Little Alena

Enjoying your life is simply a matter of the way that you feel. There is a common belief that happiness comes about as a result of having certain things (money, material goods, relationships, etc.), but in all actuality, whether or not you are enjoying your life has always boiled down to the simple question of how you feel about your life.
No amount of of money will help you to enjoy life if you are miserable on the inside. No relationship will define or complete you when a relationship – by definition – involves two or more people. No cache of toys and treasures will make you happy if you believe that you must have toys and treasures to be happy.
Bob over at Every, Every Minute started  The Desiderata Project where bloggers choose a passage from Desiderata and expand upon the concept in a blog post. I chose the following passage as a reminder that enjoying the actual journey of life is more important than not having happiness until that journey has been completed:
“Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.”
In order to provide a simple formula that people can use on a daily basis to enjoy their lives rather than constantly focusing on the future, I have used the acronym S.T.O.P.
S – Stop
There is a simple truth of the human existence, and that is that most people simply do not take the time to STOP and think about all of the things that they have in their lives to be grateful for, and they also do not pat themselves on the back for having those things as a result of their own efforts.
You can completely discount things like fancy cars, tropical vacations, beautiful homes, and trinkets and baubles. Try being grateful for the basics before you start worrying about a higher level.
Do you have a roof over your head? Are you able to read and communicate with others? Do you have enough food to survive? Before you go thinking that those things are not worthy of your gratitude, consider the fact that there are millions – millions – of people in the world who live outside, cannot read or write, or who will die from malnutrition.
From that perspective, just being alive with a full belly and a roof over your head suddenly seems like a gift, doesn’t it?
T – Take Action
Assuming that you can see the wisdom of stopping on a daily basis to be grateful for the little things in life, now ask yourself what you can do to give back every day. This isn’t a matter of starting some altruistic foundation, of tithing 10% of your income, or even of constantly focusing on the needs of others.
You can keep it much simpler than all of that, yet still put forth an effort every day to give back. How many times have we all heard that “the little things” are what matter most – especially in relationships?
Every single day, do one thing that is completely selfless. Stand at the entrance to the grocery store holding the door for a full 30 seconds as you see that elderly person using a walker heading in your direction. Pick up your neighbor’s newspaper off of the sidewalk and take it up to their door. Give a knock just to hand it over and say “Hi’ before moving on with your day. Wash the dish that someone else left in the sink even thought it isn’t your responsibility.
The possibilities are obviously endless, but the point is that these type of acts will usually take less than 5 minutes of your life, but they will make you feel great! Yesterday at the grocery store I saw a lady juggling cans and she didn’t have a cart to put them in. I  had a cart, but I didn’t have as many things as she did, so I took my stuff out of the cart and gave it to her. She was SO grateful, and I felt like a million bucks for having made the effort.
O – Organize
Sometimes the best times in our lives are completely “off the cuff” and we didn’t even know that we were going to be taking part in those activities. On the other hand, by making sure that you have time for those activities, you open up a slot for your life to pop something wonderful in there.
Every day, arrange your schedule and your responsibilities so that you have 30 or 60 minutes when you will have no responsibilities whatsoever. This is not exercise time, or time to run errands, or even a scheduled nap or meditation. This time is blank. Make no plans for it whatsoever. If you get to that point in your day and you don’t have anything better to do, then you can decide if you want to exercise, nap, run errands, etc.
The point is that no matter what you do with those 30 or 60 minutes, you send yourself the message that your life is about you. For at least 30 or 60 minutes you are going to do something that has absolutely nothing to do with anyone but yourself. Try it for a few days. Trust me, it is a freeing experience!
P – Participate
The final step in this process is participation, and this is meant as proactive participation in your life, not reactive. Almost all of us go through life with a huge pile of things that we feel we should do, but how many of those things are conscious efforts to actually participate in the process of life, rather than just going with the flow?
Regardless of what it may seem like from an outside point of view (job, family, spouse, etc.), your entire life is made up of things that you do because you want to do them. Not all things are as enjoyable as other things, but you are participating in the creative process of your life every single moment of every single day by the things that choose to do.
So ask yourself every day: “How can I proactively participate in the creation of my life today in a way that will make me feel good?”
Again, refer to the fact that most of the things that we do are reactive to our environment, and that environment is rarely there simply for our amusement, or to make us feel good. So what can you do today – and every day – that will make you feel good? After all, that is the goal, isn’t it?
In order to remember how to enjoy your life, simply S.T.O.P. Take personal responsibility for your own level of happiness every single day.

