Trying to stay positive

When you are surrounded by negativity, staying positive is definitely harder. Each day when I go to sleep I count my blessings and am thankful for all that I have in my life. If I stay in my flat all day and sneak out to the pond once in a while then staying positive is fairly easy. It is when I get talking to some of the others in this retirement village that the negativity creeps in. In a community of this size there are always bound to be those who moan continuously and those who are constant complainers. There are a few who are more positive but they are in the minority.

What is it about people that they are always negative? Nothing is right for them and they constantly go on about various events in a very negative manner. They seem stuck in their lives and unable to move beyond the negativity. I have tried to help with this but some are extremely resistant to change. I wonder what has made them like this? Getting old can be frightening especially if you are ill and/or alone but there are still many things in life which can be enjoyed. There is Bingo for those that enjoy it but some still find things to complain about with the bingo sessions. I really feel for these people as they are missing out on so much enjoyment in their lives. Trying to get them outside in nature by the pond is a no-no even though it is less than five minutes walk away.

So what can I do? I need to stay positive so I can help others but the resistance to any kind of change is so strong that it is unlikely to ever happen. I have lived in other communities but have not seen such a huge amount of negativity as I have here. Is this because the place is so large? Or is it just the people who live here? How do I get them to see that there can be more to life than sitting staring into space?  Even a walk around the garden would make a difference. I shall keep trying and smile at them more than I already do.

News, change, negativity and more

There has been so much going on this week in my mind. First of there was Storm Doris who swept through our area at a rapid speed demolishing objects in her way and bringing down many trees. I had hoped that she would sweep away all the negativity but that has not seemed to have happened as the news is full of it.

I understand that good events are not good news but they should be. I can look at a newspaper and find lots of items about bad events but not very much about good ones. No wonder we all feel negative. I try not to get emotionally involved with the news but try to stand back and look at what is stated overall. Facts are important but we are now in the age of fake news. Journalists seem to have forgotten about truth and reporting in a factual manner but make up things to get good headlines and more readers even though some of what you read is blatantly untrue.

What sort of a world have we made? What happened to truth and compassion? How can we turn the negativity into positivity? Is it right to keep revisiting the past or should we be looking only to the future? Now that is a question that could bring a lot of discussion. What has happened in the past makes us who we are today but should it influence how we go forward and if so how?

We are going through a period of rapid change in our world. Change in the way we live, the way we travel and the way we spend money. We need to accept that without change we cannot grow. Change is a good thing not a bad one and from each change we make, we learn something which helps us to lead a better life. It is so easy to get in a rut and stay in what feels a safe place. Sometimes risks have to be taken in order to move forward. Please tell me your thoughts on all of this. I love to read your comments which often help me to change things too.