As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been watching the relationship of two people close to me further disintegrate. There’s really few things worse than watching someone suffer and not knowing how to fix it. The bottom line is that they’re both miserable people. I can’t fix that – it was to come from inside. So, instead of fussing constantly over the state of their marriage, I’ve decided to try to make sure that my marriage is and will remain on solid ground.
In the spirit of that goal, I asked my Bestest what I could do to improve myself and make me a more likable person. His answer – cheer up and stop worrying so much about other people’s troubles. Do what you can but then know when to let go. Easy for him to say. He’s the laid back one. I’m hyper. But it’s a worthwhile goal. Even the eldest says “don’t read that!” when she sees me looking at an email from one of the aggrieved parties. She knows it upsets me. How is my behavior affecting her?
Numerous studies have shown that maintaining a positive attitude can help you lead a longer life. There are days when I’m not sure a longer life is what I’m after. But it’s not just me I need to think about anymore. I need to stand up, be strong, and put on a little good-mood music. It doesn’t get much better than “Put on a Happy Face” from the Broadway musical “Bye Bye Birdie.”
Gray skies are going to clear up, right? Right?