Think pasitib

"You're never fully dressed without a smile!"

The past weeks (and especially the last few days) have been teaching me a lot about optimism, particularly in keeping my spirits up even when so many things are uncertain. The key is to remember that everything that happens is all for the best, and really, God has good plans for us, even when it isn't quite obvious at this point in time.

Here, some tips on staying positive:
1. Have a motto. I keep repeating omnia in bonum to myself whenever something not very good comes along, and I think it helps! If you just remember that it's "all for the good," what could bring your spirits down?

2. Count your blessings. Yesterday, I got stuck in the rush hour crunch. I was in the MRT station without a ticket so I decided not to take the train. Walked to the other side of EDSA in hopes of catching a bus, but somehow there was a long line there too (first time I've seen a line for the bus actually). So instead, I walked all the way to Glorietta's Ayala exit to catch a bus there. When it arrived, it was standing-room only, so I held on for dear life clutching the metal bar behind the driver's seat. Bus rides are rougher than the MRT, so if I didn't have the strength to hold on, I would have splatted on the windshield at some point. In retrospect, I really I have to be thankful that I'm pretty macho for a person who can run only 200m.

Also, of course, I have to be thankful that there was a bus I could take, and that there were no snatchers in Guadalupe, and that in the end, I managed to reach my stop in one piece. Instead of dwelling on how annoying it is that a lot of men pretend to sleep on the bus so they don't need to offer their seat, I can be thankful for that one guy I saw offering his seat to a girl. Chivalry is not dead. :D

3. Have a supernatural outlook on everything, and remember that there's no way God didn't think this through. He knows you're strong enough to handle it, and besides, who says you can't offer it up in prayer? Sufferings make us closer to the Cross--that means, instead of complaining and being miserable, we can say, "I will do this hard thing for the love of so-and-so." It will really mean something in God's eyes (not to mention ring louder in His ears).

4. Decide to stay cheerful! It's really your decision to wallow in misery or not. Remember, you'll accomplish more things with a smile.