Why Am I Always Positive?
My 10 year old watched me type in the title, and immediately corrected me. “Mom, you are NOT always positive. You get sad and mad!” I pondered his comment while him patiently waiting for my comeback… “That”, I said, is a very keen observation, Brian.” “Being positive doesn’t mean you need to be happy all the time. I can feel sad, mad, hurt, angry and disappointed. But at the end, I still see hope and make the best out of the situation. I believe everything will work out. That’s what I call ‘being ALWAYS positive’.” He nodded, “You are very good at that, mom.”
Have you ever wondered what will be carved on your tombstone? I’m pretty sure mine is “Your positivity is contagious!” It’s what I have been hearing all my life… across times (toddler to current), across continents (Asia to North America), across states (North Carolina to Texas to California), and across works of life (nonprofits, big tech, church and schools). It’s been on my performance review almost every cycle and on every farewell card I received. Here are a few good ones:
Thank you for your contagious positivity and patience! I envy your skill of finding meaning out of the spaghetti of updates from everyone :). - S
Thank you Tracy, for everything!! For keeping us sane, for pushing us to do things beyond what we thought were possible and only asking me for ETAs 2 times in 3 years :) Thanks for keeping our spirits high always, I am sure you are going to spread the cheer wherever you go next. - T
So many people and so much chaos needed to be organized, yet you were able to always find a way to get us all together. Your never-say-never attitude and your smile will be missed! - V
People are naturally drawn to me as if their spirit is lifted up when being around me. And I have enjoyed being The Positive person in the room. I have enjoyed using my positivity to help people to see the possible in the impossible, to comfort them when they are down and to point them in the right direction (UP). Being positive is my superpower just like Spiderman can sling webs and Dr. Strange can bend the space.
It never occurred to me to seek the reasons behind my positivity, not till one day Jia said “Man, you really can find silver lining in every situation. I wish I could do that.” When someone calls you “silver lining queen” and has a #silverliningqueen series on Facebook, you’d better believe he’s serious.
So it dawned on me finally that I need to know why I am always positive. I need to know if my positivity is naturally given, or it can be nurtured. Because if just if positivity can be nurtured, it will help so many people in the world. It’s no longer using my superpower to help and save people. It’s letting everyone have the superpower. Imagine a world where spidermen and spiderwomen fly in between buildings. Villains will have no place to hide.
This is the reason I started this blog, “100 Days of Joy”. In the next 100 posts, I am going to share with you the 100 ways that have helped me achieve positivity, happiness, and joy in life. Maybe and just maybe, I will be able to find the answer to the question if positivity can be nurtured during my sharing and self-discovery.
No matter what stage you are in life. I invite you to join me on this journey to
Find healing if you don’t see the light at the end of the tunnel yet.
Share with me what helps you find joy.
Tell me your thoughts “Is positivity nature, or can be nurtured?”
I look forward to hearing from you.
Tracy
