This Will Be My Silver Lining

Okay, let's be honest. Life isn't always sunshine and peaches, rainbows and kitties, candy and free money. Sometimes life kicks you right in the stomach. The people who get through it all are the ones who can see past the hard stuff. It's one of my special skills and I've had to use this ability more than I'd like recently. No downer-fest here though. Here are just a few ways I've looked past the bad and found the happy this week. I chipped the ceramic travel mug Julia bought me for my birthday last year. Bad. I bought a new plastic mug (that won't break) and it has a great little sippy cup function so I don't spill. Good. I've had my heart broken recently. Bad. I have a whole life of possibilities ahead of me and I'm actually excited to think that my future is out there looking for me right now. I bet he's super hot too. Good. I did my taxes last night and I owe the Canadian Government a sum with more digits before the decimal point than I ever thought possible. Bad. I have a job. Good. I saw a crow on my way to work - that means sorrow. Bad. A second later, I saw another crow - that means joy. Good. You know the rhyme, "One crow sorrow. Two crows joy. Three crows a letter. Four crows a boy." It goes on from there. It's dark and dreary in Toronto today and I'd really love to be curled up in bed watching movies. Bad. Spring is here. Warm weather is coming and it showed up briefly this weekend. Good. I spent a lot of years looking at things negatively. It's tiring and it shows on your face. I always looked mean and angry. I try to smile now and find something - anything - to make stuff a bit better. If you think you've got it bad in life, remember that (unfortunately for them) there is always someone worse off. You're alive. You're healthy and if you're reading this, you're on a computer and you have Internet access so I'm guessing you have a roof over your head. How bad can it really be? If you're stifled by fear, take a leap. Life is full of chances to close your eyes and jump into the unknown. I'm not saying it won't be scary or that you won't screw up. We learn from all of this and it's important. Don't think of having to arrive at the perfect life. This is your life right now. If you want happiness, make it happen. You have the power to do it.