Have you ever heard the phrase “Be careful what you wish for – you just might get it.”?
As with most well-known phrases, there is some type of real-world reason why that phrase came into being to begin with. The effects of positive thinking and negative thinking – although not official “wishes” – do nonetheless manifest out in the real world.
Have you ever known someone who was constantly unhappy, complained all the time, and seemed to always have a dark cloud hanging over their head? Likewise, have you ever known someone who was so cheery and upbeat that you would purposely seek them out when you were feeling down, because their positive attitude always made you feel better?
With each of those types of people, the circumstances of their lives tend to be in alignment with their chronic ways of thinking. Yes, there are exceptions, but as a general rule, the phrase “the rich get richer and the poor get poorer” tends to be accurate. The reason it is accurate is not because of some cosmic conspiracy, but rather because those people habitually have rich or poor thoughts.
At the same time, habitual positive or negative thoughts will also serve to consistently create positive or negative circumstances in your life. In addition, it is not always the long-term thoughts that get you, but the short-term thoughts as well.
If you have very strong negative or positive thoughts about something, those thoughts become your dominate vibration (for you Law of Attraction fans), or your dominate driving force, and something is going to manifest out of that eventually.
The other day I allowed myself to get too stressed out over some projects that I was working on, and I ended up spending several hours reliving the stress as I was trying to discuss the situation, and come up with some solutions. Long story short, by the time the discussion was over, I felt much better, and all was well in the world.
However, the next day, I got spanked by all of that negativity coming back at me.
Although I felt great the next day, and I was back in my normal positive mood, the negativity that I had created the night before hit me first thing the next morning with some highly unexpected and generally unpleasant circumstances.
I am proud to say that I had learned my lesson, though. I kept my positive attitude about me, even though by that point I was starting to feel like life was taking pot-shots at me just for the fun of it. The result of maintaining a positive attitude about the whole thing almost immediately turned into benefits for me, however.
In one circumstance, I was able to quickly and easily fix something that otherwise would have been disastrous (ever lose 2 years worth of bookmarks in your web browser?). In the other circumstance, I was able to let it go without becoming stressed about it, and found not one, but two different ways of dealing with it, and neither of them are very time-consuming or stress-inducing.
The moral of the story is that your thoughts – whether they are positive or negative – will color your experiences from that point forward. Sometimes you’ll see this effect over a lifetime, and other times you will see the effect in the short-term.
The effect is always there, however. Just like a boomerang, your predominant thoughts are sent out into the world, and then they come back and hit you upside the head.
Knowing that your thoughts will come back to you eventually in the form of your life’s positive or negative experiences, why would you ever allow yourself to have a thought that you weren’t going to like when it came back around?
Learn from my example: Don’t toss a boomerang out there that you aren’t going to want to catch when it comes back!

