My Gift To You

photo via

I'm giving you this gift because..

1. I am SUPER nice

2. It was free

and

3. We could all use this reminder from time to time

{including me}

I know I tend to harp on this topic of being grateful/joyful, but the reason is because it is something I deeply struggle with daily. I don't want to say I am an unhappy person, I'm truly not, I love to laugh, smile, and have fun, but when something goes wrong in my life, even the most TINY, minute thing, I immediately go into "My life is terrible!" mode.  

For example, yesterday the Seattle Seahawks were playing at home. No biggie, right? Well, basically the entire sales department where I work was going to this game, sitting in suite seats, and getting beer and wine for FREE! Totally a biggie now. I'm not in the sales department though, I'm a technical writer. I wasn't suppose to be able to go and I was fine with that...until they had a couple extra tickets and asked if I wanted to go. Umm yeah! But wait, baby Huckleberry is at home about to pee his britches because he's been caged up for 8 hours. Going to the game means Huck would be alone, in my freezing cold lake house, holding his outrageously full bladder (because he is such a good potty trained little baby!) for about 14 hours! Not okay. My thought process now is "Why did I get a puppy? Now I have to pass up an amazing experience that I may never get again! Wait, I didn't get the puppy, Steven did! This is all his fault. Steven doesn't love me. I don't ever get to do anything fun" and so on. I kid you not. Really, how dramatic am I? I went on an emotional-life-hating-tailspin all because I needed to be a responsible pet owner and couldn't attend a football game of a team I'm not even a fan of {yet}. 

Trust me, I know how ridiculous this story makes me sound.

Basically, all I'm trying to say is that I allow the little inconveniences of life to greatly disturb me. What's going to happen when tragedy really strikes? I don't even want to think about it...

So, I'm not going to. Instead I am going to make a conscious effort to think more positively each and every day. I like the second positive thought on the left, "Every moment is a profound opportunity." Even moments when I feel like everything is going dangerously wrong {in my mind at least}, that is an opportunity to react differently to the situation than I normally would. To see my glass as half-full, to be grateful for the things I do have, for the people who love me, and for this amazing life I live. Because honestly, it IS amazing. 

"Complain less. Breathe more"

Feels good, doesn't it?

Do any of you have a hard time being positive too? If so, I hope you'll take a positive thought and try to see each day in a new light with me.