Positive Thinking or Positively Delusional?

by Abby on July 25, 2013

We leave for our annual family vacation in a few days. And in typical freelancer feast-or-famine style, I am currently slammed with work. In addition to my deadlines, I have a summer cold, C. is working extra-late to make up for the time he’s missing, and our babysitter is going on HER annual vacation. Oh, and did I mention a mouse has invaded our kitchen?

But it’s OK. Really. Actually, this is all part of my master plan. See, I like to maximize my enjoyment of my vacation by making sure I’m EXTRA-STRESSED right before we leave, so that our week away – no matter how many sibling squabbles or potentially rainy days we encounter – seems like a cakewalk in comparison! Brilliant, right?

I know, I know. This is just another example of my extraordinary powers of positive thinking. Remember when I tried to convince myself and the rest of you that working vacations aren’t that bad? (Even so, I’m trying to avoid that this year.) Or when I claimed that having to go see a different movie than you wanted to can make for a better date night? Or when I forced myself to be grateful and ended up actually feeling grateful? Well, it turns out I really believe that stuff. And with practice, I find myself looking for that silver lining more and more now, out of habit.

Sorry a self-help book has made you temporarily insaneI had dinner recently with a friend I hadn’t seen in a while. I was filling her in on what I’ve been up to and somehow I found myself midway into a passionate monologue about Super Soul Sunday and how I was really into self-helpy stuff lately when I noticed she was looking at me strangely. “It sounds like you’ve joined a cult!” she laughed. I laughed too, albeit a little awkwardly. HAD I? Did I jump into the “Live Your Best Life” deep end like those crazy juice-fasters and Crossfit freaks (no offense, honey) without even realizing it?!

Well, I thought about it and guess what? I don’t care. Perhaps I am delusional from stress and Sudafed. Maybe a working vacation is the absolute worst and forced gratitude defeats the whole purpose of being grateful. Maybe yoga is a load of crap that’s bad for your knees and I’d be better off sleeping in on Sundays.

But if I can convince myself that I am NOT stressed out of my mind, but rather that I am lucky to have all these projects and that I’m intentionally working hard now so that I can be free to enjoy a week at the beach with my family? Why WOULDN’T I? Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go blast Kelly Clarkson’s “Stronger” and do some deep-breathing. Try not to miss me too much next week!

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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Angie Mizzell July 28, 2013 at 2:47 pm

There’s a mouse in your house??? And seriously, that ecard is awesome. I just pinned it and linked to your blog. Go on with your self-helpy self.

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christine July 30, 2013 at 8:28 pm

Crossfit freaks??? So that’s what you think of me??? LOL!! Enjoy your vacation but we do miss you guys!

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