The Art of Positive Thinking

The art of positive thinking. It's supposed to literally be a cure for anything that ails you, both body and soul. I do believe this to be true in most cases. It's a matter of learning to put the right "spin" on the subject.

I even have some examples:

You have a really bad job. The pay is terrible, the work tedious, the hours inconvenient.

Think of the pluses! You have a place to go, people who more than likely commiserate with your situation (who doesn't enjoy a good b-t-h session now and then?) and some kind of monetary stipend which is hopefully keeping you close to eye level with the bills you've accumulated.

You may not be in the top ten for having the most successful job in the world, but it is truly better than the alternative!

Another scenario: You have been stricken with some terrible affliction. I know, many of you are reading that last sentence and wondering "WHAT????

However, it's a known medical phenomena that being positive that you will survive and even be better than ever when all is said and done, really, truly works. We all know someone who defied the odds of a "terminal" condition, simply by deciding that they had not finished what they needed to here on earth. One of my husband's cousin's had a husband who had esophageal cancer and was given only 3 months survival-he lived a full life for another 12 years after that and died of a heart attack-not cancer. He also used this affliction to change his entire life around. He went from being a drug-addicted alcoholic abusive husband, to a sober, clean pastor of a large congregation in Northern California. His positive outlook and positive actions allowed him to be there for all of his children's marriages and see most of his grandchildren come into being!

All this being said-I really want to stress again, I do believe in having a positive frame of mind. I myself came back from being close to not being able to maintain a "regular" lifestyle with my rheumatoid arthritis. It was my positive attitude and trust in medical science that made it possible for me to sit here and write, get out and go power-walking and numerous other daily activities rather than sit in constant pain. Five years ago I was a totally different person. Today, I'm able to keep up and even surpass people who are literall almost half my age. On a trip to New Orleans,which is truly a walking town, my daughter and son-in-law couldn't keep up with my physical capabilitie!

EXCEPT FOR ONE THING: head colds. I really see nothing positive about them. Okay, in the grand scheme of life, this sounds ridiculous, but have any of you ever had one and have been able to think "oh good, I needed a cold!" What fun! And now, I have a doozy!

Does anything make you feel or look worse? My eyes are tearing, I can't hear anything, my throat feels as if a match has been struck on it. I'm dizzy. My face and lips are chapped from all the sneezing, blowing and coughing. Oh, while I'm complaining-my body hurts and my back went out from having to cough and sneeze at the same time. Plus, who sleeps in this condition?

This is after 9 days and enough "symptom relief" medication to choke the proverbial horse.

Childbirth was easier. Shorter recovery time too. Plus, you came out with something wonderful.

And now, I may not be ready to post, but I have to-I positively need another hot cup of lemon and honey and a new Kleenex.