Keeping positive
This morning, as I do most mornings, I sat down with a cup of coffee and scrolled through Facebook, catching up with friends and family, and at the end of it, I felt quite down. So many negative and gloomy posts. Okay, I understand — these are difficult times — but most of those things I can’t do anything about, except “like” or “hug” or “be angry” — and how did that impact on me?
It intensified my feeling of helplessness. And brought me down. So today I “took a 30 day snooze” from some people on FB — even some long term friends, who constantly bewail the situation. I don’t need that negativity in my head.
I think we need to *work* at keeping positive, to be aware of “downer” posts, to try to avoid ranting about covidiots etc, and following the figures day after day. Ask yourself, How does that serve you? Does it make you feel better or worse? I’m not asking for false cheeriness, or head-in-the-sand, just a bit of balance and maybe some mindfulness. We need to look after ourselves and to work at not being sucked down the plughole of negativity.
There’s a post here on ten things you can do.
So I’m starting my own little personal campaign, starting with a gratitude journal — reflecting on at least one thing a day that makes me smile or feel good, even in a small way. And this morning’s small moment of gratitude was the poached egg I had on toast for breakfast. A friend of mine keeps a few hens in her back yard, and she gave me half a dozen eggs. They’re so fresh and the yolks are a rich dark gold and delicious, and they turn a simple poached egg on toast into an event.
My second moment of gratitude was when I was working in bed on my laptop, and my dog jumped up and snuggled close. She usually curls up on that wrinkled greeenish blanket on the corner of the bed, which is her blanket. But today she was all affectionate and nudged me until I’d patted her for a few minutes, after which she settled down, warm against my leg, to snooze while I got on with my work.
Dogs are wonderful reminders of how to be happy. They live in the moment — they don’t fret about the past, or worry about the future. And small things delight them — a dog biscuit, a pat or a cuddle, a ball, a stick, a bird to be chased out of her garden, a walk — and their days are filled with many small delightful things.
It’s a lesson for us all.
I know what you mean, Ann. I’ve ‘snoozed’ a few local groups I belong to because the admins weren’t really policing them and the hate being spewed in the comments was just too much. I post the occasional ‘warning’ if you will about something I feel passionate, but I’ve seen such a change in people in the past couple years. Things one would never have said to someone face to face are gleefully typed out in comments that are just nasty. I’ve thought about just taking time off FB period though our township uses it for announcements and things and… Read more »
How lovely to get that flower bed cleared, Theo. I need to do that as well. You’ll have such fun deciding what to put in there. My egg-providing friend also has a really lush and productive vegie garden, and I have vegie envy. So that might be my plan. As for the nasties on Fb and Twitter, etc — yes, the relative anonymity can release some nasty stuff in some people. It’s lovely to be able snooze them for a while. I saw a new-to-me term the other day — doom-surfing — trawling through the web, reading post after post… Read more »
Thank you, Anne! This is precisely why I have an “unofficial” presence on Facebook. I got so sick of the meanness! While I miss chatting with my favorite authors, I admit that I now have more time for reading and reviewing. In my case, I have three precious kitties that I love to cuddle as I read. Life is good, my dear! Everyone take care and keep smiling!
Oh, pets are such a joy, aren’t they, Connie? I’ve just had a little girl in my new wip (work in progress) get a kitten — she’s cat obsessed. <g> And yes, away with the meanness, and also the gloom and doom. It doesn’t help anyone, does it? And appreciating small good things really helps, I think. Stay well.
I actually took the Facebook app off of my phone and iPad. I haven’t missed them. I still get random notifications every now and then, and I can check in on things. I was just getting so upset by posts, political (I’m in the U.S. and staunchly democrat) and otherwise, that it was bad for my mental health. I’ve started re-reading your back catalog and that helps a lot!
Martina, I’m with you — I never go on FB or twitter on my phone. Mobile phones are wonderful in so many ways, but they can destroy a mindful approach to life because it can interrupt you all the time. I find it a bit sad seeing people walking beside the lovely creek near me, head down, madly texting instead of enjoying their surrounds. Stay well and keep happy.
And yes, I can imagine how devastating your current political situation must be. I have given up on the news and prefer to stick my head into a book.
For a moment that poached egg looked like a slice of sticky toffee pudding with a mound of whipping cream and a dusting of nutmeg.
Thoroughly enjoyed George’s story… one of the few things I’ve been settled enough to read. Thank you.
Anne – I agree with Marianne’s comment. Until I read further and learned that I was looking at poached egg on toast, I was sure I was looking at some wonderfully dark sweet bread (just out of the oven) with a nice gob of sweetened whipped cream. Sigh…However, I also love poached eggs, and even have a pan that can poach 4 eggs at once. On toast of course. With ketchup on top. (Just call me a Philistine.) As for feeling down-I try to do the best I can by not getting lost in media or social media diatribes, and… Read more »
Binnie, I’ve always been quite political, but staying informed and feeling helpless is not a good mix. Giving up on the news has made me much less despondent about the state of the world. I do bake bread at times, but not often sweet breads. My mother had one of those 4-eggs-in-one poacher, but when it’s just for me, I prefer the old fashioned small pot of water method. Easy and less washing up. And seriously a very fresh free-range poached egg on toast is bliss. As for reading, I enjoy a good reread of old book friends — and… Read more »
LOL Marianne. The bread is soy, rye & linseed sourdough, and I toast it under the griller, so it looks quite dark. Mind you sticky toffee pudding with whipped cream sounds yummy. I often make sticky toffee pudding and it’s very easy and yum. But I can’t afford to make it at the moment as we’re in lockdown, so no visitors to help me eat it.
Thanks for enjoying George’s story — I’m so glad. Stay well and happy.
I quite agree, Anne. I’ve been trying to keep positive on Facebook. I do empathize with those who are doing it tough, though. Such a tricky time for everyone, really. Even though my brain’s going in fifty millions directions at the moment, I’ve tried to carve out time to sit and read every day – or at least most days. After the first ten jumpy moments I find I settle into it and relax more. Reading is my ‘cure’. Love your poached egg, a favourite of mine. My DIL’s mother has chickens and they produce the most splendid eggs!
Aren’t fresh, backyard eggs delicious, Malvina? Whenever I get them, I only poach them, as mixing them in with other things loses their splendidity (I’m a writer — I’m allowed to make up words and splendour doesn’t quite fit). I too feel for people doing it tough, but sometimes people just like to whine. And it brings me down, so I’m avoiding that kind of post and am doing my best to stay positive and take pleasure in small things. This morning it was the sight of my dog doing her best to a) sit with as much of her… Read more »