Live life to the full

 Live life to the full

Half full or half empty?

I've always been a half full type of person. You are probably one or the other. I always remember the amazing Laurel and Hardy and the sketch where Laurel drinks the whole glass of lemonade as his half was the bottom half! But then, scientifically, the glass is always full! It does remind me of watching Laurel and Hardy films and Norman Wisdom films with my lovely dad.

I do try to see the funny side of things. It does help when you can laugh at yourself. My mum, bless her is a bit of a half empty person. We can look at the sky and I will see the sun but she will have spotted the dark clouds looming overhead! I suppose it is good to not be totally unaware of bad things happening. It's not that I haven't seen the clouds out of the corner of my eye, I have just chosen to look at, and comment on the sun! Like, in The Life of Brian, 'Always look on the bright side of life!' Try and read pinterest quote without singing it!

This quote from pinterest is fab too. A good question to muse on!

Sometimes, you just can't do this though. It's these times that show you your true friends, those who keep that brightness going for you and who don't give up on you. 

Going back to the cup analogy, as I do veer off  so well! I love this next quote that we just have to be thankful we have a glass! Being grateful and remembering our blessings goes a long way. 

I also like the idea of doing something about it if you are not happy. Our lives never really pan out how we thought they would. Take a step back and look at what your glass is filled with. Too much of one thing and not enough of something else? Make those changes. Small changes at first, but they make a big difference to you and your happiness. If something goes wrong, you can start again. And not just once either! 

Another important thing to remember is that, the cup and you, both need to have fuel in it! When you are a giver, you can easily empty your cup by tea time! Where do you get your energy then until the next day? Make sure you are surrounded by people who help you and give back to you. When you conntinually give to people who just take and drain you, you do get to a point where you have to stand up to them. Look after yourself to be in a better position then to help others. 

I would say I am an eternal optimist. I mean, I don't go around with a constant Cheshire cat grin, singing 'The hills are alive' around my local town centre. I don't do a Doris Day, singing to the golden daffodils either! Well, only on the first day of Spring! But I do try to see the best in everything and everyone. We all have a few thorns, but isn't it better to focus on the roses? How much nicer to magnify the loveliness of people and compliment them? When we look at a rose bush, we zoom in on the beautiful, fragrant petals. We need to do this with each other.

I have a few special mottos I like to live by and this next one is really good. So good, I have already written a blog about it! Focus in on the good in your day, in your job, in your life. The list can go on and on. Remember daily all this good because it is there. The rubbish is still there too but the good needs to outnumber and overshadow it!

When we are concentrating on everything we have to be thankful for, it does make us more grateful and this is such a lovely feeling. When we think of the people we share our lives with, it makes us smile and feel warm. 

I don't want to start getting soppy here but oh, go then, I will! This quote really makes you think, especially during this pandemic. I am going to do this tomorrow morning!

I love this next quote. Mindset is such a positive thing. Two sentences, same words but with opposing meanings. I am trying to be more like Number 2! 

When we think positive thoughts, we tend to be happier, and attract others who are happy and bubbly. You can't really expect a positive life if that's not your frame of mind.

Attitude is such a powerful thing. I try to see life as an adventure. It really is a one time offer. 

I have recently had some fantastic hypnotherapy sessions with an amazing lady, Sonia Swaby hypnotherapy, for anxiety and stress. I have come away with so much. The main thing that sticks in my mind is the 'working from my happy brain'. I was not using this part of my brain enough! When I started thinking more positively about myself, it gave me a buzz and an uplifting feel. You see, I am a half full type of person, but not always when it comes to viewing myself. Your inner monologue, that only you hear, is so powerful in setting your self esteem and mood. I had convinced myself I was a has been and a failure and I blamed myself so much for my career as a teacher ending. 

With the help of family, friends and this lovely lady, through hypnotherapy, I was reminded that my life, my purpose and my effect on others was not half empty but indeed, half full. On some occasions, it even brimmed over the edge! As I was speaking my habitual, 'I'm not good at that anymore' spiel, I was quickly moved on to focus what I could still do and what I was good at. You do, in time, retrain your brain to steer to the half full experiences of your day. Natural serotonin flows again and you are vibing again, like you used to. When you focus on your strengths, as in this quote, I suppose you are leading the way for others to do so too. I had begun apologising for myself, at work, constantly rating, then berating myself about how I was viewed by others. It is very freeing when you realise you are never going to get along with everyone and be everyone's cup of tea. It is so important how you view yourself. When you start reloving yourself, you can slowly move on.

You still have down days. I would say a lot of people do, especially at the moment with the third lockdown and the pandemic. For me, though, I am not as overwhelmed by them. Before, working from my primitive brain more, I would catastrophise situations and let my imagination run away with me. Now, with the hypnotherapy, along with the meditation, I find my breathing techniques and the thoughts from my happy brain do help me to judge things, and people from a more balanced, calmer perspective. My reactions and responses to certain people and situations have mellowed a lot!

When you view yourself as half empty, you are viewing your Nots. You are highlighting everything you are not good at or cannot do. You are not seeing what is there already, all the goodness. You are missing your magic. When you change your way of looking at yourself, you start to see your qualities again. Those qualities that were always there and your loved ones cherished. Those qualities that those who criticised you saw but still put you down anyway. When you concentrate on the parts of you that are filling your glass, it is much easier to do a top up. You build on your positives. You fill your cup to the brim and enjoy your life with those around you much more.

I think it helps to put pressure on yourself to always think you need to be busy to make that glass half full. You can rest most of the day, go for a walk, read a book and feel so rested and refreshed that you have recharged your batteries and your refilled your cup! I always thought I had to be busy, to he doing something and felt quite guilty when I wasn't being as productive. Turns out that shutting off and chilling can be just as productive. This quote is so important. For me, now I am not seen as having a career, I felt a failure but I don't anymore. 

I love this facebook page by Gemma Correll, the artist. This next quote and illustration makes me smile so much. 

It is also about not feeling you have to be in a state of happiness 24/7. If we did anything 24/7, we would get bored and restless with it. In a ways we need our lower times to appreciate the happier times more. It's good for other folk to see that we are only human. When a friend confides, over a cuppa that they are struggling too with something, obviously, you feel for them and help them. But you are also reminded you are not alone. Sometimes you feel you are the only one going through something. You may think, from social media that everyone has got it right. Not true! We are all ambling along! 

So, get them positive pants on, pull them up high. We can do this last stretch of lockdown. We have come so far already. There are many things to look forward to and we are blessed to be here. 

I love this page Natural Life, full of uplifting quotes. Sometimes we need to talk about our problems and what is bugging us. This is only natural. My close family and friends and I seem to start off with our moans then move on to having a laugh and making each other feel better. We always leave with a smile and the sense we have been recharged spiritually. 

I think it is good to remember that as an optimist, we may seem idealists to everyone. I am both. But that does not mean I don't ever get let down, lose out, feel lost, get hurt, feel betrayed, want to scream and so on. All these things have happened and are still happening. I just do not want to let these negative situations, people, my feelings and negative responses get me down anymore. I want to focus on all the times I have been loved, been helped, had fun, been appreciated and wanted to shout out happily about something. 

Life is definitely not perfect. Far from it. It can be very hard and very wearing. It can also be brilliant and awesome. Which side of the coin do you want to look at?