Look on the Bright Side

Well, we are into week two of working remotely to keep us all healthy and virus free.

Anyone else getting loopy being out of their routine?

I find it helps to look for the positives in any situation. Being able to look on the bright side will help you weather all sorts of adversity in your life. Like any muscle or habit, the more you use it, the stronger it becomes.

We all know that stress ages us, right? No way is this going to be the thing that makes me look my age!

So, this is a simple post on things that inspired me this week to keep my chin up and see the good for all the stress and uncertainty.

Humor

My writer friends are responding in a variety of creative ways (thank goodness for social media keeping our human contact intact)!

• A daily diary of being marooned with a motley crew on a fictitious island.
• A mental conversation with a food delivery driver as he tracks his misadventures on his mobile app.
• The hedgehog cake scale of well-being – I rolled this out at the office!

Creativity

• Someone in my neighborhood organized a “bear hunt” – asking everyone to put a stuffed animal in the window so as kids walked the neighborhood, they had something to look for.
• A local photographer asked people to stand on their porch holding something that was getting them through the days. She took pictures of our neighbors and posted it to our community page.
• A neighbor is posting a daily riddle in her window so people have a reason to pass by her house every day. The answer is posted the following day along with a new riddle.
• Another friend participated in a neighborhood “lawn art” display where each house came up with an art installation and then everyone walked the block, separate but together.
• At my office, we have a weekly photo challenge to allow a moment of silliness. The winner gets a gift certificate to a local restaurant to help support the community.
• A friend hosted a virtual book club so everyone could stay on schedule.
• Still other friends are having virtual happy hours to get face time in with friends and co-workers.
• A local dj hosted an online dance party so everyone could spend a couple of hours enjoying his tunes.

Generosity

• People are answering the call to make face masks for local hospitals as a backup (something is better than nothing).
• A local web designer offered to help (for free!) restaurants go online so they could do carry out and delivery which is currently allowed in our state.
• All sorts of people are offering to pick up groceries for homebound neighbors.
• A neighbor offered the use of his backyard grill when propane started running short (keeping appropriate distance of course!).

This all serves to reminds me that we have a choice about how to respond to stress. We can take it in and let it ruin our skin and turn our hair gray, or we can rise up and meet it with kindness, humor, and creativity rooted in a positive attitude.

I’m following the happy path on this one!

Please share positive stories you are seeing and hearing. We can all use some inspiration!!

•