WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS.......

With Facebook, Social Networking, Blogging and all the other forms of communication we have, our lives are no longer private. We are an invisible audience that has the ability to tap in to each others days and nights, thoughts and opinions. In some ways it can be a wonderful platform. It is easier than ever to band together as one and get the word out on things and passions we feel strongly about. It can also be frightening. It is scary to think that someone somewhere may be watching with ill intent. I try to focus on the positive in every situation, so I try not to think along those lines.

When you are writing a blog, you publicly open your world for others to see. It felt a little strange at first, opening up about my life online. I am generally a pretty private person so this was a little out of the comfort zone for me, but I'm really enjoying being able to write, and share some of the things in my life that make me happy. My home, my husband and children and my pets are what I value most in my life. I treasure the happiness and contentment they bring. But life isn't always easy, and the one thing about our online world is that sometimes it presents a perfect world. Our online persona.

When I look back over my blog and my posts I realize it only represents a certain part of me. It shows the happy world in which I reside. But I want you all to know that life isn't always like that. I just assume no one wants to read about when I'm cranky, or the kids were fighting, or that we discovered the shower drain has been leaking in to the floor for weeks and my first hint was, hmmmm what's that funny smell coming from the bathroom? We all encounter bad stuff. The blah days. The times where the world seems dark and gloomy and the sun hasn't shone in awhile. That's normal. It's not like that a lot of the time, but it is some of the time. And that's important to know. But I am not one to dwell on anything negative, at least not for long, so I choose not to write about those things.

In my life I am one of those people who believe in the age old saying, "When life hands you lemons, you make lemonade!"

I always strive to see the positive in a situation, even though sometimes that can seem an almost impossible task. I do not surround myself with negative people or situations, and I have no problem with changing things up if they aren't working out or making me happy. It's so important in life to look for that silver lining, and to try and approach each individual situation with a positive angle. It is so easy to take the dark path. To let it grab you and draw you in. To see the worst in people, instead of looking for the best. It is easy to let your self have that negative internal dialogue that tells you that you can't, or that you're not pretty enough, or smart enough to accomplish great things. It is easier to accept people's judgements as truth instead of pushing back against it.

In my life I am easily hurt. I don't understand when someone doesn't have my best intentions at heart or aren't happy for me when something good comes along. I am often told I set my expectations too high, and therefore set myself up for disappointment, but isn't life all about setting high expectations? Shouldn't I expect the best for myself? I would rather risk hurt and intense disappointment, than miss out on something that could be so phenomenally great! I've also been told I'm a glutton for punishment. I get hurt and fall down, but then I stand up, shake the dust off and go back for more. I don't let it get the best of me. I don't give up.

I suppose what I'm trying to say with all of this is that no one's life is perfect. When we visit each other in our online worlds, in most cases we are only seeing the best of times, not the worst. We all struggle and toil and face our own demons. Don't compare yourselves to others, but make your life what you want it to be. Don't dwell on what's not right, but embrace what is. When it rains, instead of reveling in its gloom, notice the beauty of the water droplets on the flowers.

When life is dark, look for the light, focus on it and do everything in your power to get to it. Don't let anyone say you can't, especially yourself. On the road of life, try and avoid the potholes. But if you happen to hit one once in awhile, I promise, something good is just around the next corner. You may have to turn down another road to find it, but I assure you, it's there.