Choose the Bright Side

I have talked and worked with thousands of people now and one thing that is clear is that as individuals we have good days and we have bad days.  Some have more than the other but we all have both and I like to think it is a good thing.  We celebrate in the good days and how great we feel.  We can do the same in the challenging times and days as well.  Challenges are opportunities to appreciate those good days that much more.  Moreover, the challenging days are where character is built and honed.  Many of the greatest accomplishments were done because of struggles or times of intense stress or pressure.  I also think our focus determines our perception and ultimately our outcomes - A self fulfilling prophecy.  When we focus on being mad,sad, or bitter that tends to be how we feel and we find more things to back up that feeling as that is where the focus lies and we tend to see what we focus on.  On the other hand, we can choose to see the positives and being happy and grateful and thinking abundantly and about possibilities and that is likely what we attract - Law of Attraction (this is real and much research and many books exist to prove this).

I was recently asked how things were going.  To be honest it is a time of transition and things are challenging looking at it from the outside.  However, I have faith and determination that has me seeing the positives and looking to the future with great anticipation while still being grateful for the blessings I currently have in my life.  This isn't Pollyanna thinking either.  My answer when asked, "how are things going?" went like this:
"I have realized that no matter where I go and what circumstance I am in I figure 90% of the time it is great and 10% of the time it sucks but I have a choice on which to focus on so I choose the 90%."  I have been thinking of that a lot lately and realize focus can expand the good and minimize the bad.  Allow yourself to have the odd bad day since sometimes circumstances make it the logical, reasonable, and appropriate thing to do (i.e. being sad over the loss of a loved one) but don't stay stuck there forever.  I remember those feelings when I lost my dad and then my mother but it was shortly after that I shifted to writing the eulogy that I got to focus on the positives and celebrate their lives with loved ones that helped get through those tough times.  We know sometimes life happens and things aren't always fair and not everyone is reasonable or shares the same values or integrity and we may have little control over certain aspects of our lives or situations but we can choose our own attitudes and behaviours.   I challenge all of you to choose the bright side!