Life is Good: A Practice of Positivity

Life is good, and so are people. At least, most of them are, most of the time. But the past few weeks have been pretty brutal. As the election season went into overdrive, I was overwhelmed with the negativity associated with it. People just didn’t seem happy, and they weren’t being very nice to each other. As a matter of fact, some of them were downright nasty. The tsunami of negativity swirling around me threatened to sweep me away, never to be heard from again.   

Everywhere I went, people were either trying to draw me into a political conversation, or making snide remarks about both candidates and what they stood for. My attempts to change the subject didn’t work. So, when someone pressed me for my “honest” and candid opinion, I gave it. I was rewarded with verbal attacks on me and my character. Once it even earned me a glass of wine thrown at my face. Fortunately, I was able to get out of the line of fire in time, thanks to my outstanding ninja skills. But it sure was a waste of good wine as well as a wake up call. Perhaps when someone asked me for my honest opinion, they honestly didn’t want it unless it mirrored theirs.    

Time for a change.

It was time for me to come up with a new strategy. After all, one of the many things I learned in my Feldenkrais training is that there is always more than one option. Obviously my first two didn’t work, so I had to come up with another tactic, and I did. The next time someone tried to pull me into a political conversation, I simply nodded my head, kept my mouth shut, and tried to look intelligent as I followed their monologue. It appeared that I was intently following their conversation and carefully considering every word. But in reality I was mentally writing my grocery list for the following week. This technique worked so well that I progressed to creating a menu for the week, too. As a result, I came up with some fabulous new recipes to try.

As an additional distraction, I decided to make a practice of every positive encounter I experienced over the course of the next seven days. And what a revealing and uplifting practice it was! It reinforced my affirmation that life, indeed, is good. And so are people. At least most of them are, most of the time. Here is just a sample from the first day in my seven day diary of positivity.           

Day One and a life well-lived. 

I started the day with a fantastic session with two of my favorite clients. Awww, who am I kidding, all of my clients are special, and really terrific. After work I decided to treat myself to a manicure, and what a treat it was! I was fortunate to sit next to a delightful lady and had a wonderful conversation. She was 91 years young, and full of life, energy, and vitality. My kind of woman! She was a widow, and her husband had been a survivor of Pearl Harbor.

Once she started talking she just couldn’t stop. She shared many stories of her husband, her family, and their life together as well as his struggles from dealing with his experience in Pearl Harbor. It was fascinating, and the more stories she told me, the more questions I asked. to hear. 

What impressed me the most was her attitude. Although she and her family experienced a lot of difficult times, she never lost her positive outlook and happy disposition. I know that happiness is a choice, and so is positivity. Once my new found friend’s nails were dry, she bade me farewell and hopped into her snappy little sports car to drive home. I still smile when I think of her, and the affirmation that life, indeed, is good. And so are people. Sometimes we just need a little reminder. 

And to think, all of this positive energy flowed from just the first day, and there is still more yet to come. Until then, please share some of your positive stories with me and my readers. It’s always great to hear good news!