Half full? Half empty?
Overflowing?
Aaahh, that proverbial glass.
How are your 'Optimist Junkie' skills?
Some folks are born hard-wired
with the optimism gene.
Others, like me, are 'born again' optimists.
And we are probably the most obnoxious.
We have found optimism.
Illness was my body's way of telling me, 'hey you, yeah you, something needs to change.'
When first diagnosed, I'll admit I faked a whole lotta optimism. Convincing others I was okay. Convincing me I was okay. If I wasn't positive, I didn't stand a chance? I was too afraid not to.
Family and friends chanting "Stay positive.
You gotta stay positive.
Being positive is how to beat cancer." Holy crap. That kind of pressure was exhausting.
Shortly after my chemo-port was installed, I developed two large blood clots. One in my subclavian vein (shoulder-collar bone area) and the other in my upper arm. This landed me in the hospital for an evening. Injections of blood thinners were necessary.
Later that night, afraid to move and dislodging Clarence (the ugly name I gave the ugly clot), with my 'good' arm, I ran my fingers through my hair ... about 20 strands fell on the white pillowcase.
Really? Seriously? Now? Laying here with Clarence wasn't enough stress?
Thus began, Laugh Instead of Cry 101. One of my first courses in becoming an Optimist Junkie.
There's more to becoming an optimist than just trying to be Miss Suzy Sunshine.
Being an optimist also means carving the negative out of your life.
Negative relationships, places,
and situations breed toxicity.
Though it may be impossible to remove all negativity from our lives ...
it is possible to have many,
many more glasses full of joy.
EnJOY today!
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