Last year at this time I was pretty grumpy. I’d just gritted my teeth through a winter in which I was never warm and had the cracked teeth and extensive dental work to show for it. That had followed a couple of years of medium grade hell that had left me mentally and emotionally drained. It added up to a pretty meh me. I’m not a meh person most of the time, but I was grade A meh last year.
After sitting and trying to write something, anything, for days, I whined about it on Facebook:
Missing: my Muse, my mojo, and my mind.
And I was called on it by a friend who knew me back when I was not grade A meh. After a month of posting three gratitudes daily, I had not only won the bet (and the resultant pictures are fab, by the way) but was in a better mental place. I do have to laugh at the deal I had made with the universe, that I wouldn’t complain about the heat if the cold wasn’t so bad. Kinda got screwed with that one this past winter.
I’ve continued with the daily Best Things About Today for a full year now. I think I’ve only missed a couple dozen days (I haven’t cross-posted all of them on the Laughing at Chaos Facebook page). Some of those were because I was out of town, or it was just a day where really nothing of note happened, or the best things were far too personal, or that the best that happened was that I didn’t go running screaming and naked down the Tri-State. Some days I sat there staring at the screen for what seemed like an eternity, willing my brain to find something positive in the day. Anything. Some days were much easier than others, and some days it was nigh impossible.
What was wonderful was seeing friends and friends of friends join in and do their own three things. Three bests, three blessings, three positives. Three positive anythings at the end of the day, a high note on which to end the waking hours. Others joining me on the journey of positive thinking.
Over the course of the year I’ve worked to find the silver lining, and to really question the stories I tell myself. Some days I feel like I’m making progress, digging myself out of the FML hole, other days I swear I can feel the universe shoveling dirt back over my head while it chortles at my misfortune.
I plan to continue with my three best things for the foreseeable future. I’m surprised I made it a month, and frankly stunned that I managed to tack on an addition eleven. I need it. I fear that if I stop I’ll sink back towards the meh that threatens to suck me down.
Three things. One year. I’d call that a Best Thing. Thanks Kate. I owe you.
I love the photo!
I’m so glad you stuck with it all year. Your posts became more fun to read as you looked for positives in your life. See how long you can keep it up!