Friday, February 3, 2017

We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.


"It will all work out in the end."

This, I think, is my life motto. While I love reading and finding quotes and pinning beautiful words on Pinterest, I think these words may be some of the most important to me. Whenever I'm worried about something, I whisper these words to myself. Whenever something doesn't go quite right, I say these words in my head.

And I think they're absolutely true! We may have to go through some rough and perhaps unpleasant experiences, but things will always turn out the way they are supposed to. They may not end up how we want or expect them to, but they'll always work out and work out for the best. You know I believe in fate and destiny and serendipity (sarahndipity), so I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, which means that everything happens and turns out exactly as it's supposed to. Truly, it will all work out in the end, and it will be amazing.

I've been accused of being an optimist, and I'm proud to claim that title. I would much rather go through life thinking positively and hoping for the best than always being miserable and dreading the worst.

I realized recently that I'm surrounded by a lot of negativity. It's probably no surprise that college students are probably some of the most negative people in the world. Sure, we're hopeful and excited about our futures. But that's just it: we're looking too much into the future instead of the right now. Right now we're too concerned with getting through that test or finishing that paper. We're too busy hating our professors and the homework they make us do and the tests they make us take. Oh, and we love to complain about all of it.

But I'm done with that. I pride myself on being optimistic; I may even be a little naive at times. But I'm ok with that. I think being surrounded by surly college students has taken some of that optimism away, and I just don't like that. I got sucked into the annoyed, ill-tempered mentality that many students take on in college. I joined in on complaining about assignments before class with my peers. I started questions with classmates about how awful that one professor is because he just doesn't give any directions. But I'm done with that. No more complaining for me!

Some situations aren't always great. Sometimes people can be just plain mean, and that just makes me sad. I hate living in a world full of hate. Actually, I should probably say I don't like living in a world full of hate. I want people to get along. I long for a world where people discuss their ideas and opinions in a calm and productive way. We need more listening and less talking, which might be why I'm so positive. I've discussed it before, but I prefer listening to talking. I like to hear people's thoughts and ideas. I'm a listener. And from that listening and just from living my life, I've learned something...

I want to be someone whose positive attitude is infectious. I want to be that person who you can always count on to say, "It will all be ok." I want to someone who smiles at people and makes their day just a little bit better. I want to be a positive person who inspires more positivity. Heck, my favorite color is yellow! If that doesn't say I'm a positive person, I don't know what does!

Even though there will always be annoying instances and mean people and rough obstacles, I know I'm facing them for a reason. They've been put in my life so that I can overcome them and learn from them. I don't want to be Negative Nancy anymore. I want to go back to being Positive Penelope. Just call me Sarah Sunshine!

Don't worry: it will all work out in the end. How do you stay positive?

Lots of love,
Sarah

Oscar Wilde, "Lady Windermere's Fan"