In order for things to change

"In order for things to change, you have to see them as you want them to be, rather than continuing to observe them as they are."

I've always been a Pollyanna type of girl.  I see the the glass as half full, I look on the bright side, I assume the best instead of the worst.  This helps me cope and dammit, it just makes me feel good.  Some people call it living in the clouds, some people call it jaded and unrealistic.  Let me ask you something, since when is being negative being more realistic? I want to feel happy all the time, so I don't watch the news.  I am not ignoring or turning a deaf ear to the tragic and disheartening things that happen in this world, I am aware that they happen.  I am happy to take action and help if there is an opportunity to do that.  But, let's be REALISTIC, (insert laughing emoji here) a LOT of people like to deliver shocking news, talk about it, and due very little about it.  A lot of people recognize it and then take action as well.  I'm always happy to take action and I do when I can.  One can receive a lot of negative messages in a day.  Why not fill your head and heart with more good, happy inspirational messages?  I'm doing good for a lot more people if I choose to read and listen to inspirational messages than if I choose to read and watch the news.  That has a trickle down affect.  I affect my children, my husband, and with any luck they carry it into their day and affect other people.  

Today I had an extended power struggle with my child which ended up in my getting frustrated and angry, and him getting frustrated and crying.  He was late for school.  Even though it was a problem we were not going to solve in that moment, I tried to repair by telling him I was more concerned with him going to school happy and late than being on time and ruffled from our morning.  I wish I thought this way every day, but its not always where I'm at.  I strive for positive thinking and feeling all the time because it really is infectious.  If you start the day laughing at something, its hard to get angry and stressed.  You want to ride that wave because it feels good.  

I truly believe the brain is a powerful thing, and if you can guide your thoughts to what you want, you can have it.  I wanted acting so desperately I was almost sad and nervous and jealous when I thought about it, so maybe that's why I'm not a season regular on a sitcom right now.  Maybe the universe has other plans for me because it knows if I got there, I couldn't handle it emotionally or physically.  Have you ever noticed that if you want something small or maybe not so small and you are excited so you think about it and you almost expect it, and then all of a sudden you get it? I remember my husband once said a few years ago, "I really want a good camera and a really nice grill." Literally they both came so fast, and one was purchased for us and one was either a gift or drastically discounted and I remember thinking, wow that was so easy! He wanted these things, expected them and they came just like that.  He was specific, he thought good thoughts about them and BOOM they arrived.  

I remember it really used to soothe me to sleep when my cousins used to tell me candyland stories before bed.  They would go into really wild descriptions about sliding down a bubblegum slide into a pool of whipped cream and dancing around in Lollypops a la Charlie Chocolate Factory.  I knew that this stuff wasn't real, but it was so fun to think about and I would coast off to sleep with literally sweet dreams.  

So it might be decades later, but I went to Candytopia over Spring break with my children.  Just sayin.

I know this opens up controversy and thoughts about other more heart string attached items that people want and can't have.  I feel for anyone who has wanted something really badly that they deserve and not gotten it.  I won't say that everyone is responsible for holding it away from them.  I have wanted and not received things that I really really thought I wanted and I should have.  I have also realized that in receiving some of those things, my life might be a lot different, maybe not for the better.  All I am trying to say is if you want something, be it a tangible object, a consistent emotion, a change in your life, try just sitting down and either thinking about it happily, or daydreaming if you will, or even better, go into a full blown guided visualization experience with it every day.  You will be surprised how the feeling of being or doing or having something you want can lift you up.  

Even if what you want isn't REALISTIC, it sure feels good to feel good in that unreality.