It’s been somewhat of an emotionally stressful week for me.  It all began with a crummy mood last Friday which seemed to only get worse.  The rain had been nonstop too, so I’m sure that was not helping (and it definitely was doing nothing for my hair!).  However, I’ve been coming across little signs these past few days that make me think that maybe life is on my side, and that it’s singing into my ear, “Come on, get happy!”  in its attempts to raise my spirits.

The signs:

*I passed by the Boston Common on Saturday afternoon and stumbled upon this and was unexpectedly reminded that life is good (okay, I suppose it doesn’t get any more obvious than that!).  It’s hard to be upset when you see the community come together to promote the spreading of good vibes. I even snagged a silicone wristband that’s imprinted with the words “How will you use your optimism today?” and have been wearing it since as a reminder for myself to think positively.  And, what do you know, it’s working!

*Earlier this week I had the opportunity to view a screening of My Sister’s Keeper (adapted from the book by Jodi Picoult), a pretty realistic depiction of pediatric cancer and the impact it can have on a family.  I work in a pediatric division of a cancer hospital but, being on the research end of it, I don’t really have face time with patients and only see them in passing. The film gave me a glimpse of what the patients and families here might go through on a daily basis. Definitely not a pick-me-up of course, but it did  highlight the fact that,  really, I have SO much to be thankful for–not just my physical health, but also the people I am honored to call family and friends, the roof I have over my head, the freedom I have to pursue my interests, and the list goes on.  So it was a much-needed dose of perspective.

*Wednesday night I attended a positive psychology talk by Harvard lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar (you’ve probably come across his book on happiness) that reminded me that we all have the tools inside us to reduce stress, live healthier, and just be happier.  While I already practice a lot of the things that were recommended, it was good to get a little nudge to be more mindful about them and to help myself when I know I need it, instead of spending too much time dwelling on the bad.  Positive psychology seems a bit like common sense, but it’s just merging empirical research with the accessible ideas in the self-help books we see everywhere these days.  Maybe it’s the psychology major in me (or the Oprah-lover in me ;), but I’m all for it!

Something else that was reinforced at the talk, and that brought things back full circle to the message on my wristband, was that if you appreciate the good, the good appreciates.  So, if any of you out there have been feeling crummy as of late, take some time to breathe and re-evaluate what you’re focusing your energy on and make any appropriate changes.  Life’s too short to be focusing on the bad or causing yourself undue stress.  There’s so much to be grateful for, to smile about, and to celebrate.