Have you ever heard the term “creative manifestation“? In a nutshell, it means that you can manifest the things that you want in your life by creating them yourself – by using your thoughts and feelings.
Sounds great, right? We can have whatever we want just by thinking about it! Well, if you know what you are doing, that is 100% true. However, most people are doing something much more common, and I call it “creative destruction”.
You may or may not be aware of the simple concepts behind the Law of Attraction, but they basically state that whatever we focus on is what we will bring into our lives. That is absolutely true, and most people would swear that they spend plenty of time focusing on the things that they want.
Unfortunately, those same people spend even more time waiting for those things to show up, and then wondering why it never happens. The reason it doesn’t happen is because those people are practicing creative destruction.
Even though they may have a clear vision of what they want, the majority of people’s thoughts are usually fixed on the fact that they don’t have the object of their desire. In other words, they are trying to manifest their desires, but they are doing so from a position of “lack”.
Bryant Sandburg coined it perfectly in his blog when he said:”So if you think about the things you lack, that is what you will attract. You will lock yourself in lack.” That phrase “lock yourself in lack” is so appropriate, because it describes perfectly something that you have probably been doing for years.
There is no shortage of desire for us to have the many things that we want in this world. However, – consciously or subconsciously – we spend far more time thinking about what we don’t have. Once again deferring to the all powerful Law of Attraction; if that is what you think about, then that is exactly what you will get!
That’s creative destruction. You are creating the very circumstances that you don’t want to be in! This smacks of the phrase that some of the readers from my generation will be familiar with: “Go get the belt”!
Just as when we were kids and we did something wrong that warranted some tough love from our parents, now that we are adults and parents ourselves, we are still doing it. We are creating negative circumstances for our lives, and then getting upset when those circumstances dutifully show up over and over again.
By now the question that is probably on your mind is, “What can I do about it”?
I’ll give you an answer to that, although I will ask that you PLEASE listen to these words, and put them or some reminder of them in a place where you will see them every day.
I make that request because the habits that we are talking about breaking here have very likely been ingrained in us after years and years of use, and changing our thought patterns is not going to be as easy as simply reading this blog post.
Some may say that by even making that type of statement that I am practicing negativity. To the contrary. I’m practicing realism! I very much believe in your ability to make positive changes in your life based on this advice, but I would be remiss in my duties as the “teacher” if I fed you some fairy tale about Amazing Changes in your Life with only 2 Minutes of Work per Day!
The truth is that you are an all-powerful being and that you can literally have, do, or be anything that you want. However, you are going to have to work at it, which will make the attainment of your goals that much better.
The key to creative manifestation (as opposed to destruction) is that you follow the Creative Process, as outlined in the movie The Secret:
1) Ask for what you want – This does not mean standing in your front yard, hands outstretched, head towards the heavens, and saying, “Please deliver a brand new car to my driveway”.
Those words – or any other words that you use – mean nothing to the Universe. To think that the all-powerful and timeless power of all that has ever been or ever will be is going to understand your language is arrogance at it’s finest.
No, the Universe only responds to vibrations. We create vibrations with our feelings, not with our words. Now, that being said, if by saying something out loud or in your head makes you generate the feelings of actually having what you are asking for, then go for it. Sing it to the heavens, Brothers and Sisters!
2) Answer – This is the job of the Universe – NOT you! The Universe will always answer, every time, without fail. However, the Creative Process is a 3-step process, and Step 3 is the one where you need to step up to the plate if you truly want whatever it is that you are asking for.
3) Receive – This is where you start to truly see the difference between creative manifestation and creative destruction. Ordinarily, we are used to looking at things from a position of lack, which means that we are generating the vibrations of NOT having what we just got done asking for.
I remember the day we got to throw a live grenade during U.S. Army bootcamp. Everyone was so excited! We had been trained and now we got to launch one of those pineapples down range and see just what it could do!
Then, you step into the cement shelter with the Drill Sergeant, you start to get nervous, and you see that he has a live grenade in his hand that he is about to give you so you can pull the pin and toss it over the wall!
On one hand, you are thinking, “Oh, this is so exciting, and I can’t wait”! On the other hand, your heart is beating a mile a minute, you see flashes of you and the instructor splattered all over the inside of the shelter if you happen to drop it, and suddenly you’re not quite sure if you really want it after all.
That is exactly what happens when most people ask the Universe for something. They really want what they are asking for, they can’t wait to have it, but deep down inside – deep down where it really counts and where the Universe is listening – they don’t truly believe they should have the thing they are asking for, or they don’t truly believe that it’s possible that they can have it.
Well, I’m happy to say that in Basic Training I managed to toss the grenade OVER the wall, and I’m still here to tell that story.
The question that you need to ask yourself is whether or not you are going to have guts to have FAITH in the Universe, to BELIEVE that you deserve what you are asking for, and to FEEL grateful and happy as if you already had whatever it is you are asking the Universe for.
If you can remember that 3-step Creative Process, and remember to Believe, have Faith, and to Feel grateful and happy about what you are asking for, the Universe will deliver.
Don’t let yourself get “locked in lack”. Haven’t you spent enough time there already?

