Absolutely, Positively, Negative?

If you've been in Ontario this "spring", I think you would agree with me that this has been one of the most ridiculous springs ever!? Not only did we get blasted with tons and tons of snow this winter; we've also got more rain in a few weeks of May than we would usually get during the whole spring season. It has also been impressively chilly during the early spring months. Do I sound negative? Well, having lots of time to invest in analyzing how the weather affects my mood this season, I came to the realization that I struggle to stay positive when the weather shows no signs of hope!

Have you ever wondered how and why the weather affects our moods and ultimately our actions and habits? Why is it so much easier to wake up in the morning when the sun is shining through the bedroom window? We all know that rainy days go hand in hand with movie marathons and afternoon naps, and winters scream the word "hibernation". As the weather warms up after the long, dark, cold winter, it really does seem like everyone comes out of hiding with a little more jump in their step. Does the sunshine and warmth change something within us to encourage us to action?

I have always believed that the ability to positively affect myself and those around me comes from within. By committing to manage my own positive, motivating thoughts, I can affect not only myself positively, but those around me. Positivity is contagious and it can catch on very easily. Unfortunately, negativity mirrors the same pattern of contagiousness and has the potential to be just as "viral". Positivity can be passed on as if it were the latest viral video to hit YouTube (everyone repeat after me: Friday, Friday).

However, it is often easier to take ownership of our negative feelings and feel entitled to them, rather than dwelling on our positive feelings/experiences. One of the great challenges of spreading positivity is the fact that negativity spreads in a very similar way.

I know there have been times in my life where it felt as though I couldn't muster up a positive thought if I put all my energy into finding one. However, I've learned that staying committed to this positivity is one of the great challenges of persistence in my life. Of course when everything is lining up and things are going well; it is much easier to keep a positive outlook on life. When things are not going our way or there are some struggles in our lives, it is common to pass the blame on to others - OR - find some "well-deserved" sympathy from those who are closest to us. . I know there have been times throughout my life where I have contributed to a negative influence and that negativity dissipated any and all positivity that was near me.

The best way that I have learned to deal with this (and still work it out day in and day out) is to dwell longer on the good times, and shorter on the struggles. The problem with that is when I am down, I feel entitled to feeling down and focus on why I deserve to feel that way. This is a direct example of dwelling on the negative, rather than focusing in on the positive. Maybe there was that one amazing day where the sun was up all day long and you were able to accomplish everything that you could want to do on a beautiful spring day: gardening, wash the cars, play some golf, go for a roller blade,enjoy the bridge, swim, bike, walk, jog, etc.

We have all met that person that somehow still smiles through the storm of life. They somehow find the good in every situation even if it is clearly bad.It is up to us to choose the way we react to the events that take place in our lives. "Living the good life" is all about perspective! If we dwell on the bad times, it will be much easier to feel entitled to negativity and hope that we can find someone to give us the sympathy we feel we deserve. However, if we dwell on the good times, more of those times will come, because we will turn our negative experiences into positive ones, just by changing our perspective. It is one of my life goals to be a person that inspires others to enjoy their lives and to encourage positivity in all circumstances in my life.

Good Times,