Why Not Pinky-Swear To Be Positive With Others?

I have an idea! Why not pinky-swear to be positive with others? Are you wondering why we have so many people depressed in America? Because we instigate it!

Okay, so that is not true, but did it get your attention? Remember the quote from Mother Theresa, “Do not wait for leaders. Do it alone, person to person.” https://parade.com/1246359/marynliles/mother-teresa-quotes/

It is really irking me lately how people strike up purely negative conversations with each other. How many times have you heard:

• Can you believe these gas prices?
• You better start growing your own vegetables at these prices!
• Our economy is in the toilet.

Pinky-Swear To Be Positive

All three of the above statements are comments random people have recently made to me. Unfortunately, they are true, but all are out of our control. Yes, we can vote people into office whose platforms promise to address these issues. (please do) But, that process will take time, and we need something to help us today. What can you and I do right now?

We can change the narrative into something positive. I love that people randomly strike up conversations with me, but these interactions leave me depressed. I want to change that.

Above all, I am not minimizing our present lives; serious issues are happening in our world. However, I am suggesting we control what is within our reach.

Moreover, I believe we can make a conscious decision to do this. We’re all figuring out ways of outwitting life so let’s share some ideas. The next time someone remarks about high gas prices, mention that buying gas on Monday typically affords you the best rate https://clark.com/cars/best-day-to-buy-gas/. Prices increase over the weekend and come down again on Mondays.

Likewise, you can also mention that Sunday is the best day to purchase airline tickets while Fridays are the best day to fly https://thriftytraveler.com/guides/best-day-to-book-flights/. Instead of having a “Debbie downer” conversation about gas, you just offered the other person two tips on how to save money. I’d say that is a positive conversation!

Help Others Be Positive

What other conversations could you steer towards positivity? I’d venture to say any or all of them. I have worked at learning to think and act differently for fear of breast cancer turning me into an old shrew. I refuse to let a stranger bring me down!

It is not easy to keep a positive outlook on life. Positive thinking is a learned trait. According to the Mayo Clinic, positive people live longer. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950. One of the ways you can control negative thinking is through self-talk. How do you talk to yourself?

I wrote a post on self-talk last August: https://www.outwittinglife.com/do-normal-people-talk-to-themselves-every-day/. It goes into much more detail on how self-talk impacts our behavior. BTW, I find all of this fascinating, mostly because I have seen it work for myself. I hope that you do too.

Yes, You Can Grow Your Own Vegetables

Vegetable prices at the grocery store have indeed increased. Luckily, you can learn to grow your own – all you need is access to a computer. The amount of information at our fingertips is massive. Simply Google “grow your own vegetables,” and you’ll have multiple choices regarding planting vegetable gardens. There are even tutorials on growing vegetables from scraps in your kitchen. You don’ even need a patch of soil!

Hence, the next time someone makes a wise comment regarding vegetable prices, you can point them in the direction of Google. You can also mention they should check sales flyers. Different vegetables are on sale every week; I never buy them unless they are on sale. Just sayin’.

Change The Subject Right Away

In the event of a stranger making small talk with you by saying, “the economy is in the toilet,” kindly walk away as fast as you can. This is one topic that leads straight to politics, and you do not want to go there right now! Seriously, I would immediately change the subject. Perhaps you could compliment them on their shoes or watch or something. The weather, there’s always the weather.

I guess my point today is to please try and stay positive. It’s good for your health, and it is contagious. If you guide someone towards positivity, they will go there with you. I am just tired of all the complaining and negative talk. I want to build people up, not depress them. Is that too corny?

Please share any crazy, random stories you have had with strangers recently. I know you’ve had such encounters; we all have! If I have said anything that resonates, please share it with me in the comment area below. Also, please subscribe to my blog if you have not done so already.