The New Year brings many reflections and resolutions. We take a look at ourselves and the way we live our lives and perform a self critique of how we are managing things. For the most part, our lives are usually much better than we give ourselves credit for. Just as the media mostly reports the bad news, we somehow mostly remember the bad things that happen in our lives. Why don’t the good things stick in our minds and hearts like the bad things? I am sure there is some clinical psychological reason for this. I want to challenge everyone reading this magazine to create a new reality. One that puts more emphasis on the positive and let’s let negative thoughts and events roll off our backs more. Sure we can learn by mistakes, but personal errors and occasional setbacks don’t have to become scars on our psyche or haunting tattoos on our memories. Sometimes I feel like the only things people talk about are what bothers them, hurts them, or drives them crazy. What about mentioning your favorites, your hopes and your simple pleasures at the next cocktail party. And maybe you would feel better about your life if you perform a random act of kindness each and every day. Do someone a favor without being asked. Pick up a piece of trash, open a door for someone, or just smile at the next person you see. When you are in a bad mood, go ahead and cry or shout or spend a little time to yourself and let it take its course. We all get down in the dumps from time to time. But don’t let it snowball. Anxiety and depression can be thought of as temporary pests if you decide to control them. And if you find you are having too much trouble with these pests, talk to someone, professional, friend or family member. And remember, older people really do have some wisdom that you may not have. Mom and Dad, Grampy and Grandma have been around the block and probably have been down the rabbit hole a few times, and have found ways to climb back out. There is plenty in this world to depress us each and every day if we let it. Most of that is totally out of our control. You need to worry about what affects you directly, today and tomorrow. Develop a positive plan. Manage your stress. Laugh sometimes when you feel like crying and change up the moment. Give someone a hug. Do something fun for yourself. Take some time to think. Put down the smart phone. Turn off the electronics for a minute and listen to the wind. Watch the snow fall. Feel the cool breeze or the warm fire. Cozy up with a good book. Look through the photo album. Start that new project. Nothing feels better than accomplishing something. Or better yet, helping someone else accomplish something. Volunteer. Help your elderly neighbor. Read to a child. The thing is, everyone needs a purpose. Every day you should remember the good things that happened to you., or the things you did for someone else. Accomplish something. Make a contribution of effort. Let go of what always bugs you. Rid yourself of the negative people and things in your life. If someone can’t make you smile, send them packing. If you can subscribe to this “positive mindfulness”, it could snowball and spread to others. Maybe, just maybe, we could create our own “hope and change” instead of waiting for someone else to do it for us. Don’t be a passenger all your life, pilot your own plane.
In Good Health, J.B. Lester; Publisher