I’ve been trying to work on my positivity.

Correction, I’ve been working on my positivity.

CORRECTION: I have improved my positivity.

It’s tough. I have a pragmatic, neurodiverse, and often all-or-nothing view of the world. I like to identify problems and find creative ways to fix them. I’ve often said that the old Lexus commercials of the 1990s especially resonated with me.

As I’ve matured, I’ve come to understand that this also creates the relentless pursuit of imperfection. Nothing is ever good enough, which often means, things remain bad until they are. It’s a helluva thing to overcome to publish a book. But if I put my “reason mind” to work (If you want to publish, you have to stop puttering about), it begins to drown out the “emotion mind” that’s often loudest in my head (Just one more edit and it’ll be perfect. Just one more. You’re so close. But just one more.)

This morning, I was looking for a way to start my Monday with a positive attitude, which is tough for many of us. Part of our social contract in America is commiserating over the start of the work week. It’s probably a multi-million dollar industry, when you consider all the merchandise dedicated to grumpy Mondays.

I thought back to how good my Friday was. It started with this: A Day Bright, and Full of Promise. It was a simple writing exercise that got my brain moving, and the creative outlet got those feel-goods coursing through my veins.

Instead of simply jumping into work, with who knows what surprises awaiting me, I took a few minutes to jot this down in a coffee shop.

Does Monday begin a week,

Dark and full of dread?

Or is it a promise of things to come

A world brimming with light and life?

When we have no choice

But to climb the mountain,

We can dwell on the darkness of the lee side

Or the light that awaits us at the summit.

We can extend a hand to those who follow

Because the sunrise shared is better

Than casting shadows upon those

Who struggle with the climb below us.

Already the world is filled

With enough darkness to swallow us whole

Yet this is an infinitesimal thing

Compared to the warmth of the sun.

Like Friday’s post, this is a simple bit of verse. It’s not particularly profound, but it doesn’t need to be. This is an exercise, not my bid to be a poet laureate. However, since this is an exercise, what can we learn? If you do a quick comparison:

• The Friday piece starts on an optimistic note. There is a single character who believes anything can happen. An adventure – small or great – is about to begin.
• The Monday piece chooses optimism in the face of adversity. Not only that, the character recognizes the benefits of helping others. The character is looking to spread optimism and joy. The tone has changed tremendously from the first two lines to the last.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, Mike. Writing-analysis-blabiddy-blah. Did it work?

It did!

Writing this at the end of my day, I look back and realize I had a good day. And as I think about my personal positivity transformation, it occurs to me that I might have previously said, “I guess my day was ok. I dunno,” and not have been able to articulate anything particularly meaningful, positive or negative.

That feels like a darn good way to start a week, and the attitude I need for writing. Let’s see what Tuesday brings!

Mike

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Did this post or the one from Friday help with your own positivity? We’d love a comment, though liking the posts is also appreciated!

(C) Michael Wallevand, September 2024

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