basicallyamoo

[basicallyamoo]

Pollyanna's Glad Game

"I'm sure this will be a very nice room," said Pollyanna. "And I'm really glad that there isn't a mirror, because now I won't be able to see my freckles!"

A young orphaned girl moving into her hot, horrible attic room and still being glad about it piqued my interest. I was only 8, and Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter was my first attempt at reading novels without dialogue bubbles.

Today you and I, my dear reader, are regularly exposed to negativity. Social Media has assumed the role of justiciars, the news tends to be TRP driven, and we're trapped in our homes, on the verge of stagnation. We must make sure we do not spiral down or dwell on what we're unhappy about, and that we keep our hearts and chins up.

To that end, might I suggest playing the Glad Game?

It's easy. Every time you find yourself in an unpleasant situation, look from another perspective and try to see how it can be positive.

Pollyanna wanted a doll, but in the church-barrel came only crutches. That's when her father introduced the game to the crying little girl and said: "we must be glad we don't need those crutches!"

Granted, it may not be the most straightforward task to find the good in bad. We take what life throws at us at face value, and often overlook the different viewing angles. But it's nothing a conscious effort can't deal with. 

It's healthy to rant, of course. Acknowledging your emotions is an essential part of maintaining your mental health. But there exists a fine line after which negativity can turn a bad moment to a bad day. A spark of positivity, however, has the potential to not only brighten up your day but, like dominos, lead to effects that last a month, a year or even a lifetime.

"Oh, look, Nancy! Look out the window at the beautiful trees and houses and the church steeple and the river shining like silver. Now I won't need any pictures inside to look at!"

Playing the glad game will give you incredible peace of mind. You'll find yourself in control, and better prepared to make decisions.

Let's play the glad game:

I'm glad that I'm safe, and so are those around me. I'm glad I'm doing my part by staying at home and maintaining my immunity so that I can't be a threat to others in my community.

Even though I am not scoring a dream 100, I'm glad that I am a recipient of formal education. It'll make it easier for me to find work that I love.

Even though I can't meet them or talk to them as often as I'd like, I'm glad that I have friends and family who consider me an essential part of their lives.

I'm glad for every opportunity I get to spread positivity with others!

None who live may avoid sadness. It is our outlook that decides the weight of that sadness. A positive demeanour is what we must all try to pursue.

To that end, might I suggest playing the Glad Game?

[basicallyamoo]

To blog or not to blog

I don’t quite know what I wish from this endeavor. Maybe It’s just an exercise to polish my English. Maybe it’s a feeble attempt at pretending to be interesting. Either way, it’d be criminal not to try.