Complaining? Criticizing? Kavetching? Too much flapdoodle!

I recently discovered a children’s book written by Maine author, Amy MacDonald. The title immediately grabbed my attention: Too Much Flapdoodle! Something about this phrase really resonates with me. I looked up the word flapdoodle in the dictionary, and it means pretty much what you would imagine: nonsense; foolish talk. The phrase stuck in my mind, and as I went about the next few days, there were several times when it popped into my consciousness.

Every time I turn on the radio, someone is moaning and groaning about the state of the economy. No improvements will come from focusing on the negative. In fact, this type of reporting is contributing to our problems. Hope is the answer; positive thoughts are the path we should be following. Unemployment is currently something like 9.6%. Folks, this means that 90.4% of people have jobs! I don’t have a job myself, and yet I know there’s plenty to be thankful for. Hyper-focusing on all that’s wrong? Too much flapdoodle!

I was standing in line the other day, waiting to mail a letter, and the woman behind me became very impatient. Now, sure, waiting in line can try one’s patience sometimes. We’ve all felt that kind of frustration. But consider what the outcome is: we post a letter, and within a relatively short amount of time – usually less than a week – our written words travel across the country, all for only 44 cents. The US Postal Service delivers hundreds of millions of messages each day to more than 150 million homes and businesses. That’s quite an achievement, and I for one appreciate their efforts! So the next time you go to mail your cards and packages, don’t gripe about the wait; appreciate the service. Complaining about a few minutes of waiting in line? Too much flapdoodle!

Everyone experiences stresses and strains during their daily lives. Everyone. Rich or poor, single or married, city folk and country dwellers. It’s not what happens to you, though, that determines if you’re happy – it’s how you react to what happens. It’s how you think about what happens. The next time you’re tempted to complain, criticize, or sink into a place of despair or depression, ask yourself this question: Is everything in my life really so bad? Is there anything good in my life I can focus on instead? There has to be something positive – look for it. Look hard. It’s well worth the effort, since it can literally make the difference between a happy life and an unhappy one. Look for the good. Do it every day. Get into the habit of catching yourself when your thoughts are going down a negative path and turn them around. Develop an attitude of gratitude. Otherwise, friends, you won’t be feeling very good. Your naturally buoyant spirit will become mired in your negative thoughts. And you may just find yourself feeling overwhelmed with too much flapdoodle!

Positivity

“The world is so full of a number of things, I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson

If you listen to the naysayers, you’ll hear plenty of stories of doom and gloom. Just turn on the news, and you’ll see what I mean. The economy sucks, many are jobless, some are homeless, and don’t forget there’s a big hole in the ozone layer, so who knows what terrible things that might lead to. I think it’s a very good time for me to share a post with you that comes from my other blog, the personal side of me, called Beth’s Take on Life. So here we go…

Positivity. Is that a word? I don't know -- I didn't stop to look it up, because I decided I want to use it, even if it’s not in the dictionary. Here are my thoughts on positivity, or the art of being joyful.

Where does joy come from? Are some people born as ‘cup half full’ people while others just naturally see the cup as half empty?

I don’t think so. Joy does come from within, but it starts with our thoughts and grows from there – or not. To experience life from a happier perspective, you first have to make the decision that you want to be happier and you’re going to be – regardless of what’s going on around you.

Next step? Become aware of your thoughts and feelings. Are you always complaining? Is your boss a jerk? Is your mother-in-law a biatch? Do traffic problems send you over the edge? Whatever you’re feeling is fine, but if it’s less than positive, you might want to take a step back and realize how you’re thinking about things. Everyone can be a jerk sometimes, but once we label someone that way, that’s the side of themselves that they’ll show us.

Take a moment today to consider yourself and your life. Not liking what you see? Then what can you change? Not the other guy -- YOU! It always comes back to you. Change your outlook, and you'll change your life. Because, my friends, happiness in an inside job – every single time.

Add a touch of positivity to your day -- in the form of a happy thought, smile, or small joke -- and you’re already on your way to a happier life. Try it. Just for today. Take one small step toward positivity and see how it makes you feel. And now for some happy images to help us all feel better right now...