Brandelyn: Lyrical Contradiction

 

            One of my goals for this year is to work on my general attitude. I notice that I whine and complain a lot and I need to stop that. The bible says Let everything that has breath praise the Lord so I have been working very hard to be a praiser instead of a complainer. Since I have been checking myself, I have become keenly aware of how much complaining actually goes on around me. It’s kind of like when you are fasting, all of a sudden food is everywhere! LOL! So now that I am trying very hard not to do things the old way, I have become keenly aware of the attitudes around me. This morning there was a woman on the bus who sat in the very front seat, complaining and griping about everything. It was really a downer listening to her and I wondered if I had ever had that same type of affect on people. There is a woman at my job who never has anything kind to say about anyone and I notice that when I leave from talking to her I feel a little grumpy.

 

            I think that as human beings we have a responsibility to each other to at least care about each other. It is very easy to transfer negative energy back and forth by complaining, gossiping, being mean and overall unkind when we are around each other. It is one thing to talk about problems with the hopes of finding a solution, but when you just complain for the sake of hearing your own voice, that is a downer. This morning as I was doing my daily devotional it said to go outside, no matter what the weather was looking like and look for five things God created to be beautiful for us. I really like this idea because instead of focusing on whatever negative thoughts may be going through your head, it forces to focus on the positive and in turn praise God for the wonderful things He has done. Just the thought of that makes me feel better and makes me want to do something to feel good every morning. The key to happiness is really about our attitudes. If we constantly focus on the negative, we will become suffocated by it and then what? The fact that we even woke up this morning is something to get excited about. If your life is in shambles, you have another day to get it together. I am going to make an effort to change my attitude because life really is too short to walk around underneath a black cloud.

            So my declaration is that I am reclaiming my joy. There are a lot of truly negative people around me, but maybe I am supposed to be that ray of sunshine for them. Who knows? All I know is that I am going to do my best to focus on the good and remain positive. I have a lot of good friends, a crazy family, my church family and people who are doing positive things in the world. I have a lot to be thankful for instead of focusing in on what I don’t have. No mas! So I want to encourage anyone reading this to reclaim your joy. Take a minute while you are out somewhere and look for something positive to think about. Worrying, negativity and all things bitter causes wrinkles as my mom always says, so why let ugliness affect you. Dust off the haters and the negative and keep moving forward! Just breathe, thank God and reclaim your joy!

Peace Y’all

B