It seems like we are bombarded with tips on how to be grateful every single day. Whether it be through inspirational blog posts, or daily quotes you might be getting in your email, etc.
I am a big advocate for making the best of what you have (lemonade from lemons), and enjoying the little things in life. However…
Recently, I walked outside feeling down. The moment I saw the blue sky and the bright sun, I heard a voice in my head telling me to appreciate these and to be happy. Sometimes I listen to that (because I do not enjoy being miserable), but sometimes I do not (Anyone likes to brood sometimes?). This time around, however, I decided to forego either one of my moods and turn on my science/ observation/ analysis.
What I realized then was that BECAUSE I can easily pick up on beautiful things in life, I also easily pick up on the negative things around me. By fine-tuning myself for positivity, I also opened myself up for easy negativity.
If every little thing can be seen as valuable, every little thing can be seen as something useless and an obstacle.
It appears to me that I did not develop a radar for positivity. What I did was sharpen my senses and my awareness. It is a blessing and a curse. I can see a grain of sand as something magnificent, but I can also see a piece of asphalt as a building block of hell.
No, I do not want to deter you from searching for the positive sides of life. In the end, I do not regret becoming more appreciative and aware, but I did want to warn you that there might be side-effects to seeing sunshines and rainbows everywhere. You just might become more sensitive to the negative. And when you do, it will hurt that much more.
Thoughts?
Stay golden,
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I know I am horrible at comedy. Instead of reading what I write about, think of everything as a mirror instead of a window. Not trying to be crude. Maybe this post will allow you to see where I am coming from.
https://bottomlesscoffee007.com/2018/08/16/blessed-beyond-belief/
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A mirror? So you just called me fat and accused me of having a micropenis?
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Basically
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GASP!
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Nothing Personal!!!!
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Too late. I am already morbidly offended!!!!
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Ha
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You might not be “Ha-ha-ing” when I smear you all over Twitter #throwawaythecoffee
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Wow, go for it. Please, I could use the circulation. Besides, you ain’t got a hair on your arse Goldie!!!
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It doesn’t matter. What matters is how loud I can scream.
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Maybe. I’ll have to see it first.
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It’s the biggest one I’ve ever held!!!
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LOL!!!
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Being able to recognize the bad also goes hand in hand with seeing the good. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”. No matter what happens, it could always be worse.
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If the bad goes hand in hand with the good, does good go hand in hand with the bad?
I agree. I am a master of thinking of worse situations.
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Resiliency Goldie!!!
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I’ve got a bit of that, still, it does not mean it doesn’t hurt when you stretch me.
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Sure, that’s what Gumby said.
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There ya go.
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Interesting thoughts. I think awareness is never a bad thing, but how you precession those things will be where the challenge lies. Being able to handle and accept that negative things excist is a step to being able to address them. I don’t know if that made sense lol thanks for the insights!
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It totally did (despite your auto-correct issues)!
I just wonder how chronic optimists handle life (and the challenging portions of it).
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I tend not to agree. Even if the glass is half empty well, I had a great time getting it there!
I think I’m lucky. I’ve had some very hard times so far be learned to appreciate the good. I do see obstacles but I tend to see them as something to beat not something to be beaten by. Nasty people? I will MAKE them smile!
A huge traffic jam? Pump up the music! Someone telling me I can’t do something? Watch me.
I absolutely do get down or disheartened but I don’t like that and I won’t let myself dwell there. I intend dying with no regrets or as few as possible anyway!
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Exactly
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Yltcaxe
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?
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Just agreeing with you agreeing.
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Gotcha
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So you know how people say that our cross is only as heavy as we can bear? What if by saying: “Bring it on, I still see pink”, you invite more of the negative?
I was coming back from work (in traffic, per usual) and I thought of you. Maybe I should make myself a mix-tape, because having a bunch of radio stations is not always enough. They either play commercials at the same time, or lame songs on every station…
But I do agree with you on the part of not wallowing in self-pity for too long. Action is more important than sitting and complaining.
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I love having cds or my iPod in the car, the radio is great but there are dead zones with crap radio stations !
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I’ve gotta make this CD my weekend to-do item.
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I have been threatened with physical violence in the past. My response never changes. “Don’t threaten me with a good time, I could really use the time off, to heal.”!!!
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I’m glad you’re still alive with such attitude. But I do share your sentiment.
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I agree with the britchy one. Honestly, there is the yin and yang of it all, in everything we think say do see and perceive. Simply acknowledging the existence of all can move you forward quicker because that is the reality of life. Good and bad, love and hate. Interesting isn’t it?
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But do you take it all in as it goes, or do you weed out the bad, avoid looking at it, and then only hug the good?
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I don’t avoid looking at it, I may not deal with it immediately, I wait for a more opportune time, but I embrace the good so I’m surrounded with positive energy in order to deal with the negative, then it doesn’t have the same impact. It’s more reasonable if you will, not out of proportion.
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That actually makes sense. It softens the blow. Good tactic.
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Life is full of ups and downs. There comes a time in our lives when our challenges seem overwhelming and too much than we can handle, and we become more aware of the negative side of reality than of the good things we should be thankful for.
It’s okay to be aware of these challenges (the negativity) but it’s unwise to dwell on them. Appreciating the few good things of life gives us all the hope and motivation we need to face life and see it through the end. For this reason, I tend to appreciate both the positive and negative things life throws my way. I see the negative things as a test; like a way to judge how we react to life when we find ourselves in harsh conditions. In the end, it’s all part of the learning process.
(I’m wondering if my comment makes any sense to your post.)
Very interesting thoughts, Goldie.
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Yes, your comment makes a lot of sense. It seems like you take life in fully. The good, bad and the ugly. Not just the wonderful things.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts!
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I think it is important to be able to see both the positive and the negative. I think I tend to share the positive and when possible use the negative to make changes for the better.
This reminded me of the country song by Terri Clark “I Just Want To Be Mad For A while”. There are times when we are entitled to feel down, depressed or mad. We need to be able to work through those things and not let them take over our lives.
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I did not know that song, but I just checked it out and the video is hilarious. The song makes sense.
Sharing the positive is important, but like you said, one needs to know how to process the bad.
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Good view on as to how to stay (at least try) positive even in a negative situation.
Keep posting and keep inspiring……….
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Thank you for reading and motivating me.
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Oh! You are welcome. ..
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Interesting way of looking at it. Made me think of how everything is like two sides of a coin.
Without the bad, how do we know something is good?
Also, how about having (trying to) an equanimous mind where we see both good and bad and accept as is?
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Thank you for making me feel less crazy. It seemed like everyone put on rose colored glasses and forgot to take them off.
You pose some great questions. That’s the thing – if I don’t allow myself to feel the bad and the ugly, I will not appreciate the good as purely as I should.
That’s what I was trying to say – that both exist. Not that one is worse than the other, or that one should be replaced by the other, but that we need to FEEL both. Even if it hurts sometimes.
Realism and acceptance is something that I preach. I find that it keeps me sane.
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Even if we are more likely to see negative things along with positive ones, it’s always up to us to choose which ones we want to keep 🙂
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Wisdom.
Is it possible to sometimes want to keep the negative ones?
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Sometimes yes, because it’s easier and there is a great chance no one will prevent us from doing this 😉
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Good call.
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We can only truly appreciate the goodness when we understand the sadness in life.
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I think so, too.
Thanks for stopping by.
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