Negative “energy vampires” are not living a life full of happiness and success, yet they will happily drag you down to their level unless you escape their clutches before it is too late!
Use these 5 basic guidelines as an outline that will help to safeguard you from negativity, and will also help you to identify negative people so that you can remove yourself from their sphere of influence.
Once you have internalized not practicing the following unsuccessful habits, you will suddenly start noticing people in your life who consistently practice them on an almost daily basis.

1. No Gossiping

It doesn’t matter how justified you think you are in talking about other people’s perceived shortcomings, doing so will never serve to bring about positive results.
When people do things that you don’t agree with or that you don’t understand, all that demonstrates is that they do not see life in the same way that you see it. It doesn’t it make them a bad person, it just means that their understanding of any given situation is different than yours.
Granted, in many circumstances it may seem painfully obvious that someone could have handled a situation in a more positive manner. However, even if that is the case, rehashing the details with other people will only perpetuate the negativity.
In addition, many people thrive on discourse and chaos, so by participating in negative discussions about others, all you are doing is indirectly giving people permission to continue adding fuel to that fire. When you are seen as a “negative fuel source,” you will invariably find that people will continue stopping by to get a fill-up!

2. No Whining or Complaining

Let me ask you this: Does whining or complaining about any given situation actually do anyone any good whatsoever?
I’m not talking about constructive criticism, learning from our mistakes, or recognizing pitfalls so that we can avoid them in the future. No, I’m talking about when a situation is already clearly less than desirable, yet you continue to talk about how undesirable it is!
When the office thermostat is broken and it is cold as a deep-freeze in your building, will anything be gained by continuing to repeat the obvious? If your spouse or significant other is being (in your opinion) unreasonable, are you going to gain anything by constantly spouting off about how upset you are about the situation?
Complaining accomplishes absolutely nothing other than drawing attention to an already less than favorable set of circumstances. If something is worth complaining about, then it is also worth taking action on. Stop whining, and start taking action, because if you don’t, all of the whiners and complainers will crowd around you in order to get their negativity fix.

3. No Co-Dependency

All of us have friends, family members, or co-workers who bring real-world negative issues to us, and ask for our input. Sometimes they are looking for advice, while other times they just want to “vent”.
In either case, however, pumping up their already negative point of view by agreeing how terrible any given situation is will only serve to cement in their minds how terrible that situation is! In addition, you will be sending them the clear signal that you are willing to be a sounding board for their complaints in the future.
Rather than rallying the forces of negativity in order to combat someone’s issues, instead just provide for them a calming, reassuring voice of reason when their lives are in turmoil. Don’t turn your back on them, but don’t fuel their point of view that they are the “victim” either.
Instead, listen with a compassionate ear while keeping your own feelings in check. You will do them much more of a service by helping them to find a positive spin on their situation rather than becoming a participant in their negativity.

4. No Cross Contamination

It is impossible to swim in a river full of muddy water, yet still be able to get out of that river without a speck of dirt on you. The only way to avoid that dirt – or that negativity – is to refuse to take a dip into that river in the first place.
From an emotional standpoint, it is not possible for you to participate in negativity, and then go back into your positive bubble without dragging some of that negativity in with you.
Most people would say that it is not possible for them to completely avoid negativity, and I would tend to agree. However, just because you are physically present in a situation does not mean that you need to actually participate on an emotional level.
You can be involved in a discussion or in the resolution of a negative situation without allowing your own emotional set point to drop down to a less-than positive level. When life throws negativity at you, stay in the game, but practice equanimity in order to handle the situation without allowing the negative vibrations to affect you on an individual level.

5. No Being “Holier than Thou”

After finding all of these great ways to recognize and avoid negativity, it becomes very easy to think that you are somehow “different” than everyone else. You start to feel “enlightened” and you recognize how a large number of the people in your life are on planes, trains, and automobiles that are all headed in the wrong direction.
Here’s a clue: get a grip on yourself! You are no better, nor any worse than any of those people. Those people are neither better, nor any worse than you.
The only difference between the “enlightened” you and the people who practice negativity is that you see things from a different point of view than they do. It is not appropriate for you to try to force your way of thinking onto those people, and in most cases it is also quite impossible.
By running around life with an attitude that you are somehow better than other people, all you will do is serve to alienate most of the people around you. Then, before you know it, other “holier than thou” individuals will start to flock to your side. Then all you will have accomplished is serving to divide your circle of influence into people who live on the “right” or the “wrong” side of the tracks – from your point of view.
Conclusion: By following guidelines similar to the methods that you just read, and by  practicing the fine art of being positive, you will begin to enjoy your life and consciously create it to be whatever it is that you want it to be.
That’s the prize.
However, be advised that these success habits are just that – habits. Only practicing them when it is convenient for you to do so will only bring about positive results in small doses. Consistency is key.
Also, be prepared to burn some bridges in the process. Right now in your life there are probably people who will fade away completely when they realize that you will not be participating in their drama anymore.
The ladder of success is never crowded at the top!

