I have a bald patch, I was overweight and am also quite short for a male at five foot four. I was one of the ones who walked around in a depressed state and I used to feel sorry for myself. Even when I write about it now, I laugh about how stupid I used to be.
I realised early into my twenties that I needed to change my approach to life. I was quite fortunate in that I had a friend at the company I worked for, who was to prove an inspiration to me. Her name was Lisa. Lisa did not have a lot going for her. I won’t go into details but let’s just say even with the problems I felt I had; I was not jealous of her. I became quite good friends with Lisa, and we would regularly have lunch together. I would meet her in the canteen at 1pm and would be waiting in my gloomy state of mind, with my gloomy face, for her to arrive. Arrive she certainly did, always with a beaming smile on her face.
This always amazed me, as I personally could never understand what she had to be happy about. We would sit down and talk whilst eating our lunch and she never had a negative word to say.
When she talked, she talked with passion, about her work and interests. One day it dawned on me, if Lisa(who from what I knew of him, seemingly has nothing going for him) can always be positive, happy and smiling, why can’t I?
Now of course, even the way I looked at others was negative. That was my mindset back then and clearly, I was entirely wrong to think that way. Lisa was quite clearly amazing and now, I see that looking back. I was the only one with nothing going for me, until I changed, because of her. Without her even knowing really. She was the gift I needed and far from being a nothing, she gave me back my life.
This was the beginning of my new outlook on life. An era of being positive, appreciating what I have got and more than anything else, plenty of smiles. I now am happy with my weight, height, bald patch and am proud to say I have now overcome my stutter.
So, to pay it forward I now do all I can to show that anything is possible, and it can all start with a simple smileJ
So, come on wonderful people let’s get smiling, you never know whose life might change because of it, starting with yours!
I am sure you are now smiling at this story and that is a great place to start, by being inspired, now go and inspire someone else!
Love & Light,
Ronah