yay! its been one year (and 10 days) since my very first post here on p.o. and i just noticed, this is my 100th post! amazing isn't it? this here little website (that sounds better if you read it with a slightly southern accent) has chronicled the past year in my life. and its been a real doozie for sure. a year ago, i didnt have a camera phone, i hated my job, i had major separation anxiety from miriam, i was depressed and single. i created project optimism initially to spread some optimistic energy around to some friends and hoped that what i knew in my head, would eventually trickle downstream into my heart. fake it till you make it, i always say. you never know when things will change. just like the weather. monday night it was 32 degrees and raining at home, today, sunny skies and 81 degrees. (this type of climatic change reeks havoc on my sinuses) just goes to show if there is anything that isn't going your way just right this minute, give it a little time. things will change. the inverse lesson is also just as important. if you're loving life right this minute, cherish it. make memories and be thankful, never taking for granted what you have. for it too, can change in an instant. it is this constant roller coaster that gets us out of bed every morning. that gives us hope for the future and appreciation for the now.
quote for the day: "i'm not in denial, i'm just selective about the reality i choose to accept"
6 comments:
Happy Birthday! You've come a long way baby. (me attempting a witty quote)
dude. don't make me vomit. some people are lucky and good things happen to them. Other people are unlucky and their lives will ALWAYS suck no matter how optimistic they are. That is the beauty of life. I;m just glad that you are one of the lucky people.
I respectfully disagree with Miriam. Everyone has ups and downs. How crappy your life is depends on 1. How you perceive the downs (as unjustice raining down on you or as an opportunity to grow) and 2. How you deal with the downs (do you withdraw, retaliate, or learn and change your behavior). Once a person perceives life as a positive thing, positive things will happen, good healthy choices will be made and the quality of life will improve. Individual realities are unique and are based on our own individual perspectives. I have a way to go, but I'm aiming for healthy, happy and satisfied life. Life is good. Sure I'm optimistic, but isn't that better then being pessimistic. Well anyway, makes for a happier person. With all that said I'm sometimes drawn to pessimistic people, I think maybe subconsciously I want to try to convert them or something.
Well, I was going to say that perhaps I was being a Debbie Downer last night, But Kristina, I'm going to have to respectfully diagree with you. There are millions of people all over the word who are born into extreme poverty, war, AIDS, etc. and who will die horrible deaths after leading horrible lives and there is absolutely nothign they can do about it. No amount of positive thinking is going to magically make their lives better. I dont think there is anything wrong with REALISM. Brace yourself for the worse and that way you will be pleasantly suprised if something better happens. Your statement "once a person perceives life as a positive thing, positive things will happen," is, in my opinion, bogus. Your perspective on the world has absolutely no bearing on the state of the universe. This puts way to much pressure on the person. If you were just more optimistic, better things would happen to you. Just one more thing for people to fail at... Also, your analysis implies that "downs" are a result of a person's behavior and/or choices. While this is often true, it is not always the case. A lot of horrible shit happens to people that is not the result of their behavior or choice. Now, I think you are right on one thing - it's all perspective - not in that your positive outlook will make your life better, but rather that if you take a look at other people, you will realize that your situation isn't that bad. comparativly, anyone's life is better than someone else's and we have to learn to be glad that by comparison, our shitty lives are paradise compared to some. But this has nothing to do with blind, optimistim.... it's just rational thought and logical analysis. Again - Realsim. Your version of optimism sounds way too much like religion to me, and I think we all know where I stand on religion.... :)
I do want to make it known, however, that despite my anti-optimistic view, Project Optimism is MY FAVORITE blog of all time and I am glad to see that Ms. Stewart has been posting more of late....
Of course if someone is in severe pain they find it difficult to be joyful. However, a very few percentage of Americans fit this description, yet there are a whole lot of miserable Americans out there. Yet if you go to an African or South American coutry you will find a whole lot more happy people despite the poverty,despite the increase in health problems. Could someone be wealthy, healthy, safe and miserable? Absolutely! Could someone be poor, ill, exposed to violence and feel good due to their positive outlook on life? Absolutely! I agree that crappy things happen that we can't control, but we can control how we feel about those things. Also far more crappy things happen in our lives due to our own decisions. Our daily routines, our careers, our relationships are all in our own hands. Oh ya, about religion, nope, not me. But I do strive to be spiritual and to me there is a gigantic difference. If you'd like to hear more about my view on spirituality please check out my blog and my recent post on a "Just Community". Nice hearing another's perspective.
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