From Sappy Worrier to Happy Warrior (Happy Nudge v.1)

Changing your perspective, in my opinion, is a happiness tactic that requires the least effort. Bad times and happy times will always come and go, but if you actively try to keep happier thoughts in your mind, then you can battle negativity's unfair advantage.

Yes, negativity has an unfair advantage, apparently. I'm not speaking as a psychological expert, but rather as a regular person who has heard the fact over and over from different, relatively reputable sources.

So, in an effort to battle anxieties I feel about upcoming stuff, I'm going to let my mind linger a bit on how awesome this week has been so far. I will do a Happy Nudge, which is a term I would like to use from now on for actively reminding yourself of things you can be happy about. *nudge nudge*

So... HAPPY NUDGE V.1! Here are reasons why my week is being pretty cool:

1. I met my friends on Monday. It was unplanned, they texted me and I went there. I'm not a very spontaneous person when it comes to going out, as much as I'd like to believe the contrary. So that was pretty cool.
2. I've been crossing off some huge Very Adult of Me tasks on my mental To-Do list that I have been working towards for monthsss and monthsss and I've encountered some very serendipitous lucky stuff when it comes to the nitty-gritty paperworky logistics and preparations (that I won't get into because it would be very boring) that made this week a lot easier than I thought it was going to be!
3. Due to the difficulties that I perceived as very likely for me to encounter, I was very stressed Monday night and I told my boyfriend "I wish I had more time every day" because I didn't get to watch any of my Sunday shows (that I watch on Mondays).. And the next day, my boss magically announced that I won't be having an afternoon class! So I relaxed and watched my shows and stuff :3
4. On that same Monday, I caught 11:11 on my phone and wished for things to work out alright. When I got home, I saw that the helpdesk question I desperately needed answered by my bank was answered at 11:11, and not only that: the answer was the BEST NEWS I could ever ask for. I thought I was going to have to go to the branch where I opened my account (would totally F up my schedule) but I didn't :)
   
   
   
5. My mom had been helping me so much, sometimes I feel guilty! But I realised that feeling grateful without guilt is a purer and more beneficial kind of thankfulness, and more likely to nurture loving feelings instead of indebtedness and bitterness. But I just want to take this time to say I LOVE YOU MAMA. I really appreciate everything you've been doing, you're like magic. (By the way guys, it's Mother's Day on Sunday.)
6. Today I was having a weird lucid dream about time. I woke up sometime in the morning trying to check on the time (I usually wake up around 7 and take note of the time so I can nap shortly before I have to really get up) and couldn't see it very well, so I drifted back to sleep and asked a girl in my dream "What time is it?" and looked at the clock in my dream which confirmed the girl's answer that it was 8:19 (I leave for work at 8:25, for it takes me 5 minutes to walk there).. I check my phone and apparently it was set to silent mode so I didn't hear.. I panicked in the dream, which made me wake up. I looked at the clock and it WAS the correct time. I forgot to bring my phone into my room because I was printing some documents last night. I was so disoriented. But I still managed to hurry and get to work on time with some help from my brother who just drove me there! HOW LUCKY WAS THAT?! Then my boss declared NO AFTERNOON CLASS again today, and my friends have said yes to spending an evening watching a documentary together! And talking, of course. :) So that brings us to a total of TWO impromptu bestfriendly meetings this week. A very high number for us!
7. I've been eating relatively well this week! Maybe that's also partly where I'm getting this break from negativity from...

So there, seven things that have made this week awesome so far. A part of me is trying to strike fear by saying "You've had so much luck that it's bound to run out soon" but I know that as long as I'm enterprising and keep a good-sport attitude about things, even if the worst happens, then I'll be completely fine. Like what we often hear, Luck is when opportunity meets preparation. 

I noticed, in writing this, that there are numerous moments where I suffered a bad imagined future in advance, not knowing that it was going to be fine... It's a natural emotional response in people, we feel like we need to feel bad in order to deserve feeling good. But it's a bit silly isn't it: If you imagine things to go bad, and they do go bad, then you suffer twice. If you relax and don't worry about them and they turn out bad, then at least you didn't suffer more than you had to. Worrying is A Bad Thing Happening all on its own. As tempting as it is, I think it's logical to avoid it as it has no purpose. Instead of worrying about things, care about them and act towards making things better, or as good as they can be!

Thinking Positively, using the same logic, is not as useless as some Grumpies may think. Thinking positively already gives you good feelings. It's a Good Thing Happening all on its own. If things go bad, you only suffer when you have to. If things go well, well you're just a happy little fuzzy peach then now aren't you. People (including me) often steer away from this because of fear of disappointment and the pang of shame that comes with looking forward to something that just kinda explodes in your face. But if you face the possibility of failure full-on with a brave face, have a plan B, and are prepared for the worst, then you can just get up and dust yourself off if things don't go your way. That's being a good sport. When things stop being about winning, but about doing everything to have the best result possible.