No matter how much you prepare, or how much of a positive thinker you are, eventually something is going to happen in your life that you are not very happy about it. However, whether it is something really big, or just a minor inconvenience, you can apply the same effective formula for getting through it and moving on with your life.
1. Recognize Why the Change Happened
For better or for worse, whatever it is that has changed in your life, it happened for a reason. Maybe it was something that you did or didn’t do, or maybe it was something that someone else did or didn’t do. In either case, there was some purpose behind the change that you now need to discover.
Please don’t confuse “purpose” with “reason”. To use an extreme example, let’s say that someone you care about dies in a car accident. As sad as that is, the reason behind that person’s death was the car accident itself, but knowing that will not help you to move past the incident.
However, by discovering what purpose was served by their death, then you can turn the situation around in order to at least start walking towards the future, rather than dwelling on the past.
To use my own example, my Mom died of brain cancer when I was barely 21 years old. Her and I were very close and I was totally devastated. However, even though her life was anything but pleasant towards the end, she was still up before the dawn and the last person to go to sleep every night, because she saw the value in her time here on earth.
That was 16 years ago, and I am still almost always the first one out of bed in our house, and the last one to go to sleep at night.
2. Keep your Emotions in Check
If something happens that upsets you, it can be very difficult to reign in your emotions. You are sad, or mad, or infuriated, or frustrated, etc., and the last that you want to do right now is practice emotional mastery!
In fact, recognizing your emotions for what they are is part of the process of getting through that tough spot in your life. If you’re sad, then why are you sad? Why are you mad? Why are you frustrated?
As I said in the post ‘How to Eliminate Fear from Your Life‘, when people are afraid of a certain outcome, it drives their behavior. So if you are mad, sad, or frustrated by a negative change in your life, take emotional control by realizing what it is that is making you feel that way.

• Are you afraid that you won’t be able to live without a person who isn’t in your life anymore?
• Are you afraid that you will not be able function and be happy in a situation where your anger is constantly a part of your day?
• Are you afraid that your level of frustration is going to cause you to lose control?

Whatever your emotional reactions are to a negative change in your life, they will always be fueled by your need to have or to not have something in your life. By recognizing that need – even if it is painful – it will put you on the path to brighter days.
3. Be Grateful
This one can be hard for some people, especially if the negative change was really big. However, it is always – and I mean always – possible to be grateful for the changes in our lives, even the changes that we perceive to be negative.
Why should you be grateful? Because now you have contrast. You are now clearly able to see the difference between what you want and what you don’t want, so you can now apply all of your amazing abilities as a human being to get what you do want from now on.
If a relationship ends, or someone is taken from you, then you have the opportunity to understand – sometimes at a very high cost – what grief, despair, or loneliness feels like. Even thought it hurts, from now on you will appreciate all of the moments in your life when you don’t feel that way a lot more than you would have appreciated them before.
Sure, it’s a hard lesson to learn, but it is a lesson, and by being grateful for that lesson, you will appreciate – and enjoy – your life more as a result. Maybe not at first, but eventually you will.
4. Look to the Future
What’s next? Whether the negative change in your life is something simple, or if it is something major, you can always make the future a brighter place by planning how to move forward.
As human beings, we have an innate need for a sense of “direction,” or a belief that we are walking down a certain path. Even people who claim that they just want to “get through life and have fun” still have a path, even if that path is to do just that.
Whenever a negative change happens in your life, your path will have been permanently altered. However, as the sole conductor on the train of your life, you can still decide which direction your life will take now that the change has taken place.
At first it can be very difficult to focus on the future, and that is okay. In fact, depending on the severity of the change that has happened in your life, you may even feel like you don’t care about the future! That is fine as well. Allow yourself time to “heal” or to calm down after something negative has happened.
However, eventually, you will remember who you are, what you stand for, and what you want to get out of life. That strength will either move you towards the future one baby step at a time, or it may propel you forward like a rocket once you have come to terms with the negative change.
In either case, you are – and always have been – in the driver’s seat. Even after a negative change in your life, it is still possible to choose a new destination that is to your liking.

