What if it starts with you?

What if, instead of looking for happiness outside of ourselves, we started by looking inside ourselves?

What if we started by being kinder to ourselves? What if we paused, for just a moment, and spoke to ourselves the way we would speak to an unhappy child?

“It’s ok, Dear One. I know you’re struggling right now, and I know it seems like everything is going wrong, but it’ll be alright. You’ll see.”

What if instead of blaming the others around us, the so-called toxic people, we remembered that we have a choice. A choice to listen or not listen. A choice to believe, or not believe what they say. What if instead of listening to the office gossip, we made the effort to walk away because we know deep down that this conversation doesn’t serve us?

What if rather than reacting in anger, at the loved one who criticizes us for whatever transgression they believe we have committed, we stopped to breathe a moment, and chose to really look at them and rediscover the beautiful soul that we know lies inside? What if we chose to focus on who we know them to be rather than the person they are choosing to be?

What if their criticism comes from a place of unhappiness of their own? What if they too are in a place of feeling deep fear, or sorrow, not knowing how to come back into the light?

What if, instead of reacting with anger, we responded with compassion?

What if, before laying our head on our pillows we took time to reflect on each day?

And what if instead of thinking of all the things that went wrong in the day, we searched for all the things that went right?

What if we remembered the help of a colleague, the smile of a stranger, the kindness of someone holding the door open, a grateful comment from a sibling or an aging parent.

What if we remembered that no matter what negative things happen in our daily lives, there will ALWAYS be something to be grateful for?

What if we remembered to be grateful for the things we take for granted?

Running water, when so many struggle for access to clean water elsewhere on the globe. Running electricity that is easily accessible and relatively low cost, when you need that A/C on a hot day, or your furnace on a cold winter morning. Relative health, when so many struggle with major diseases and chronic conditions, where they constantly find themselves in hospitals and on veritable cocktails of medications.

What if, as a parent, we could stop and be grateful for the health and wellbeing of our children, when so many parents spend days in hospitals at their child’s bedside, hoping that this time, the doctors will be able to tell them what’s wrong and how to fix it.

What if we took all of these thoughts and realized that nothing has gone wrong?

We didn’t “miss the boat” on our career. It’s not too late.

We’re not too “young and inexperienced” to make a difference.

What if we looked at our broken heart and realized that we broke it ourselves and that the very fact that it’s broken means that we truly LOVED. What if we realized that this person we were in love with isn’t the only one in the entire world that could be compatible with who we are?

And what if we just gave ourselves a little time to grieve, to breathe, and to remember who we truly are, before beginning our search for our next Great Love?

What if we allowed ourselves to be just a little bit hopeful? What if we allowed ourselves to believe that better days are ahead, and that all we have to do is just get through this day, and then the next, and then the next?

What if we took one small step, the tiniest of steps, in a more positive direction, just for today? Just to see where it leads us.

What if, just for today, we chose to leave the pain, the heartache, the disappointment, the anger, the frustration behind and allowed hope to seep in, just a little?

What if?

What have you got to lose by trying?