The text on the image reads
Sometimes, finding the silver lining
takes an incredible amount of energy and work.
One of the ways that I get myself out of funks and sadness and whatever other sorts of downward spirals is by reminding myself of things that aren't bad, unpleasant, or stressful. It got me through the worst parts of endometriosis and more. I'm using that again now, and always.
Simple examples of it include things like:
- People I care about are far away, but at least I can still talk to them via phone/video conferencing/chat.
- We've been out of my fake ice cream for weeks, but we still have enough supplies for me to make pudding without feeling like I'm being frivolous with the ingredients.
- It would be really great to have a source of income right now, but, in the meantime, I'm learning a new tool and skill set on a project that is helping me cope with the current situation, and possibly more.
Not every silver lining is perfect, but they help me turn my stress and negativity into something positive. Sometimes those positive thoughts have an activity attached to them that make that improved feeling last even longer. I love pudding, for instance. So, if I think about how I can make pudding, I may actually do that—and then I get to eat it!
So, happy things today!
The bracelet and earrings were something my mother convinced me to get when I was a teenager. They're old enough that their "made in" tag says, "Siam," and my mom took that opportunity to teach me a little bit about the history of Siam/Thailand. That was pretty cool. The Star Trek socks were from my husband, and he's always nice to think about. (We're gonna watch more Star Trek later. We're addicted, and it's wonderful.) The dress is one I've worn to a lot of different events, including blah blah boring boring work work things. I get to choose if I focus on remembering the blah blah or the fun fun. The best memory associated with this dress is hanging out with family at a relative's wedding. I've been thinking about parts of that all day today. It's been really nice.