there are certain things that you can do which will keep you on the right track, so to our new visitor (and everyone else), here is a list of 7 ways to become a positive person. Enjoy!

1)  Mind your feelings, Luke!

One of the hardest things about keeping a positive attitude (or about self improvement in general), is remembering to constantly focus on the desired end result.
Life throws lots of negativity at us and it can sometimes get to the point where lashing out against the onslaught is nothing less than self defense. However, if you create a negative state of mind by reacting in a less than positive manner – no matter how justified that reaction may be – you will still have created that negative state of mind.
If you need to, bust out your Jedi mind control and get those emotions under control, lest they control you!

2) Take out the Trash

As you learn more and more about having a positive attitude), it may become easier to take on the belief that the higher you get, the more you can look down on others. Don’t do that.
However, no matter how open-minded and understanding you manage to become – even in the face of adversity – there will always be people who regularly insist on bringing negativity into your life. Get rid of them.
Yes, yes, I know. You can’t get rid of your family members, you can’t fire you co-workers, blah, blah, blah. No, you may not be able to completely get rid of them, but you can limit your interaction with them, and you can tell them to take a hike when they are being negative.
What’s the worst that could happen? Some negative family member or annoying co-worker stops talking to you?? Don’t be afraid to tell negative people to get out of your bubble!

3) Reach for the Golden Nuggets

Okay, so what about those situations where there is negative energy, and you just can’t get away? Look for the good!
There is some positive aspect to even the most mind-numbing situations, and by finding that silver lining, you can turn a perceived bad set of circumstances into something that works towards your own interests.
Having trouble figuring out how to be happy about obnoxious teenagers, what is good about your jerk of a boss, or what possible positive outcome could happen as a result of your car breaking down?
Each of these things gives us contrast. They teach us how to behave (or not behave), they teach us to be better prepared, or they simply teach us to enjoy the times in our lives when those circumstances are not present.
Would you really know how to appreciate a roaring fire and a cup of hot cocoa if you had never come close to freezing to death after walking a mile in the snow after your car broke down?

4) Plan your good Samaritan Effort

Every day, plan to do something completely selfless. No, it can’t be something that looks selfless, but is actually all about you. It has to be something that you do for someone else, and you expect absolutely nothing in return.
This act doesn’t have to be some major undertaking, either. Do a chore around the house that you normally wouldn’t do. Bring your co-worker a cup of their favorite beverage from the coffee shop. Buy someone lunch. Help an elderly person load their groceries into their car.
Do something like that every day. In fact, plan it out in advance, so that you are sure to get it done. Can’t see what helping other people has to do with becoming a positive person?
Try it every day for a week and then come back and post a comment on this blog about how great you feel!

5) Plaster a Smile On

When all else fails, smile like you mean it – even if you don’t! Human beings are naturally social creatures, and even if we are in the foulest of moods, by interacting with other people in a positive manner, we start the slow or even sudden climb to feeling more positive.
Whenever I workout at the gym, I have zero interest in talking to other people. I am there to workout, I am very focused, and I would prefer not to be disturbed.
However, when someone motions for me to help them with something, and I begrudgingly take off my headphones so I can hear what they are saying, something miraculous happens:
I help them, or answer their question, and then I feel better afterwards! Even if I just wrap my headphones back around my head and go back to working out in my undisturbed manner, I always feel better for having interacted with and assisted another person.

