I can’t help but think we all need to gain some. Especially when I see things like this…
Sure a slight flight delay is a inconvenient…but it certainly doesn’t warrant all the complaining I constantly see on social media (the tweet above is just one example). Seriously people, think about it….WE CAN FLY. IN THE AIR. LIKE FREAKING BIRDS. In the grand scheme of things an hour or two delay is not going to kill you and think about how much time being able to fly is saving you?! You can travel in a day what would take weeks if flying wasn’t possible.
Or this…
This was one of the first tweets I saw when I woke up. Why start the day on such a negative, pessimistic note? First off, hate is a really strong word. I try not to use it towards anyone because even when you feel incredibly angry, to say you all out HATE someone breeds more negativity and effects you in worse ways than the person it’s aimed towards. Hating someone means you’re holding on to your anger and perpetuating it.
Other things that lead me to believe we all need to take a step back and realize that life isn’t so bad, that we actually have it pretty good, and that there are people who would kill to be living your worst day…
–People constantly declaring that they’re bored: As I always say, bored people are BORING people. There are SO many productive things you can be doing. Heck, I wish there were MORE hours in the day for me to accomplish everything I want! Next time you think you’re “bored” try doing something for someone else! There is no shortage of needy people in the world who would love for you to lend a helping hand.
–First world problems: Okay, I’ll admit the twitter account is pretty darn funny and relatable. But when you actually stop to think about all the things we take for granted and constantly complain about…it’s pretty disturbing. We should be so thankful for everything we’re afforded, especially in this country, and yet we all seem to have this notion of entitlement. Technology not working? At least you have access to it! Someone messed up your order at a restaurant? At least you have food and can afford to go out to dinner! It’s just about reframing things that seem annoying and realizing that they’re really not that bad. It’ll help you have a more positive outlook on life in general!
–People being REALLY rude to customer service people and other workers: More than a few times in the past weekend alone I witnessed people talking to workers/customer service people/waiters in horrible ways! Yelling, screaming, demanding! Completely forgetting that they are people too and only trying to do their jobs the best they can. Where do people get the idea that just because they are receiving a service that they have the right to treat someone as less than human? It might be cliche, but it’s true…you get a lot farther with kindness and understanding than with criticism and rudeness.
These are just a few examples, but I really wanted to write a post highlighting the lack of perspective I’ve noticed out in the world lately. So much complaining and negativity, and not enough appreciation and gratitude. Yes, it’s evident the world is full of bad things, horrible people, and too much suffering…but on the whole, it’s filled with more goodness than anything else. If anything, the unity and generosity we’ve seen in the wake of Boston and West, is a testament to this! Heck, just the fact that the Earth has just the right set of optimal conditions for us to sustain life is pretty amazing! There truly is a lot more good out there than bad. We just have to learn to look for it, find it, and focus on it!
Just thinking about all the chaos of the past few weeks and reflecting on how lucky I am to be alive and living the life I am, I felt the need to give a little reminder to put your life into perspective. I’ll be the first to admit that I lose sight of what’s really important sometimes, but it’s important to be reminded and realize how fortunate we all are. Yes, some of is have it harder than others, but there truly is a bright side to every tragic situation. Positivity and light can be found in the darkest of places.
Perspective. Keep it in mind.
Kaila
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Todays’s Healthy Help: Handed in an assignment for friend that was sick.
Never too early to start Lending a {Healthy} Hand for this weeks round-up! Tell me what you’ve done to help someone else lately!
I love this! Sometimes if we just step back from a situation, we see the bigger picture and are able to look at things in a new light. :0)
I completely agree with your comment about customer service. I hate when people (especially those that I know) are rude to customer service whether it be on the phone or in person. I’ve had my fair share of bad company experiences but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it was a customer service person’s fault. Plus, it’s never productive to be mean to someone.
Great post!
I agree…it doesn’t help the situation at all to approach it with anger and negativity!
Such a great post – my thoughts exactly. I was in line at the post office today, and there were 4 people ahead of me, and the woman behind me was cursing at how slow they were – it was so annoying, I really wanted to say something to her but decided against it
People can be so impatient!
I’ll never, ever understand why people are so rude to those who are just doing their job. I mean, I get it that people get frustrated when htey have to wait in line or deal with defective products, but it’s not like the person had anything to do with it; and having a bad attitude doesn’t make things any better for anyone.
Good post 🙂
Exactly! Most times the people you have to talk to about a problem have nothing to do with it and yet they receive the brunt of people’s anger!
This is a fantastic post!
Thanks Molly!
YES!!!! im just happy to be here. PERIOD.
SAME HERE!
Great post!!! I totally agree. I always try to look on the bright side of things. Twitter is FILLED with negative tweets!
One of the best posts I’ve read lately. Thanks, Kaila!
It’s sad to see how many people choose to see their lives and the whole world from a negative perspective. Even the best things like great weather (“Way too hot!”) or birthdays (“Getting older sucks.”) can be cause for complaint to some. Now if that’s not ridiculous I don’t know what is. As you said: On the whole there’s much more to be grateful for than anything in life. We just need to choose to see the good even in seemingly bad situations.
This is one of my favorite posts that I’ve read in a LONG time. It’s something I think about all the time. We have SO much to be thankful for, yet we’re constantly complaining and focusing on the negative. It’s ridiculous!
“People being REALLY rude to customer service people and other workers.” <— And being someone who works in a restaurant, I can completely agree with this!
[…] all for the awesome feedback on my last two posts! If you’re playing catch up, click HERE and HERE. They were two posts I really hadn’t planned in advance…heck I didn’t even know […]
Great post! I know I can fall into that trap sometimes of letting little things get to me but agree that putting a focus on a more positive place makes a huge difference.
[…] loose ends to tie up, but I guess I just kind of thrive on being busy! Plus I had a lot to share! A discussion post, a giveaway, and two yummy, superfood […]
I relate to this post a lot, but I just wanted to point out that flying can be a seriously frustrating thing, especially if you’re trying to get home to see family or friends. I was sobbing in the airport when my first flight home from college (800 miles from my home) got delayed. I missed my mom so much and at that moment, that flight getting delayed was one of the worst things that could have happened to me… all about perspective I guess.
[…] Perspective: A reminder to keep things in perspective and not overreact to everyday challenges. We all have them and things really aren’t ever as bad as they seem. […]
[…] Need a dose of positive today? I suggest reading Kaila’s post about perspective. […]