Happy thought hits the spot!

Negative energy is wasted energy. Period.

Alright, lemme tell you a secret I'm learning . . (that isn't even a secret, people tell us all the time but we don't always listen) Optimism is a POWERFUL thing.  I mean it.  And no that doesn't mean that you always have a smile on your face and ignore all of the problems around you.  It means that you recognize them for what they are, you realize what is important, and you let yourself smile.  Do it now.  ..... fake it if you have to .... imagine you just ran into a friend you haven't seen forever, saw a serious mullet or that you just watched The Grape Lady on youtube for the first time. 

I'm serious, right now I want you to let a smile slowly grow across your face until it can't be any more real and it hits that point that you know your eyes are twinkling. 

Something as simple as smiling - even if you're faking - releases endorphins in your body, and endorphins make you feel good. (hence why things like working out or laughing make you feel GREAT) aka the more you smile the better you feel!

I started to really feel the effects of optimism a few weeks ago after reading this incredible post from the lovely Kelly Brown about confidence.   Seriously people, open that link - you wanna read that. Anyway I've found that optimism is like a snowball, more you got the easier it keeps going etc. And I love it. I had been doing really good, especially when it came to soccer.  Then I had a little bit of a setback one day, but no worries I overcame it --- we can ALL overcome ANYTHING. And not only that, but we can enjoy it as we conquer those things. 

Control the controllables - how hard you work and what kind of attitude you have. If you work as hard as you can and don't let negativity poison you - you can be pleased with where you are at. Feed your positive thoughts, you ARE beautiful, gifted, fun, accomplished, helpful, blessed, happy.

Ok seriously there are so many cliches that it feels I'm finally really getting it. Like 'attitude is everything' or 'life is to be enjoyed not just endured' ... hmm who would have thought all that stuff was for REALS right?

But really though optimism has changed my life, I guess that faith ties into how you can keep a good attitude. Ya i've got struggles, life is busy and hectic and hard and things don't usually turn out how I would like.  But i've got a great family, amazing friends, an able body and mind and a whole bunch of opportunities to grow. Awesome.