6) Mainline the Good Stuff

Experience positive and uplifting circumstances throughout each day. It’s just not possible to run around in a negative mood all the time if you consistently experience and appreciate things that you consider to be positive.
Everyone has their own definition of what is positive for them, but here is a brief list of things that you can experience frequently throughout each day:

• Affirmations – No, not affirmations that you say (although those are great, too), but rather affirmations that you see. Put uplifting messages on your computer wallpaper or around your office, set up your email program to send you affirmations at certain times each day, use your cell phone or PDA to send yourself positive messages and reminders at preselected intervals.
• Audio content – Listen to empowering audio while you are driving, on your computer, or on your portable music player when you are working out. Again, by constantly inputting positive information, it just won’t be possible to maintain a negative state of mind.
• Look around – Everyone has things in their immediate surroundings at any given time that they can be grateful for. However, if you don’t take the time to consciously appreciate those things, you will get into the habit of just taking them for granted. Every few hours just stop what you are doing, and for 5 minutes just look around wherever you are and appreciate things that you normally just take for granted.

7) Remember why you Care

And last, but hardly least, remind yourself several times per day (or several dozen!) that you want to have a positive outlook on life, and remind yourself about why you even care.
You can use exercises like those mentioned above all day long, but if you don’t have a true desire to actually have a positive attitude, then these types of activities won’t do you much good. If you choose to live your life as a positive person, then you must have some reason for choosing that path.
Each time a potentially negative influence crosses your path, remind yourself of your reason for wanting to be a positive person. Your desire to be positive will outweigh your desire to have a negative reaction to the outside stimulus, and after awhile this entire process will become second nature.

Hari ini,
tepat memasuki hari ketiga pacarku nggak sms aku dikarenakan lagi kemah di hutan. Selama dia nggak ada aku banyak masalah, aku pingin cerita sama dia.., tapi dia nggak bawa hp :'(
Awalnya aku ngejalani dengan biasa aja ditinggalin beberapa hari.., tapi seiring berjalan waktu, masalah muncul :'(

Yah boleh dibilang emang aku kesepian ditinggalin beberapa lamanya :'), tapi hari ini bener-bener hari yang buat aku kangen berat sama pacarku., Kutunggu dia pulang lalu sms aku.
Tapi bukan hanya menunggu kedatangannya kembali yang kutunggu., aku ingin bilang masalahku selama ini. Selama aku ada masalah pacarku selalu membantu aku untuk menyelesaikannya. Tapi hingga ini, dia belum juga pulang.,
Yang aku ceritakan mungkin dia sudah tau,
aku mengalami hal ini sudah (mungkin) untuk ketiga kalinya.!
hari ini aku mendapatkan masalah itu untuk yang ketiga!!

Aku menyerah, dan berniat pergi jauh dari kehidupan elektronik beberapa saat. Karena, masalah ini berhubungan dengan sesorang yang  entah siapa sms aku melalui elektronik. Ada niatan menghapus semua account aku di internet maupun dunia maya agar aku bisa jauh dari masalah ini.tiga kali aku mengalami di dunia maya dan satu kali di dunia nyata! aku benci dengan masalah ini! Maslah dunia nyata terjadi ketika aku di kelas 8, lalu masalah dunia maya terjadi baru akhir-akhir ini. Padahal aku nggak buat macam-macam, tapi kenapa harus aku??? Aku ingin bilang sama orang tuaku, apa masalah yang sedang aku alami akhir-akhir ini. Aku tidaklah hamil, aku bukan pengguna narkoba atau benda haram lainnya untuk umat muslim. Masalahku jauh dari semua hal itu. Aku ingin mengakhiri semua masalah ini! Tapi aku nggak tau caranya. Banyak temanku yang menyarankan untuk berkata apa yang terjadi, tapi aku takut orang tuaku marah dan nyalahin aku. Aku nggak tau masalah ini sebenarnya gimana, aku nggak kenal dengan orang-orang itu, aku nggak pernah ganggu orang itu. tiba-tiba message aku seperti itu.

entah darimana orang itu (aku tidak tahu dia siapa) tahu nomerku.,
saat ini yang aku inginkan cuma,
pacarku pulang lalu sms aku dan aku pun cerita semuanya. karena hanya pacar ku yang bisa menyelesaikan masalah ini. :").

Ya Allah,
aku tidak sanggup menghadapi ini semua.,
apa sebenranya rencana-MU dibalik semua masalah ini?? :'(