You Bring Your Weather with You

Whether it does naturally or not, after making the decision to have a bad day, there's not much that will change your mind.  This demonstrates something my mom told me before my 10th grade Valentine's Day dance, "You bring your weather with you."  Though seemingly good insight, it was somewhat lost on 15 year old Julie.  My date was pretty cute and certainly nice, but after having agreed to go with him weeks (how much can change within weeks for a teenager!?) earlier, I had changed my mind and no longer wanted to be his date for the dance.  (PLUS, I had just gotten my braces off, so I was lookin' and feelin' good!) 


What I've since determined my mom meant was something close to: It is your attitude that determines your day/ night/ overall experience.  And, of course, mom was right.  Going into that dance with a bad attitude would have been the fastest way to have a miserable night.

Sometimes we surprise ourselves with circumstances turning out tremendously better than anticipated, but often when we enter a situation with a bad attitude, nothing good comes of it.  Being mindful of our thoughts and feelings and attempting to maintain a positive attitude can change your hour, your day, your week, and--dare I say--your life.

You may not be in a location where spring has yet sprung, but even so you have control over the weather in your own life.  You can ward off the thunderstorms and rainclouds of your mind and emotions--and you don't need a weatherman to make [unreliable] predictions for you. Or you can choose not to, as demonstrated so perfectly by the Care Bears character below, Grumpy Bear.


Today, next time you take a deep (belly) breath, remind yourself that you have the choice and the opportunity to choose positivity, happiness, and contentment.  Starting. Right. Now.

What weather will you bring today?