Choose a Better Life

I don’t want to just go through the motions of this life. I want to live all the way, every day. Whether that’s what I want or not, there are obstacles to actually doing this right every day. I wish I could go through my day, every day, with this attitude:

               People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them   
           anyway.
           If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind 
           anyway.
           If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine 
           enemies. Succeed anyway.
           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere 
           anyway.
           What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.
           If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
           The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.
           Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.
           In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and 
           them anyway.
           -this is credited to Mother Teresa

I try. Every day life makes it difficult. That constant to-do list I’ve talked about before gets in the way. The pervasive feeling that we’re not doing good enough, fast enough…enough…There is a downward spiral of negativity and hate that is perpetrated by every news agency. Yes, every one. It’s perpetrated by them because it sells to unhappy, negative, angry people and spreads like wild-fire through social media and other networks. It scares me because there are so many angry people. They choose that. It makes me think, “Really? In this one life you were gifted, that’s your choice?”

That’s not to say I discredit anyone’s passion. That’s what makes lives great – the passion to be moved to change something. However, that seems to be missing. There’s a lot of hateful lip-service and senseless acts of violence, but not much “what have I done to fix it?”

I was one of those angry people for awhile. I don’t know why. Maybe I was overwhelmed, depressed or just plain felt bad. This life-change over the last few years has finally made me understand that my reaction to everything around me is a choice I make with each interaction. I still don’t always choose well but I probably make the 80/20 rule which is a big improvement.

The path out of anger and hatred is gratitude. It can change perspective and it can do it fast. Gratitude takes all the other “noise” in our day out of the way and focuses us. It brings what’s important to the forefront.

The things I’m grateful for today are:

• Warm coffee
• Warm home
• The crispness of the cold (if I only have to be out in it a little while)
• Oranges
• Chocolate
• My family at work
• Work that I really enjoy
• Constructive conversations
• I can’t complete a list without listing my entire circle of friends and family because it feels disrespectful. So, all of them, too!

Try some gratitude on for size. Choose a better life. It’s so worth it!

Hot Air Balloons around my house!

Something I'm grateful for whenever they appear...