I had a question posed to me this week: how are you always so positive considering you have secondary progressive MS? Well the truth is I don’t live my life in a continuous state of positivity. I write a blog that focuses on learning how to transform oneself from an under-achiever, non-doer into a person
of organization, purpose, plan and action; full of desire and ambition. It takes a lot of work to remain positive.
Honestly, I am more positive now in life because the alternative is not acceptable. I will not allow myself to go to the dark side and focus on how crappy life can be, how crappy people can be, how I hate my job, how life just keeps putting it to me. I just refuse to allow my mind to think it those terms.
Why? Because I choose to focus very little on the negative, while focusing heavily on the positive as I work toward achieving my goals.
This does not mean I am not aware of the negatives. I do not live my life with my head buried in the sand. I simply will not allow myself to use valuable life energy to focus on negatives. It is not productive, thus I find productive things on which to focus.
It is not easy and takes much effort to live a life focusing on the positive. Part of me wants to give in and just become negative. I do not talk about my MS, too often. I do not complain about my MS pain, too often. I do not complain about not playing golf anymore, too often. I do not complain about having to take my Copaxone shot 3 times per week, too often.
I think many people would understand if I did complain. AND I know a lot of chronic sufferers that complain incessantly, most of whom I give a hall pass because I know what it feels like to hurt. But I will not give in. I will not relent. I choose to fight. I choose to stay positive. I choose my mentality. I choose my future!
I am positive because it is the one thing I get to control.
To those that live a life of negativity I say: suck it up buttercup. I bet there’s a kid in a third-world country that would give a limb to switch places with you and do it without hesitation. We have it easy in civilized societies; we are so incredibly spoiled. Most of us suffer from first-world problems and act as if the world is coming to an end.
We don’t have to walk 5 miles one way to carry back dirty water to our families. Water that will kill millions of kids each year. We don’t have to worry about polio, AIDS, diphtheria, measles, deadly enfluenza, lions, tigers or bears! Seriously, the next time you start complaining, stop and listen to yourself. What are you complaining about? Take action, change your position, change your future. You have the freedom to do so.
You ARE the answer to your own problems; start acting like it.
Why do I choose to remain positive? Because I live in a country that allows me to write a blog to help others. I live in a country where I can speak to MS patients and let them know someone cares. I live in a country that allows me to turn my life into whatever I want it to be.
Why do I choose to remain positive? Because when all is said and done, my life ain’t that bad!
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