“Misery loves company but she will never foot the bill” –  Bourgeois Tagg

This is post # 23 in my quest for 30 in 30.

There is a lot of pain, heartache, and unhappiness on the planet these days. With homelessness and famine, a tanking economy and surging violence it’s a wonder that anyone can have a positive outlook. Still, there are those who continue to find happiness despite all of the negativity swirling around. One of the keys to your own happiness is to bring more positive influences into your life.

In hard times it’s easy to dwell on all the things that are wrong with the world. In fact, it can seem easier at times to do so than to look for solutions.  Keeping a positive mindset in the midst of all the negativity is not always an easy thing. You’ve got media outlets that are all determined to show you all of the bad things in the world and who sensationalize violence and crime and war. There are gangster rappers and death metal bands who perpetuate their messages of hate through their music. There are medical corporations who create and spread diseases in order to create demand for cures. There is no shortage of man made problems in the world today and nobody seems to want to take responsibility for any of it. Fingers are pointed in every direction and it becomes impossible to know who to trust.

For those of us who remain optimistic and try to find the good in all people it can get pretty lonely. Since true happiness is such a rare commodity these days, when someone actually has it there is no shortage of people who want to try and take it from them. The world needs the promise of better days. Anyone who tells you differently or who tries to bring you down with their negative outlook is doing one of two things. They are either issuing a subtle cry for help or they are trying to keep you down on their level so that they don’t have to raise up to yours.  The thing to remember though is that by breaking ranks and holding the line on positive thinking you are serving more than just yourself. You serve as an example of the good life that can be lived through positive thinking. Being of service to others and helping those who have lost their way along the path is essential to turning the world around.

The Three Musketeers were known for their creed of “All for one and one for all”. Granted these were fictional characters and by “all” they meant each other but I think the message is a good one that we need to adopt more of in todays society. If we all dedicate ourselves to being positive and giving everything we’ve got in the service of anyone who needs us we will all get through the tough times together. By lifting up our neighbors we are lifting up ourselves.

Take time today to give a little. Not because you have to but because the best way to help yourself is to help someone else.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Todays Music: I Don’t Mind At All
by: Bourgeois Tagg
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