How to Maintain a Positive Outlook

I’m going to be real with you right now, it’s been a long week. I had to survive on 4 hours of sleep two nights in a row and boy did that just mess with me. I had to work late one night to train a new employee. Then, I was up late the next night doing preparations for Thanksgiving. Additionally, our washer suddenly became non-responsive and needs a new switchboard or control panel or something like that. But, it isn’t a part that you can just replace. Oh no. They don’t make them anymore.  So you have to send it in and wait 8-10 days for them to fix it. To top it all off, my check engine light has been on in my car and despite two trips to the mechanic, it’s still on. Uff-dah!

I would be lying if I said I didn’t get a little downtrodden a couple of times this week. Naturally that’s bound to happen when you’re running on fumes for part of it. But, I refused to let myself fall into a “woe is me” attitude. That’s just not where I want to be living from. I forced myself to recognize the beauty in the chaos. I recognized that working late one night will save me from having to do so several nights in the future, because the employee I trained will now be covering that shift. Staying up late to prepare for Thanksgiving means that on Thanksgiving Day, I only have to worry about the turkey and get to enjoy my time with friends and family. Things always even out and it was all totally worth it.

It’s easy to fall into a trap of exhaustion and constantly focusing on the negative things in life. The negative things will always be there when you’re looking for them. The negative things never let you down in that regard. It’s the positive things that you need to be looking for though. Your mindset has pretty much everything to do with your attitude and how you live your life. If you can have a positive mindset, you open up a whole world of opportunities that wouldn’t be there if you remain stuck in a negative mindset. I know this sounds a bit “woo woo” but I truly believe that the more good you put out into the world, the more good is going to come back to you. Same goes for the bad or negative. Naturally we are going to fall into a negative mindset sometimes. It’s important to be able to shift that mindset and re-frame things in a more positive light. Let me give you a couple of scenarios from my experience this week:

My Washer Broke and It Will be 8-10 Days Before It’s Fixed

OK. That happened. What now? Well, it would be easy to be annoyed about the fact that I have to now lug 5 trash bags full of laundry to the laundromat, bring detergent, find quarters, and bring my dryer sheets. Oh, I also need to remember entertainment and find a block of 2-3 hours to dedicate to just laundry. How do people do this every time they have to do laundry?  I realize this is totally a “first world problem”, but when you’re used to being able to do laundry on your own time and in the comfort of your own home, this can definitely shake you up enough to bring you down.  But, I actually don’t mind it. I don’t mind sitting at the laundromat for 2-3 hours. It gives me a chance to talk to you all and let you know how I turned this potentially negative experience into a positive one. I am able to spend 2-3 hours of uninterrupted time working on my blog. Additionally, I get to have all of our laundry done in the span of just a few hours because I am able to wash multiple loads at one time. I can’t do that at home. Overall, without a whole lot of difficulty, I’m quickly able to see the positives of this situation.

My Check Engine Light is On, Again…

Lately my car has had the check engine light on. It isn’t flashing so its not an emergency but it still makes me nervous. I’ve taken it to the mechanic 2 times and they’ve done work but it keeps coming back on, along with other lights to get my attention. Now I need to bring it back another time for a day of diagnostics and hope that nothing goes horribly wrong between now and then. What if I have my son in my car and it breaks down?  What if they can’t find the problem and I just keep paying money for useless work? What if I have to buy a whole new car when this one isn’t totally paid off yet? – Let’s re-frame: I have decided to be grateful for the fact that I can even afford to take my car to the mechanic. There have certainly been times in my life when I just had to roll the dice and hope for the best because I didn’t have the money to even get it looked at.  It gives me an opportunity to be grateful for my flexible schedule allowing me to get my car in so many times without affecting my ability to show up for my full-time job. It makes me feel good that I am on top of this and taking care of a problem. It isn’t going to get in the way of me living my life. I made sure I would have a loaner to take to work and I get an opportunity to drive a different vehicle which is always kind of fun. It makes you feel a little like you’re living a different life. It is like seeing the world from another driver’s perspective.

Do you see where I went with those? If you’re looking for it, the positive really isn’t too hard to find in any situation. Personally, I don’t want to live my life in a negative place. That does not serve me in any good way.  I want to enjoy my life. It is meant to be enjoyed! When I’m much older than today, I want to look back on my life and know that I lived it. I want to know that despite hardships and difficult times, I persevered and made the best of every situation. I want to know that I have been able to help others see the positive things in life too. I want to be able to model for my children how to maintain a positive outlook no matter what life throws at you.

I hope that this post has helped you in some way and that you can bring yourself around from a negative situation and get back to your life without letting something like a car breaking down break you.

P.S. I understand that if you are someone who suffers from depression, it may be more difficult for you to find the positive since you can’t always go against how you may be wired. In that case, please seek professional help if you aren’t already receiving it. Mental health is so important and if anyone ever shames you for seeking help for your mental health, send me their address, I’ll set them straight. 🙂

Much love and productive vibes,

Momma Caped Nerd ❤

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