“Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumblebee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams.”- Ashley Simth
Sometimes our lives don’t go as smoothly as we’d like them to. We get into an argument with our partners, parents, friends, co-workers…or we just happen to wake up on the wrong side of the bed…it happens! When any of the latter happens, most of us find ourselves having a “bad day,” which sometimes turns into a bad week, a bad month or even a bad year! Did you ever wonder why a small incident sometimes blows up and ruins the entire day, if not more than that? It’s pretty simple, actually. When something annoys or bugs us, we tend to dwell on it (as human beings), we let it affect our mood and thus nothing seems to go right; we fail to see the beauty in anything…we start taking the positive elements in our lives for granted and we zoom in on the one negative thing, allowing it to grow and thus ruin almost every positive thing.
I know people who not only allow a small argument to completely ruin their day, but even get sick because of it, and I’m talking headaches, coughs, vomiting…and the list goes on. If you’re one of those people you’re in serious trouble. Why? Well, for starters, you’re ruining your health, and secondly, when you take the positives for granted, they will be taken away from you–and, of course, that’s when you’ll realize you lost them, or that they even existed in the first place!
I’m not one to preach that you should “count your blessings,” because, honestly, when I’m in a bad mood, that’s the last thing I want to hear (even though it’s true, one should be grateful for what one has). What I do, however, suggest you should do, is very simple: stop and look for a second; observe your surroundings and “force” yourself to see the beauty around you (as hard as it may seem sometimes). Allow me to clarify my suggestion: on my way to work or school, one of the following scenarios can take place (on a “bad day”): A. I complain (to myself) about running late, complain that my driver doesn’t smell too good, complain that the traffic is horrible, complain that the radio host is annoying, complain that the driver in the car next to me can’t drive properly, complain that the pedestrians are morons, complain that my phone is ringing off the hook, complain that my best friend isn’t understanding…and the list goes on. Then, when I do get to work, complain (of course) that no one’s doing what they’re supposed to be doing, complain that my boss is over demanding and complain that the office boy can’t make a decent cup of coffee. On my way home, I complain that traffic is bad, complain that I have a headache, complain that my parents ask too many questions and complain that my feet hurt. I get home, take a shower and go straight to bed. The definition of a “bad day.” Now…let’s take a look at scenario B. I’m running a bit late, but it’s honestly not that big of a deal (as long as it’s not an hour), I walk out of my house, take a deep breath, and look at the beautiful purple flowers growing over my garage and spot a tiny butterfly making its way through the petals. I then get into the car, spray some perfume to cover up the driver’s cigarette breath, listen to my iPod and sing along to my favorite tune in my head; as I do that, I look out the window at the clear blue sky and the shining sun. If I see a few animals on the street (dogs, cats, horses, donkeys…) I smile (yes, I love animals). I try not to focus on the traffic, and instead of letting pedestrians annoy me, I actually let them pass…not many people do that, so why not help out a woman carrying two kids and trying to balance a huge sack on her head? I get to work and smile at my boss and co-workers, and if my coffee isn’t perfect, I just ask for more milk or sugar. Then, on my way home, I look out the window and appreciate the sunset. Once I’m home, I spend some time with my family then on the phone with my girlfriends, talking about relationship drama and figuring out “why he did this” or “why he said that,” then I take my shower and tuck myself into bed.
All I’m saying is, that it’s really up to you. Yes, I’m aware that it’s not always that simple; some problems are more difficult to deal with than others. But if you allow yourself to sink in an ocean of misery, you won’t be able to solve the initial problem, let alone the dozen you just added onto your list. The more you practice, the more you’ll find yourself automatically noticing the beauty around you. So, force yourself to appreciate at least one beautiful thing everyday…it will make all the difference.
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